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VPN blocked? Switch to a protocol that blends in

When a network blocks VPNs, it usually recognizes the shape of your traffic, not what's inside it. Change the shape and you often get through. In Tunnexa, try AmneziaWG first, which makes your VPN harder to spot, then Stealth, which looks like normal website traffic. Both are free with an account.

Download Free How Blocking Works
  • AmneziaWG: harder to spot
  • Stealth: looks like web traffic
  • Free with an account
What the network seesFiltering
WireGuardknown pattern Blocked
AmneziaWGreshaped packets Harder to spot
Stealthlooks like HTTPS Looks like browsing
Illustration of pattern-based filtering. Real networks differ.
Why it happens

Why some networks block VPNs

It's rarely personal. A block is usually one rule, written for everyone on the network.

Work & college

They want to see the traffic

Workplaces and colleges manage what runs on their network, for security or policy. A tunnel they can't look into often gets blocked by default.

Hotels & hotspots

Strict defaults

Cheap routers ship with tight rules, and some operators allow little beyond web browsing to save bandwidth.

Some countries

The law says so

A few governments restrict VPNs or allow only approved ones, and networks there may filter VPN traffic.

How detection works

VPN detected: three ways a network can tell

Each method needs a different answer. Knowing which one you're up against saves a lot of tapping.

Three ways a network detects VPNs, and what to try in Tunnexa for each
Method What it looks for What to try in Tunnexa
01Port and protocol rules Closes everything except the doors web pages use, so VPNs that run over UDP stall on "Connecting". OpenVPN TCP, made for strict Wi-Fi.
02Deep packet inspection Reads the shape of each connection: packet sizes, timing and the first bytes of a handshake. Standard VPN protocols have well-known shapes. AmneziaWG, then Stealth.
03Address lists Blocks IP addresses known to belong to VPN servers, whatever protocol you use. Another location. A new protocol won't help here.

DPI VPN blocking is the hardest kind to get through, because the network judges traffic by how it behaves, not where it goes. That's the job AmneziaWG and Stealth were built for.

What to switch to

How to get past VPN blocks with AmneziaWG or Stealth

Try first · harder to spot

AmneziaWG

A version of WireGuard with its fingerprints smudged. It adds junk packets and reshapes the parts that usually give WireGuard away, so pattern-based filters find it harder to spot.

  • Junk packets before the handshake
  • Padded handshake messages
  • Changed header values
How AmneziaWG works →
When nothing else connects

Stealth

Wraps your connection so it looks like an ordinary encrypted visit to a website. To a filter, it's one more browser tab. Keep it for the networks where everything else fails.

  • Speaks TLS, like any HTTPS site
  • No VPN-style handshake to match
  • The last rung on strict networks
Why Stealth looks like web traffic →
  • RecommendedAuto
  • WireGuardQuickest
  • OpenVPN TCPStrict Wi-Fi
  • AmneziaWGHarder to spot Selected
  • StealthLooks like web traffic
Settings › Select Protocol

Select Protocol

Try them in this order in Settings › Select Protocol, and stop at the first that connects.Recommended→OpenVPN TCP→AmneziaWG→Stealth→Another location

VPN rules differ by country

Some countries restrict VPNs or allow only approved ones. A protocol that’s harder to spot doesn’t change the law where you are, and it doesn’t make you invisible.

You’re responsible for following local law and the rules of the network you’re on. Traveling soon? Read our tips on using a VPN abroad.

One more honest note: no protocol connects on every network. Detection changes, and some networks block far more than VPNs.

FAQ

VPN block questions

Still blocked? Write to us at support@tunnexa.com.

Why is my VPN blocked?

The network either closes the ports your VPN uses, recognizes VPN traffic by its pattern, or blocks known VPN server addresses. Each has its own fix: OpenVPN TCP, AmneziaWG or Stealth, or another location.

How do I get past VPN blocks on Android?

In Tunnexa, sign in for free, open Settings › Select Protocol and choose AmneziaWG. If it still won't connect, try Stealth. Follow the network's rules and local law while you do.

Is AmneziaWG undetectable?

No, and no VPN protocol is. AmneziaWG is harder to spot because it hides WireGuard's usual pattern, but a determined network can still find or block it.

What's the difference between AmneziaWG and Stealth?

AmneziaWG disguises WireGuard so it doesn't match known VPN patterns. Stealth goes further and makes the connection look like normal website traffic. Try AmneziaWG first and Stealth when nothing else connects.

What does "VPN detected" mean?

An app or site has noticed that your connection comes from a VPN server's address. That's an address check, not a network block, so a different protocol won't change it.

Is it legal to use a VPN to get around a block?

It depends on where you are and whose network it is. VPN laws differ by country, and workplaces and colleges set their own rules. Check both before you connect.