This article will show you how to open websites blocked by OpenDNS. The easiest way is to use a web proxy service, but if your computer is blocking all web proxy sites, use the portable Tor browser to bypass the OpenDNS filter.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Basic Solutions
Step 1. Learn about non-working methods
Many Internet filter blacklists can be "tricked" by replacing the normal site address with a mobile link or IP address. OpenDNS makes this tactic useless, so you'll have to use other loopholes to get around it.
Step 2. Connect directly to the modem
If the computer is connected to the modem via an Ethernet cable, try to work around the limitations of OpenDNS. Be aware that doing this at work or school is more likely to be considered a violation of ownership, which is a serious offense.
- Typically, the modem and router are separate from each other. If your internet connection uses a router / modem pair, then this method most likely won't help you.
- This method is most effective for home networks with OpenDNS parental controls enabled.
Step 3. Use a cellular connection
If you have an iPhone or Android smartphone, use the mobile internet on your phone as a Wi-Fi network. Using a mobile phone as a hotspot is not supported by all cellular providers.
- The article linked above describes the procedure for activating tethering on a laptop, but for a desktop computer, these instructions will also work.
- If you are trying to bypass OpenDNS on a computer that does not allow you to choose your own network, then tethering will not help you.
Step 4. Use a VPN
Virtual private networks (VPNs) redirect internet traffic through different servers around the world, hiding your network activity from internet services like OpenDNS. The downside to this method is that most VPN services are paid, and you won't be able to make administrator-level changes on a computer with limited access.
- Free VPNs include Hotspot Shield. Installing Hotspot Shield on a computer with limited access will give you access to most blocked sites.
Download the Hotspot Shield installer to a flash drive and then install it on your computer
Method 2 of 3: Via a web proxy
Step 1. Open the web proxy service
Go to any of the following web proxy sites:
- Hide. Me -
- ProxySite -
- ProxFree -
- Whoer -
- Hidester -
- You may have to try out several proxy sites before you find one that is not blocked by OpenDNS.
- If none of the above proxies work, try to find another proxy by entering the best online proxy 2018 (or something like that) into the search engine.
Step 2. Click on the web proxy search bar
It's a text box in the middle of the page (or at the bottom of the page if you've opened ProxFree).
The search bar serves the same function as the built-in address bar of the browser
Step 3. Enter the URL of the blocked site
Enter the URL of the blocked site (for example, www.facebook.com) that you want to access.
Step 4. Click the Go button
The appearance of this button will depend on the selected proxy service (for example, it might say “Visit anonymously”), but it can usually be found below or to the right of the text box.
- If you have opened a ProxFree proxy server, click on the blue PROXFREE button.
- Or just press the ↵ Enter key.
Step 5. View previously blocked sites
Sites should now load normally (like on a computer with unlimited access), although the location of the proxy server may take longer to load pages.
Method 3 of 3: Via a portable browser
Step 1. Make sure your computer meets all requirements
To run Tor on a computer with limited access, you first need to install it on a flash drive and then connect it to your computer. However, this is not all:
- The computer must have at least one USB port.
- The computer should not block the launch of files from the flash drive.
- The portable version of the browser should be installed on a USB flash drive, and not just stored there.
Step 2. Connect your flash drive to one of the unrestricted USB ports on your computer
A home computer is best suited for this task
Step 3. Open the Tor download page
Go to: https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html. Download Tor from this site, which is a browser with a built-in proxy service.
Contrary to popular belief, Tor is not at all dangerous to download and use as long as you don't do anything illegal (like in a regular browser)
Step 4. Click on the purple Download button in the middle of the page to download the Tor installation file to your computer
If asked to choose a download location, select your flash drive and skip the next step
Step 5. Move the Tor installation file to your USB stick
Open the folder with the downloaded installation file and follow these steps:
- Click on a file to select it.
- Press Ctrl + X (Windows) or ⌘ Command + X (Mac) to copy the file and delete it from the current folder.
- Select the USB flash drive on the left side of the window.
- Click on an empty space in the flash drive window.
- Press Ctrl + V (Windows) or ⌘ Command + V (Mac) to copy the file to your flash drive.
Step 6. Install Tor on your flash drive
To do this, select the USB flash drive as the location for installing the program:
- Windows - Double-click the Tor installation file, select your language and click OK, click Browse …, select your flash drive and click OK, click Install, uncheck both boxes and click Finish.
- Mac - Double-click the Tor installation file, recheck the download, and follow the onscreen instructions.
Step 7. Remove the USB stick
After installing the browser, safely remove the USB flash drive from your computer. Now that Tor is on your flash drive, you should have no problem running it on a restricted computer.
Step 8. Insert the USB flash drive into a computer with limited access
This should be the computer on which OpenDNS is blocking access to your favorite sites.
Step 9. Start Tor
Go to the root directory of your flash drive, open the Tor Browser folder and double-click the green Start Tor Browser icon. The "Tor Network Settings" window will open on the screen.
Step 10. Click the Connect button at the bottom of the window
After a while, the Tor window will open.
Outwardly, Tor resembles an old version of Firefox
Step 11. Go to the blocked site
To do this, use the text box on the Tor home page. Since Tor opens with a built-in proxy, it can open any site.
Since internet traffic will be redirected through different servers, pages will load more slowly
Advice
With thousands of reliable proxy services out there, the chances of OpenDNS blocking all of them are pretty low. Keep looking for a suitable site even if the first few servers are blocked
Warnings
- OpenDNS is much more advanced in blocking than most internet filters. Conventional methods, such as using a mobile site or switching to a different DNS address, are often not enough to open blocked sites.
- Be careful when entering personal or confidential information with proxy enabled. Since the proxy server owner can see any information you send, do not enter information such as an identification number or email address.