Tim Mocan
Updated on: December 23, 2023
Short on time? Here’s the best way to make your VPN undetectable in 2024:
- Choose a quality VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because it’s the most effective provider in making your VPN undetectable.
- Download and install the VPN. Just follow the installation wizard’s instructions, and the whole process won’t take more than 2 minutes.
- Use one of the tips I mentioned here. Changing the VPN’s IP address, using a different protocol, or enabling obfuscation will help you mask your VPN connection.
I always use a VPN to make sure that all of my online activities, including browsing, streaming, and torrenting, are untraceable — thanks to a VPN’s bank-grade encryption, network administrators and internet service providers (ISPs) are unable to see the websites I visit or the files that I download.
However, network administrators and ISPs are still able to detect that I’m using a VPN. But luckily, there are several different ways to make a VPN connection undetectable.
There’s a lot of information about making your VPN undetectable online, but much of it is incorrect. So I spent a few weeks researching this topic. I read dozens of articles, guides, and VPN support articles, talked to many VPN customer support representatives, relied on my own expertise and experience, and conducted multiple tests.
So I put together this guide, which contains useful tips that can actually help you make your VPN undetectable (to a certain extent). In addition, I also recommend the best VPNs for bypassing VPN detection and VPN blocks (ExpressVPN is my #1 pick).
Best Ways to Make Your VPN Undetectable in 2024
1. Choose a Quality VPN
The easiest way to avoid VPN detectors and VPN blocks is to just use a VPN proven to be undetectable. For that, you need a VPN that refreshes its IP addresses very often, hides VPN traffic, and provides overall excellent security and privacy features.
After running dozens of tests, I found that ExpressVPN is the best option for surfing the web undetected — here’s why:
- It constantly refreshes its server IP addresses. I ran 10+ leak tests while connected to its New York server, and I always had a different IP address. This is also the reason why it consistently works with top streaming sites and works in restrictive countries.
- It supports Tor over VPN connections, which makes your VPN’s IP address even harder to detect.
- It secures your data and privacy with an audited no-logs policy and advanced security features like full leak protection.
2. Change the VPN Protocol
Restrictive countries and network admins can stop you from using certain VPN protocols if they block the ports used by those protocols. They can also use DPI to detect and block certain VPN protocols. The easiest way to overcome those restrictions is to change the VPN protocol. Keep in mind that getting around these restrictions is illegal in some places, so make sure you do your research before doing so in your current location.
If you’re dealing with port blocking, I recommend using OpenVPN or WireGuard. If their default ports are blocked, you can manually switch to a different port. Both WireGuard and OpenVPN support tons of ports. ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN and its proprietary protocol, called Lightway, is essentially an improvement on WireGuard. It’s also one of the top VPNs that configures these protocols to automatically work with ports that are hard to block, so you don’t need to manually pick a port (which is very convenient if you’re a beginner). PrivateVPN is another good example of a VPN that does that.
For DPI, the easiest fix is to use a VPN protocol that hides your VPN traffic. Many top VPNs provide such options — for example, ExpressVPN has Lightway and VyprVPN has Chameleon.
3. Use Obfuscation Features
Obfuscation is a VPN feature that encapsulates VPN traffic in an extra layer of encryption to make it look like regular internet traffic. Obfuscation is the best way to bypass DPI detection and blocks (only if it’s not illegal in your location).
Most VPNs provide access to VPN protocols that provide obfuscation. However, some VPNs come with a built-in obfuscation option that’s separate from the VPN protocols they use. TunnelBear’s GhostBear feature and PrivateVPN’s StealthVPN feature are good examples — once you enable these features, they automatically make all VPN data look like normal internet traffic.
But I think ExpressVPN’s obfuscation is the best on the market. It supports obfuscation on all servers and protocols, and it’s one of the few top VPNs that work in restrictive countries like China (per its customer support reps) — and China’s application of DPI is arguably among the most extensive and sophisticated in the world.
4. Use TCP Port 443
If most VPN-related ports are blocked, I suggest switching to TCP port 443, the same port used by HTTPS traffic, which accounts for almost all internet traffic. So, it’s extremely unlikely that an ISP or network admin would block this port, as it would mean blocking access to any website that uses HTTPS (like Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).
ExpressVPN configures OpenVPN to automatically use TCP port 443, which makes things even easier.
Other than ExpressVPN, only a few VPN protocols work with TCP port 443:
- OpenVPN — This is a very popular and secure protocol. Some VPN providers, like Private Internet Access, allow you to pick TCP port 443 when you select OpenVPN.
- SSTP — This protocol uses TCP port 443 by default, but only a few VPN providers (like IPVanish) provide access to it.
- SoftEther — Very few VPN services use this protocol because it’s difficult to integrate it into the VPN client.
5. Use Tor over VPN
Tor is a privacy network that lets you access the dark web. Tor also routes your traffic through multiple servers, changing your IP address and encrypting your traffic several times. Tor is free to use — you only need to download and install the Tor browser to access the Tor Network.
You can tunnel a Tor connection over a VPN connection to prevent internet and dark web sites from detecting your VPN IP address and hide your VPN connection behind several layers of Tor encryption. Basically, your connection will look like this:
You → VPN → Tor Server #1 → Tor Server #2 → Tor Server #3 → Dark Web
Pretty much all top VPNs support Tor over VPN connections, but I like ExpressVPN the most because it has really fast speeds (Tor over VPN connections are usually pretty slow). I also think NordVPN is a good pick because it has Onion Over VPN servers that automatically send your traffic through the Tor network, meaning you don’t need to download and use the Tor browser to use the Tor network.
6. Change the VPN’s IP Address
If a network admin blocked the VPN’s IP address, refresh the VPN server’s IP address to bypass that issue. The simplest way to do that is to reconnect to the VPN server or connect to a different VPN server.
ExpressVPN automatically refreshes your IP addresses very often — when I ran tests while connected to the same server, I always got a different IP address.
Some VPNs have built-in features that regularly refresh the IP address in the background — for example, Surfshark has IP Rotator, a tool that changes your VPN IP address without disconnecting you from the VPN server, which you have to turn on in the settings.
7. Use Mobile Data
Businesses and learning institutions often implement strict anti-VPN policies on the company/school’s network. If you’re caught using one, you could get in trouble.
In this case, the best way to make your VPN usage undetectable is to use your mobile data. That way, you use your telecom provider’s network instead of your company/school’s network.
8. Use Shadowsocks
Shadowsocks is an open-source encrypted proxy, which you can use to connect to VPN servers. If you do that, Shadowsocks will encrypt your connection to the VPN server, making it much harder for someone to detect and block it.
Shadowsocks requires a manual setup, but it’s pretty simple to use. However, you need to use it with a VPN that supports Shadowsocks connections to its servers. The VPN also has to support manual port selection, since you need to pick a server port while setting up Shadowsocks.
I personally recommend using a VPN that has built-in support for Shadowsocks (like Private Internet Access, PrivateVPN, and Mullvad VPN) instead because it’s much more convenient.
Best VPNs for Avoiding VPN Blockers in 2024
Quick summary of the best VPNs for avoiding VPN blockers in 2024:
- 🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for avoiding VPN blockers in 2024.
- 🥈2. Private Internet Access — Best for getting high-end privacy features.
- 🥉3. NordVPN — Excellent for using obfuscation to avoid VPN blockers.
- 4. Surfshark — User-friendly with a good VPN IP changing tool.
- 5. PrivateVPN — Best if you need a dedicated IP address.
- Comparison of the Best VPNs for Avoiding VPN Blockers in 2024.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Avoiding VPN Blockers in 2024
Approved by our experts
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for circumventing VPN detectors and blockers in 2024 — it consistently avoids IP blocks and provides industry-first security features that make your connection very hard to detect. It refreshes its IP addresses very often — the provider doesn’t say how often, but I ran dozens of leak tests on one of its servers, and each result displayed a different IP address.
ExpressVPN has good streaming support and works in restrictive countries, which is proof that the VPN changes its IP addresses extremely often.
ExpressVPN also comes with excellent security features that bypass VPN detection and VPN blocks:
- Obfuscation — ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol automatically hides your VPN traffic. You can also get traffic obfuscation if you pick the Automatic protocol option. Obfuscation normally causes noticeable slowdowns (due to the extra layer of encryption that obfuscates VPN traffic), but ExpressVPN maintained lightning-fast speeds on both normal and obfuscated connections in my tests.
- TCP port 443 — When you use the OpenVPN TCP protocol option, it always connects to the internet using TCP port 443, which is nearly impossible to block.
- Tor over VPN support — ExpressVPN supports Tor traffic across all of its servers, so you can use Tor over VPN connections to mask your VPN IP address on the dark web and the internet.
In addition, ExpressVPN provides other high-end security features that protect your data. Its strict no-logs policy has been independently audited and proven true, and the provider has advanced security features like RAM-only servers (every server reset wipes all data), full protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, and perfect forward secrecy (changes the encryption key for each VPN session to prevent hackers from compromising past or future encryption keys).
ExpressVPN offers several plans that start at $6.67 / month. Plus, ExpressVPN backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Best for People Interested in High-End Privacy
]Private Internet Access (PIA) is really good at avoiding detection, and it also provides top-notch privacy features. It refreshes its server IP addresses very often and it provides access to OpenVPN and WireGuard, which are both excellent at bypassing port blocking.
It’s great that PIA lets you use TCP port 443 with OpenVPN, but I think ExpressVPN is more user-friendly because it uses TCP port 443 by default with OpenVPN TCP (you don’t need to change any settings).
The VPN also provides other ways to hide your VPN connection — it supports obfuscation via Shadowsocks, and all of its servers allow Tor over VPN connections.
PIA’s strict no-logs policy has been independently audited like ExpressVPN, and it has also been proven true in court many times. Also, all of PIA’s apps are open-source, which provides excellent transparency since anyone can inspect the code for security vulnerabilities. In addition, the VPN also comes with other strong security features, including full leak protection, RAM-only servers, and perfect forward secrecy.
The VPN is also easy to use, and it’s great that it allows unlimited connections. That means you can use it to hide your VPN connections on as many devices as you want.
Private Internet Access has affordable monthly and yearly plans that start at $2.11 / month. It backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. NordVPN — Great for Using Obfuscated Servers & High-End Security
NordVPN provides 100+ obfuscated servers in 10+ countries that mask your VPN traffic. While the provider’s obfuscation doesn’t work in restrictive countries, it’s still a really good way to stop your ISP or anyone else from seeing your VPN connection. But if you think that server count is not enough for you, consider getting ExpressVPN instead since it allows obfuscation on all of its servers.
Plus, the VPN also has other ways to hide your VPN traffic. It lets you use TCP port 443 via the OpenVPN protocol, and all of its servers also support Tor traffic — what’s more, it even has Onion Over VPN servers that allow you to access the dark web in normal browsers like Chrome, which is really convenient.
And the provider also comes with very strong security features. In addition to an audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection, it also has Threat Protection, a very good ad blocker that can also protect you from malware-infected downloads.
NordVPN offers monthly and yearly plans that start at $3.39 / month. Also, it backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full NordVPN review here
4. Surfshark — User-Friendly & Great for Changing Your VPN IP Address
Surfshark has very intuitive apps for all major platforms, so it’s really easy to use it to hide your VPN connection. What’s more, it allows unlimited connections, which is really great.
The provider is also very good for regularly refreshing your IP address. It comes with IP Rotator, which in addition to changing your VPN IP address at regular intervals, it also does it without disconnecting you from the VPN server, which is super convenient.
Plus, the provider also comes with obfuscation, though it’s a shame it doesn’t work in restrictive countries (its customer support reps confirmed this) like ExpressVPN does. On the plus side, it allows Tor traffic across all of its servers.
Also, the VPN comes with strong security and privacy features. It has an audited no-logs policy, uses RAM-only servers and obfuscation, and provides access to DNS leak protection. If you’d like even more security, you can use its Dynamic MultiHop servers to send your data through 2 VPN servers, gaining an extra layer of encryption that way.
Surfshark has super affordable plans that start at $1.99 / month. What’s more, it also backs all purchases with a 30-day refund.
Read our full Surfshark review
5. PrivateVPN — Good for Beginners (With Good Obfuscation Feature)
PrivateVPN is a great option for beginners looking to hide their VPN connections. Its apps are very intuitive and simple to navigate, and there are helpful explanations for all settings and features.
While PrivateVPN doesn’t come with WireGuard, it provides access to OpenVPN, which is configured to automatically use TCP port 443 if you select the OpenVPN TCP option. I also like how PrivateVPN supports Tor traffic on all of its servers and how it provides traffic obfuscation via the StealthVPN feature (PrivateVPN recommends using this feature if you live in or travel through a restrictive country).
PrivateVPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited (like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access), and it’s missing RAM-only servers and WebRTC leak protection.
PrivateVPN’s prices start at $2.00 / month. It accepts cryptocurrencies and backs all of its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full PrivateVPN review
Comparison of the Best VPNs for Avoiding VPN Blockers in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN for Avoiding VPN Blockers
- Make sure it refreshes IP addresses. The VPN needs to refresh its server IP addresses very often to avoid IP blocks. ExpressVPN, my top pick, refreshes its IP addresses extremely fast.
- Look for obfuscation. DPI can detect and block or slow down VPN connections. Traffic obfuscation makes VPN data look like normal internet data to circumvent DPI detection. All the VPNs I recommend provide access to traffic obfuscation.
- Check the protocol availability. Network admins and restrictive countries can use port blocking to stop you from using certain VPN protocols. So, the VPN should provide access to OpenVPN or WireGuard, as both protocols support tons of ports to bypass this restriction. Please make sure this isn’t illegal in your location.
- Check for Tor over VPN support. Tor over VPN connections prevent internet and dark web sites from seeing your VPN’s IP address and also hide your VPN connection behind several layers of encryption. All the VPNs on my list provide Tor over VPN support.
- Ensure it has strong security features. I only recommend VPNs that have industry-standard VPN security features like a no-logs policy to prevent the VPN from logging your data, a kill switch that disables web access if the VPN disconnects, and 256-bit AES encryption.
- Look for good value. All my top picks allow multiple simultaneous connections, have affordable plans, accept cryptocurrency (it provides extra anonymity), and come with a money-back guarantee.
Why Should You Make Your VPN Undetectable?
- Bypass VPN blocks — Restrictive countries like China, Iran, and Indonesia often employ state-of-the-art methods to detect and block VPN connections. While most of these countries don’t specifically make it illegal to use a VPN to get around these restrictions, some legally ban them so it’s important to check all local rules and regulations before using a VPN. Also, learning institutions and workplaces might use firewalls to block VPNs.
- Get more privacy — When you connect to a VPN, your ISP is aware of the connection (but the VPN’s encryption prevents your ISP from seeing your internet behavior). Also, websites can detect VPN IP addresses. Some people simply don’t want their ISPs or the sites they visit to know they’re using a VPN.
What Are VPN Blockers & Why Are They Used?
VPN blockers are services or tools that detect and block VPN connections. Governments, ISPs, network admins, and websites use VPN blockers — and here’s why:
Enforce Government Censorship
Restrictive countries often block access to popular sites, including social media sites, news sites, and platforms like Google and YouTube. These countries know that their citizens can use a VPN to circumvent government firewalls and access a free and open internet, so they use sophisticated technology to detect and block VPN connections. Note that in some of these countries, using a VPN to get around the firewall is illegal, so it’s important to do your research before doing so.
Enforce a School/Workplace Policy
Many schools, universities, and businesses use firewalls to stop students/employees from accessing certain sites. Since students/employees can use a VPN to bypass the firewall, school and workplace network admins block VPN connections.
Honor Copyright and Licensing Agreements
Streaming platforms display different titles depending on which country you’re in — this is all due to the licensing agreements they signed with copyright holders. Basically, if a site doesn’t have the licensing rights to show a specific title in a certain country, it can’t legally broadcast it there.
Streaming sites detect and block VPNs because they allow people to bypass geo-restrictions (a type of content protection). If the sites were to ignore VPN connections, it could be a breach of the licensing agreements they signed.
Avoid Legal Issues
Some ISPs worry that their customers might use VPNs to illegally torrent copyrighted content. To avoid facing any potential legal repercussions, they throttle or block VPN connections on their networks.
And certain websites might also block VPNs to avoid legal issues — for example, gambling sites block VPNs to prevent people from countries where gambling is illegal from using their platforms. Also, payment processing sites might block VPN connections as a fraud prevention method (they worry criminals use VPNs to launder money).
Different Types of VPN Blockers
Here are the main VPN blocking methods:
IP Blocks
When using a VPN, websites only see the IP address of the VPN server you’re connected to. If a site blocks that IP address, you won’t be able to access the site through it.
Many streaming platforms use IP blocks to prevent VPN users from accessing geo-blocked content. To do this, they often source VPN and proxy IP databases from services like IP2Location. Subsequently, these websites employ automated scripts designed to detect and block VPN IP addresses that want to establish connections with their platforms. What’s more, network administrators, internet service providers (ISPs), and governments with stringent policies employ firewalls to impede connections from VPN IP addresses, further limiting access to these platforms.
Port Blocking
Ports are numbers assigned to network protocols used for online communication. Each VPN protocol uses different ports to access the web — for example, OpenVPN uses UDP port 1194 by default. Network admins and ISPs can block certain ports to prevent you from using a specific VPN protocol.
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) searches for indications and signatures in your internet traffic that suggest you’re using a VPN protocol. If a VPN is identified, DPI has the capability to either obstruct it or slow it down to the point of being ineffective, a strategy referred to as Quality of Service filtering. Countries that impose VPN restrictions, such as China, use DPI to identify and hinder OpenVPN connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a free VPN to circumvent detection?
I doubt it — free VPNs rarely refresh their IP addresses, so it’s easy for sites and network admins to block their servers. What’s more, most free VPNs don’t provide access to obfuscation or protocols that can use multiple ports (like OpenVPN and WireGuard). Also, many free VPNs lack essential VPN security features like a kill switch or a no-logs policy.
I strongly advise getting a paid premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead — it regularly refreshes its IP addresses, has good streaming support, works in restrictive countries, has Tor over VPN support, and provides access to high-end security features.
Does VPN over Tor make your VPN undetectable?
Not really. VPN over Tor means you tunnel your VPN connection over the Tor network (a privacy network that hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic multiple times by sending it through at least 3 servers). Basically, your connection will look like this:
You → Tor Server #1 → Tor Server #2 → Tor Server #3 → VPN → Internet
A VPN over Tor connection will prevent ISPs and network admins from seeing that you’re connecting to a VPN’s IP address — but they’ll still know you’re connecting to a Tor IP address and they’ll be able to easily block it (Tor doesn’t refresh its IP addresses very often). And VPN over Tor connections aren’t safe since Tor can sometimes leak your IP address and malicious actors can operate their own Tor servers.
I recommend Tor over VPN connections instead because they hide your VPN’s IP address from normal internet sites and dark web sites, and are also much safer — if Tor suffers a leak, only the VPN’s IP address is exposed and your IP address remains hidden. Most top VPNs (like ExpressVPN) support Tor over VPN on their servers.
Will a double VPN connection make a VPN undetectable?
Not really. A double VPN connection sends your traffic through 2 VPN servers instead of 1 server — while that hides the IP address of the 1st VPN server, it’s still possible to detect the IP address of the 2nd VPN server. Plus, a double VPN connection won’t prevent network admins or ISPs from detecting VPN traffic.
I recommend using double VPN when you need an extra layer of encryption to secure your data. Surfshark has a very good double VPN feature that lets you pick the entry and exit servers (most VPNs with double VPN support don’t let you do that).
What does obfuscation do?
No, obfuscation can only help you get around Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), which detects and blocks VPN traffic. Obfuscation should generally be used in restrictive countries or if you want to prevent network admins or ISPs from tracking your VPN traffic. ExpressVPN is the best in the industry because it supports obfuscation on all of its servers and all VPN protocols. It’s also one of the only VPNs that work consistently in China, where the government applies DPI extensively to monitor and restrict internet usage.
