Got my VPN blocked trying to read a news site in Bangkok last week

I was sitting in a coffee shop near Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok trying to read a Western news article about Thailand's new computer crime law. My VPN was working fine for streaming, but the site still gave me a blank page with a block message. Turns out the app's DNS was leaking my real location even with the VPN on. I switched to a different VPN that lets you route all traffic through the tunnel and it worked instantly. Has anyone else run into DNS leaks messing up access to blocked sites while traveling?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

elliot_miller222mo ago

Three weeks ago I would have told you VPNs are all the same. Then I was in Vietnam trying to check my bank's website and it kept timing out. I tried three different VPN apps and none of them worked until a guy at the hostel showed me how to check for DNS leaks using a free online tool. My connection was leaking my real IP address through the DNS requests even though the VPN was "on." After that I switched to a VPN service that explicitly has a kill switch and leak protection built into their desktop app. Now I run a quick DNS leak test every time I connect in a new country and it has saved me from getting blocked at least five times since.

4

tylerr392mo ago

Yeah, DNS leaks are basically me trying to hide under a blanket but my feet are sticking out. @elliot_miller22 is right though, I've been burned by the same thing in Bangkok and Morocco. Now I just run a quick leak test before I even try to load anything.

2