Unblocking Sites: A Guide To Access In Bahrain

How to watch blocked sites in Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain is deemed 'Not Free' in terms of Net Freedom and Press Freedom by Freedom House. The government requires all websites to register with the Information Affairs Authority (IAA), which can then decide to block certain websites, enforced by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). According to Reporters Without Borders, over 1,000 websites have been blocked or shut down in the country, including human rights websites, blogs, online forums and social media pages.

How to unblock sites in Bahrain

One way to access blocked sites in Bahrain is to use a VPN, or virtual private network, which masks your IP address, allowing you to avoid Internet limits and censorship. Under a VPN connection, all your traffic is encrypted, and you can surf anonymously.

Using a VPN to mask your IP address

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a software service that encrypts all of the data sent to and from the internet and routes it through a VPN server in another location. The VPN server acts as a middleman between your device and the internet, so websites and online apps only see the server’s IP address and virtual location, not your own.

The safest and fastest way to mask your IP address is to use a VPN. A VPN shields your IP address and encrypts your online activity for increased privacy and security. It assigns you a new IP address by connecting you to an encrypted, private VPN server instead of the ones owned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This means your activity can’t be tracked, stored, or mishandled by third parties.

• Sign up for a VPN service.
• Download the VPN app onto your device.
• Install the VPN app and run it.
• Sign in using the account credentials you created.
• Select a server or server location. Your new IP address will be that of this server.
• Click the "Connect" button or double-tap the server to initiate a connection. You are now connected through a private network and have a new IP address.

Most commercial VPN providers use shared IP addresses, meaning that all VPN users connected to the same server are hidden behind the same IP address–that of the VPN server. A VPN that uses shared IP addresses hides your real IP address and makes you indistinguishable from all the other users. Your online activity cannot be traced back to a single user, adding a significant layer of anonymity and further securing your network connection.

When choosing a VPN provider, it is vital to select one with the following features:

• Private DNS servers – DNS works like a phone book for the internet by translating domain names into IP addresses that your device can use to communicate. By default, you probably use DNS servers operated by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Google, which can see your IP address when you request a website, even when connected to a VPN. For this reason, using a VPN that operates its own DNS servers is important so you never expose your IP address to a third party.
• Leak protection – Get a VPN that has DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak prevention. VPNs are meant to protect all the internet data travelling to and from your device, but sometimes, they leak, exposing your IP address.
• Kill switch – A kill switch or network lock cuts off your entire device from the internet if the VPN internet connection drops for some reason, preventing anything from being sent from your real IP address without the VPN’s protection.
• No-logs policy – The VPN provider should not record or store activity logs of your internet browsing or any connection details that could be used to identify you. Always read the fine print as not every VPN is completely logless.

Using Tor Browser

The Tor Browser is a free, anti-surveillance tool that disguises your identity and location, allowing you to access blocked sites in Bahrain. It is run by The Tor Project, a non-profit organisation.

Tor is highly effective in countries with heavy censorship, such as Bahrain, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, and China. It works by bouncing your traffic through thousands of terminals worldwide, making it extremely difficult to track. This is in contrast to VPNs, which are private but not anonymous.

However, using Tor does come with some drawbacks. Firstly, it can be slow, as your traffic takes a convoluted path through many computers. Secondly, your terminal may be used to reroute someone else's traffic, although this is unlikely to affect you as a user.

To get started with Tor, simply download the Tor Browser and follow the step-by-step guide provided. You can also try refreshing your identity to get assigned a location closer to your real one, which may speed up your connection.

Tips for Using Tor

• Be aware that governments can block access to the Tor network by obtaining a list of relay points and blocking them.
• Tor has developed Pluggable Transports (PTs), which are included in the Tor Browser. PTs disguise your encrypted traffic as uninteresting or garbage data, making it harder for governments to detect.
• You can request additional bridges by emailing the Tor Project or visiting the BridgeDB website.
• To improve your anonymity, you can refresh your identity until you're assigned a location closer to your real one. Check your IP address after each refresh to find a suitable location.

Changing your DNS to cloudflare's

Cloudflare is a web infrastructure and website security company that provides content delivery network services, DDoS mitigation, Internet security, and distributed domain name server services. It also provides a public ad-supported DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1, as a free alternative to other DNS resolvers such as the one your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides.

By default, the DNS server your devices use is provided by your ISP. Some ISPs and network equipment providers partner with Cloudflare to add safer browsing to their offerings. If your providers are not currently using Cloudflare, you can change the DNS settings on your device or router as detailed in the following instructions.

Device or router-specific guides

You can set up 1.1.1.1 for Families for an added layer of protection on your home network against malware and adult content. 1.1.1.1 for Families leverages Cloudflare’s global network to ensure that it is fast and secure around the world, and includes the same strong privacy guarantees that Cloudflare committed to when launching 1.1.1.1.

1.1.1 for Families

• Use the following DNS resolvers to block malicious content: 2606:4700:4700::1112 and 2606:4700:4700::1002
• Use the following DNS resolvers to block malware and adult content: 2606:4700:4700::1113 and 2606:4700:4700::1003

Changing your DNS settings

To change your DNS settings, you will need to go into your device's or router's settings. The steps to do this will differ depending on your device and operating system.

On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, then select the network you're connected to. From there, select "Configure DNS" and switch from "Automatic" to "Manual." You can then delete any existing DNS entries and add Cloudflare's DNS addresses, which are 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.

On an Android device, go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, then select the network you're connected to. From there, select "Advanced options" and edit the DNS addresses to be Cloudflare's.

On a Windows device, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, then select the network you're connected to and click "Properties." From there, select "Edit" under IP Settings and switch from "Automatic" to "Manual." You can then add Cloudflare's DNS addresses.

On a Mac, go to System Preferences > Network, then select the network you're connected to and click "Advanced." From there, select the "DNS" tab and add Cloudflare's DNS addresses.

On a Linux device, open your Network Manager and select "Edit Connections." From there, select the network you're connected to and click "Edit." Go to the "IPv4 Settings" tab and change the "Method" from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Automatic (DHCP) addresses only." You can then add Cloudflare's DNS addresses.

On a Chrome OS device, click your profile picture in the bottom-right corner and go to Settings > Network. From there, select the network you're connected to and click "Network." Under "Network," click "Custom name servers" and add Cloudflare's DNS addresses.

Testing your new DNS settings

Once you've changed your DNS settings, you can test them by visiting https://1.1.1.1/help or by running the following command in your terminal:

Nslookup one.one.one.one

Using a proxy

Proxies are a great way to access blocked sites in Bahrain. They act as a middleman between your device and the internet, so your IP address and location are hidden.

There are two main types of proxy:

• Data centre proxies are hosted in the cloud. They are fast and reliable, but they share an IP address with other users, so they are easier to identify and block.
• Residential proxies are hosted by an ISP and assigned a residential IP address. They are harder to identify and block, but they are slower and more expensive.

You can buy proxies online, but make sure you choose a reputable provider. Free proxies are more likely to be identified and blocked.

• Choose a proxy with a large number of IP addresses. This will reduce the chance of your proxy being identified and blocked.
• Use a residential proxy. These are harder to identify and block than data centre proxies.
• Use a proxy with a large number of servers in different countries. This will give you more options for bypassing blocks.
• Choose a well-known, reputable proxy provider. This will reduce the risk of malware and other security threats.
• Use a proxy with good customer support. This will help you get your proxy set up correctly and troubleshoot any issues.
• Test your proxy before you buy it to make sure it works in Bahrain.
• Use a different proxy for each website or online service you want to access. This will reduce the chance of your proxy being identified and blocked.
• Don't use a proxy for illegal activities. This could get you into legal trouble.

Using a VPN application

There are many VPN applications available, but some are not very secure and may even steal your data. It is recommended to set up a VPN directly on your device without using an application. This method is simple and safe.

• Sign up with a VPN provider.
• Download and install the VPN, ensuring that you have selected the appropriate version for your device.
• Open the VPN app and connect to a server in your preferred location. For example, you would need a server in the US to get a US IP address.
• You should now be able to access your usual services, regardless of your location.

Some of the best VPNs for Bahrain include NordVPN, Surfshark, IPVanish, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and PrivateVPN. These VPNs offer high levels of security, fast speeds, and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions.

Frequently asked questions