4chan is a libertarian oasis with a devoted fanbase. 4chan’s appeal is hard to distill to a single sentence, because it offers something unique to everyone who uses it. It’s a message board, free thought forum, Manga repository, and birthplace of thousands of memes.
But what happens if 4chan is blocked or you’ve received a 4chan ban?
This article will show you the simple steps required to:
- bypass any 4chan IP-based ban
- unblock 4chan on any network or device
How to Bypass an a 4chan IP ban (easy steps)
The most common type of 4chan ban is an ip-based ban. 4chan uses IP addresses because account creation isn’t required and many visitors are anonymous. The ban will remain in place until you get a new IP address.
Fortunately, it’s extremely easy to access thousands of unique IP addresses using an affordable privacy tool called a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
- Choose a VPN – We recommend NordVPN
- Install the VPN app – Your VPN service will provide a VPN app (client) for all your devices (PC and Mobile). Download & install the app from their website.
- Connect to a VPN Server – Each VPN server has dozens (sometimes hundreds) of unique IP addresses. Choose a nearby server location for the best speeds.
- Reset your browser – Clear your browser cache and delete all 4chan-related cookies so there is no metadata tying you to your previous (banned) IP address.
- Visit 4chan – 4chan should now be fully accessible. If you’re still blocked, the VPN IP may be blacklisted. Repeat these steps with a new server location.
Best VPNs for 4chan 2024
Our team has hand-tested dozens of VPN services over the years. Any VPN will give you access to a new IP address, but only a handful have the privacy, performance and quality worthy of your hard-earned cash.
These are the best VPNs for 4chan:
- NordVPN – all around excellent VPN with built-in geo-location spoofing, Netflix support, 256-bit encryption and a zero-log policy.
- Private Internet Access – Legendary zero-log VPN with terrific software and a large server network. It’s the best value, but some IPs may be blacklisted.
- ExpressVPN – quality software, extremely fast speeds and excellent support. The only downside is the price which starts at $8.29/month.
- Cyberghost – a mid-range VPN service with an excellent feature set. Works great with 4chan but speeds are slower than top competitors.
Considerations when choosing a VPN for 4chan
If you already have a VPN subscription–great. Use the one you’ve got. But if this is your first time purchasing VPN service, here are some important criteria to consider.
Why is a VPN the best tool?
A VPN is the perfect tool to evade a 4chan ban. It’s two primary features (strong encryption, temporary IP address) provide everything you need to get back on the site.
VPN companies have servers all over the world, and each server has dozens (sometimes hundreds) of unique IP addresses that you can access with a click.
When you connect to a VPN server (using the simple VPN app) it will form an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server. This does two things:
- All websites will see your temporary VPN-assigned IP address (not your real IP)
- All traffic will be encrypted (get around firewalls)
Pretty much any VPN will work, but if you’re want to use it for other uses beyond 4chan, you’ll want to chose a high quality service.
Unblocking 4chan (in-depth)
Usually, access to 4chan will be blocked by one of two methods:
- IP-based blocking: If you’re blocked by 4chan directly, they use your IP address as an identifier. Your IP address will be blocked for a fixed time period (sometimes permanently). The only way to circumvent this is to access the site with a new IP.
- Network-level blocking: Sometimes the blockade is actually on your own network. Parental filters or firewalls on school networks or public wifi may be to blame.
Fortunately, both of these are easily fixed by connecting to a VPN.
How to bypass IP-based blocking
If you aren’t logged into your 4chan account, the site only has small amount of identifying data they can use to block your access:
- IP address: A unique numerical network address that represents the physical location of your internet connection.
- Cookies: Simple text files saved to your browser when you visit 4chan.
- Browser Cache: Downloaded images, html pages and other website resources saved to your browser when visiting 4chan.
So all we have to do is change (or delete) this 3 pieces of data and you’ll appear like a brand new (unblocked) visitor.
Just follow these steps:
Steps to bypass 4chan IP an
These simple steps will allow you to circumvent your 4chan ban.
Total Time Needed :
5
Minutes
Steps:
1. Start a VPN Connection
Choose a server location (nearby is best) and click ‘connect’ to start a new VPN session on your device. You can verify your new IP address in the VPN software or with a tool like iplocation.net.
2. Clear your browser cookies
Go to your browser’s privacy settings and delete your stored cookies. You can delete cookies for all sites or just 4chan if you prefer (all sites is recommended).
What if 4chan is blocked at home/work/school?
Not all blocks are initiated by 4chan itself. Frequently, network administrators (or your parents) will use firewall rules on a router to control which websites are accessible.
For example, you’ll frequently find social media sites like TikTok blocked at school.
It’s easy enough to circumvent firewall-based blocks as well, and a VPN is the perfect tool for this.
Use a VPN to access 4chan behind a firewall
Most firewalls (e.g. Fortiguard) use specific techniques to block websites or apps.
Firewalls block sites by:
- Intercepting your DNS lookups
- Matching the IP address, domain name or port # of the requested website
Using a VPN fixes both of these issues.
- Secure DNS: Your VPN has its own DNS servers, so domain name lookups (e.g. www.google.com) will be performed by the VPN server, not the local network.
- Encryption: VPN connections are encrypted between your device and the VPN server. This means the wifi access point can’t actually see which website or app you’re trying to access.
Just follow these simple steps:
- Connect to a VPN server (closer is better)
- Visit 4chan 🎉
Yes, it’s really that easy.
FAQ about 4Chan Bans
Lets go deeper into how & why 4chan devices to block users.
What causes a ban on 4chan? The most common reason for is a ban is because you violated the 4chan forum rules.
Other ways of getting unblocked
A VPN is the best tool for the job, but isn’t the only one. There are a couple other methods you can try (including free ones).
Force a new IP Address from your ISP
If your ISP uses dynamic IP addresses, just restart your modem or access point and you will likely find yourself with a fresh IP address when it boots back up.
Most ISPs non-mobile ISPs use static IP addresses, but you can often force a new IP address by powering down your modem. Leave it offline overnight, long enough for your IP to be reassigned to another customer. There’s a good chance you’ll have a clean IP address in the morning.
As a last resort, you can call your ISPs tech support, tell them you’re having some issues with the IP address reputation and ask to be assigned a new one.
Use a Proxy
A proxy is like a VPN without the encryption or full device support. Instead, proxies typically tunnel the internet connection for one app (e.g. your web browser) through the remote proxy server. This changes your visible IP address and may successfully get you unblocked.
It’s hard to find high-quality free proxy services, and most of the servers you’ll find on ‘free proxy lists’ are slow, offline, or downright malicious (sniffing your traffic).
You can, however, try a web-based proxy like kproxy or hidemenow. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance these proxies are already blacklisted on 4chan.
Try a Free VPN
Not all VPNs cost money. There are also free VPNs available. Many of them are insecure or downright dangerous, but a handful are worth trying out. Specifically, I’d avoid Hola VPN and pretty much an ‘free’ VPN in the Android or iOS app store.
We recommend HideMe, which has multiple servers, strong encryption and allows up to 10GB of free monthly bandwidth if you create an account.
Best bet: Try Hide.me free VPN
Conclusion
While there are several techniques you can use to get back on 4chan, a VPN is the most reliable and should give you a library of IP addresses and geolocations to maintain access indefinitely.
Of course, I’d recommend reading their guidelines and Terms of Service so that you can stay compliant and not risk further bans.
additional tips
You can also level-up your security by using your VPN kill switch. This is a security feature that guards against accidental disconnects (which would expose your real IP).
Recommended Reading:
- How to prevent ISP throttling
- Bypass Fortiguard web filters
- The Best VPNs for Torrenting
- How to install a VPN on your router
Did this guide work for you? Let us know in the comments.
