VPN service with Obfuscation

[Grin Grasser]

Obfuscation is for web sites that blocks outside-country access and can identify that you are using a vpn to mimic an in-country point.

 

Why?  I am in Thailand and cannot access www.tracfone.com.  It blocks access from outside USA.  I tried my vpn service and it shows a page that said, error.  I asked the vpn for help.  The vpn made various suggestions and none worked.  Finally, it tried to access the  same web site and was blocked.

 

A search for vpn and obfuscation resulted in recommendation for six vpn services.  One of the six was my vpn service.

 

I emailed or messaged (via the service's web site) and asked each vpn if it could access www.tracfone.com.  My reason was to access the web site and my online tracfone account to extend service for my USA telephone service when I visit.

 

Of the supposed vpn services with obfuscated servers in USA, nearly all replied, they tried but could not access www.tracfone.com.  Or, said, sign up for our service and if you have a problem we will help you because our vpn service hides outside-country user.  I interpreted the second reply to indicate that the vpn's customer service was not helpful and/or did not understand my question. 

 

Question:  Any vpn service that can accessed www.tracfone.com from outside USA? 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[KannikaP]

8 minutes ago, Grin Grasser said:

Obfuscation is for web sites that blocks outside-country access and can identify that you are using a vpn to mimic an in-country point.

 

Why?  I am in Thailand and cannot access www.tracfone.com.  It blocks access from outside USA.  I tried my vpn service and it shows a page that said, error.  I asked the vpn for help.  The vpn made various suggestions and none worked.  Finally, it tried to access the  same web site and was blocked.

 

A search for vpn and obfuscation resulted in recommendation for six vpn services.  One of the six was my vpn service.

 

I emailed or messaged (via the service's web site) and asked each vpn if it could access www.tracfone.com.  My reason was to access the web site and my online tracfone account to extend service for my USA telephone service when I visit.

 

Of the supposed vpn services with obfuscated servers in USA, nearly all replied, they tried but could not access www.tracfone.com.  Or, said, sign up for our service and if you have a problem we will help you because our vpn service hides outside-country user.  I interpreted the second reply to indicate that the vpn's customer service was not helpful and/or did not understand my question. 

 

Question:  Any vpn service that can accessed www.tracfone.com from outside USA? 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Kinnel, you learn a new word every day here on A Now...........obfuscation. 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I seem to be able to reach their website using Witopia vpn.

[OneMoreFarang]

Just in general, probably you know that there are lots of cookies on your PC. If you every use a website without VPN and later use the same website with VPN then they will likely remember you.

And that works not only for individual websites.

 

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

[Grin Grasser]

19 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I seem to be able to reach their website using Witopia vpn.

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

Which WiTopia service do you have?  vpn-only, cloakbox, cloakbox pro, or other?

[connda]

I use PIA.  If VPN'd into the US I can access that site.

Suggestion.  You need to clear your browser cache as well as any cookies for www.tracfone.com, then reconnect to the US using whatever VPN you use.

 

[connda]

Just now, connda said:

I use PIA.  If VPN'd into the US I can access that site.

Suggestion.  You need to clear your browser cache as well as any cookies for www.tracfone.com, then reconnect to the US using whatever VPN you use.

 

Just an FYI.  Some browser will not allow you to remove individual cookies per site (Brave comes to mind unless they have changed).  Firefox allows the cookies for individual sites to be deleted.  tracfone set a cookie on in your browser tagging you as 'out of country.'  That cookie needs to be cleared.  You have a browser issue and not a VPN issue.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

18 minutes ago, Grin Grasser said:

Thanks for your reply.

 

Which WiTopia service do you have?  vpn-only, cloakbox, cloakbox pro, or other?

The PersonalVPN service. 

 

As others have mentioned, you may need to clear cookies and cache of anything that Tracphone may have placed in your browser when you tried earlier to reach their website.

[Pi Tao]

With Proton VPN, you can.

 

[Grin Grasser]

51 minutes ago, connda said:

I use PIA.  If VPN'd into the US I can access that site.

Suggestion.  You need to clear your browser cache as well as any cookies for www.tracfone.com, then reconnect to the US using whatever VPN you use.

 

Thanks for your observation.

 

Did you try your vpn service PIA to access www.tracfone.com?

 

 

[Grin Grasser]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, probably you know that there are lots of cookies on your PC. If you every use a website without VPN and later use the same website with VPN then they will likely remember you.

And that works not only for individual websites.

 

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

Interesting suggestion.

 

I will try it when I acquire a new laptop.  

 

 

[Cardano]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, probably you know that there are lots of cookies on your PC. If you every use a website without VPN and later use the same website with VPN then they will likely remember you.

And that works not only for individual websites.

 

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

why not just clear cookies?

[Grin Grasser]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, probably you know that there are lots of cookies on your PC. If you every use a website without VPN and later use the same website with VPN then they will likely remember you.

And that works not only for individual websites.

 

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

Interesting suggestion.

 

I will try it when I acquire a new laptop.  

 

 

[Cardano]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in general, probably you know that there are lots of cookies on your PC. If you every use a website without VPN and later use the same website with VPN then they will likely remember you.

And that works not only for individual websites.

 

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

why not just clear cookies?

[Grin Grasser]

14 minutes ago, Pi Tao said:

With Proton VPN, you can.

 

Did you access www.tracfone.com using Proton VPN?

[gamb00ler]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You can try the following: Use a new PC (or a new user account on your existing PC) use it only with VPN, never without VPN. That might work. And obviously also always with the same VPN settings like i.e. you are always in NYC with always the same internet provider. 

Also make sure the time zone and location of your PC match these settings.

I am not sure if that works, but at least you have a much higher chance that it works.

 

17 minutes ago, Grin Grasser said:

Interesting suggestion.

 

I will try it when I acquire a new laptop.  

 

 

You could also try running a VPN inside a virtual machine with a never been used image.  Use a simple OS like a version of linux.

 

Theoretically the programs inside the virtual machine cannot "see" outside their virtual system.

 

I'm not sure if you will be allowed you to run a VPN on the virtual network connection.  I have never tried.

 

Testing this method should be fairly easy and doesn't require you to purchase new hardware.

Edited October 13, 2023 by gamb00ler

[Grin Grasser]

On 10/13/2023 at 6:05 PM, gamb00ler said:

 

You could also try running a VPN inside a virtual machine with a never been used image.  Use a simple OS like a version of linux.

 

Theoretically the programs inside the virtual machine cannot "see" outside their virtual system.

 

I'm not sure if you will be allowed you to run a VPN on the virtual network connection.  I have never tried.

 

Testing this method should be fairly easy and doesn't require you to purchase new hardware.

Wow.  Sounds too technical for me.  I have never tried a Virtual Machine.  Also, no linux. 

 

As I ponder how tracfone.com blocks a vpn that is using a vpn server in USA, it occurs to me that tracfone may have identified all ip addresses in USA for all known vpn's.  Once tracfone knows those ip addresses of vpn's, it can block all vpn's.

 

So, a vpn has to come up with a way around such ip identification and other vpn detections.  That would be the so-called vpn offering obfuscation.

 

But, then tracfone may have learned how to detect obfuscation and again block the vpn.

 

In other words, it would be a constant back-and-forth on gaining access to tracfone.

 

My basic problem is to provide a USA phone number for verification of access to a web site or online account, when the company states:  no international phone number, no voip phone number, no landline number (because a text is sent for verification).  

 

Tracfone was a low-cost possibility to meet the above limitations, because it has an unpublicized capability.  But it is a prepaid service and I cannot get into my tracfone online account to buy more service time.

 

 

 

  

[Lemsta69]

Works on Android 13 phone, Brave browser, NordVPN NY server.

 

Pre-VPN I got the "error" page, post-VPN I just refreshed the page and it loaded correctly without needing to clear cookies.

 

EDIT: I tried again with a server in KC instead of NY and now the error came back. 

 

Tried clearing cookies then connecting to an "obfuscated" server in NY but still no dice.

 

They're taking this geo-blocking thing just a wee bit too seriously.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Lemsta69