What are Obfuscated Servers and Why You Should Use Them?
The use of a VPN can be concealed by connecting to an obfuscated server. This way, you can bypass restrictions on content without worrying about being caught.
As the number of people using VPNs to access geo-restricted content grows, so do the measures taken by ISPs, repressive countries, and streaming services to counteract the practice. To recognize and prevent VPN use, they employ Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). Obfuscation using Virtual Private Network helps here.
In this guide, we’ll discuss what obfuscated VPN servers, their benefits, and how you can use them.
Table of Contents
What are obfuscated servers?
To protect users’ anonymity and data while they are online, obfuscated servers have been developed. These servers use technology that “obfuscates” or conceals VPN traffic so that it seems to be ordinary web traffic.
This is especially important in situations where internet censorship and surveillance are common. Obfuscation disguises the VPN connection, making it difficult for governments, ISPs, and other groups to discover and prohibit it.
When you connect to an obfuscated server, your online activities become significantly more challenging to monitor or block. This added layer of security ensures that your internet browsing remains private and your digital footprint stays concealed.
How do obfuscated servers work?
Obfuscated servers employ various techniques to make VPN traffic indistinguishable from regular internet traffic. These methods are crucial in bypassing censorship measures and preserving the user’s online privacy. Here’s a breakdown of how obfuscated servers work:
Protocol Obfuscation
One common technique is to disguise the VPN protocol used for communication. Instead of using well-known VPN protocols like OpenVPN or L2TP, obfuscated servers may use proprietary or less identifiable protocols. This makes it difficult for censors to block VPN traffic by targeting known protocol ports.
Domain Fronting
Another effective method involves domain fronting, where the VPN traffic appears to be sent to a popular, legitimate website. Censors, unable to differentiate it from regular web traffic, allow the data to pass through. Behind the scenes, the VPN server redirects this traffic to its intended destination. This technique is beneficial when dealing with sophisticated censorship measures.
Encrypted Payloads
Obfuscated servers often encrypt the data packets within the VPN tunnel to make them look like encrypted HTTPS traffic. This added layer of encryption further obscures the true nature of the transmitted data.
Randomizing Port Numbers
Obfuscated servers may also randomize the port numbers used for communication, making it challenging for censors to block specific ports consistently associated with VPN traffic.
Benefits of Using Obfuscated Servers
Obfuscated servers are a critical component of modern VPN technology, offering a range of substantial benefits to users seeking enhanced online privacy, security, and accessibility. Here, we delve into these advantages in detail:
Circumventing Censorship
Obfuscated servers are invaluable tools for individuals in regions with stringent internet censorship. By disguising VPN traffic as regular internet data, these servers enable users to access blocked websites and services. This ensures unrestricted access to information and communication platforms, even in oppressive environments.
Enhanced Privacy and Security
Obfuscated servers add an extra layer of security to your VPN connection. They thwart potential eavesdropping by making it exceedingly difficult for third parties, such as internet service providers and government agencies, to monitor or intercept your online activities. This is particularly crucial in today’s era of widespread surveillance and data harvesting.
Access to Geo-Restricted Content
Beyond defeating censorship, obfuscation also allows users to access geo-restricted content. Whether you want to stream content from international libraries of popular services or access websites exclusive to particular regions, obfuscated servers help you do so effortlessly.
Counteracting Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
Governments and organizations frequently use deep packet inspection (DPI) in censorship-prone locations to discover and restrict VPN traffic. Obfuscated servers protect against DPI tactics by masking VPN traffic as conventional, encrypted web traffic, ensuring continuous access to the open internet.
Enhanced Online Anonymity
Obfuscated servers contribute to your online anonymity. By making your online activities indistinguishable from regular web traffic, these servers thwart attempts to trace your actions back to your actual IP address. This is paramount for users who seek to browse the internet without leaving a digital footprint.
Protection of Public Wi-Fi Networks
When connected to public Wi-Fi networks, your data is particularly vulnerable to security threats and potential interception. Obfuscated servers offer an additional layer of security, encrypting your connection and making it challenging for potential attackers to snoop on your online activities.
Global Connectivity
Obfuscated servers often have extensive server networks spanning various countries. This allows users to choose their virtual location, making it appear as if they are browsing from a different part of the world. This can be useful for accessing region-specific content or enhancing privacy by routing your connection through a jurisdiction with strong privacy laws.
How to Connect to Astrill’s Obfuscated VPN Server?
Unlike other VPN providers, AstrillVPN believes in improving user experience, and that’s why it has included obfuscated servers in its StealthVPN protocol. Users can easily configure a StealthVPN protocol and use an obfuscated server rather than trying anything manually.
Follow these simple steps to use obfuscated servers through AstrillVPN’s StealthVPN protocol;
- Sign up for AstrillVPN and Download its app.
- Install the App and Open it.
- Sign in to the App and Click on Protocol’s drop-down option.
- Select StealthVPN from the list.
- Now select any server and get started.
Potential risks and drawbacks of using obfuscated servers
While obfuscated servers provide significant benefits, they are not without their potential risks and disadvantages. It’s essential to consider these aspects when deciding whether to use obfuscated servers:
Reduced Speed
Obfuscation adds an extra layer of encryption and obfuscation to your VPN connection, which can slow down your internet speed to some extent. Slowdown may vary depending on the VPN service and the specific obfuscation techniques. Users in regions with robust censorship measures may experience more significant speed reductions due to the additional security measures.
Complex Setup
Enabling obfuscated servers can be more technically involved than simply connecting to a standard VPN server. Users may need to adjust settings, choose the appropriate obfuscation technique, and troubleshoot issues, which could be challenging for those who are not tech-savvy.
However, AstrillVPN users don’t have to follow any complex protocols or methods rather they can simply use AstrillVPN’s StealthVPN protocol, which has obfuscated servers already configured.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Depending on your location and the specific regulations in place, the use of obfuscated servers may have legal implications. Some countries have strict laws against the use of VPNs, and obfuscation may be seen as an attempt to evade those restrictions. Users need to be aware of the legal landscape in their area and use obfuscated servers responsibly.
Ongoing Cat-and-Mouse Game
Censors and authorities constantly adapt to new technologies, including obfuscation techniques. As a result, the effectiveness of obfuscated servers may vary over time. There is a continuous cat-and-mouse game between VPN providers and censors, meaning that obfuscation is not a foolproof solution and may require periodic adjustments.
FAQs
An obfuscated VPN server can be slower due to the additional encryption and obfuscation processes. Still, the extent of the slowdown depends on various factors, including the VPN service and your internet connection.
No VPN is entirely undetectable, as detection depends on the capabilities of those trying to detect VPN traffic. However, AstrillVPN is known for its strong obfuscation capabilities to make detection more difficult.
Obfuscated VPN disguises VPN traffic to bypass censorship and maintain privacy while double VPN routes traffic through multiple servers for added security and anonymity.
Obfuscated code is not inherently safe, as its safety depends on the overall security measures in place.
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