Goal here is simple. Reach sites like YouTube, X, Instagram and WhatsApp from places that try to stop you. Think Russia, Turkey and China. You want to look like a normal user in an uncensored country.
Introduction
I am fortunate to live in a country where I have unrestricted access to the internet. As a cybersecurity professional I think it is worth looking at what it is like for people who do not have that luxury and how they still manage to get online. The point is not politics. It is practical understanding and clear steps that work when platforms go dark.
Requirements
- A desktop or laptop you control
- Windows with admin rights if you want GoodbyeDPI
- A VPN that supports two obfuscation modes
- WireGuard over HTTP3 QUIC using MASQUE
- OpenVPN over TCP 443 wrapped in TLS using stunnel or a provider “stealth” toggle
- Tor Browser with bridges enabled
- OONI Probe to measure what is blocked before and after
- Optional on Windows: WinDivert which GoodbyeDPI uses
Quick glossary
DPI (Deep Packet Inspection): filtering that looks inside packets. Not just IP and port. Used to block or throttle specific protocols or sites.
IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force): the group that publishes the Internet standards like HTTP3 and QUIC. They write the RFCs that vendors follow.
SNI (Server Name Indication): the hostname sent at the start of a TLS handshake. It is often in cleartext. Censors key off it to kill connections to targets like youtube.com.
QUIC and HTTP3: the newer web transport on UDP. Huge sites use it. That popularity helps your traffic blend in.
MASQUE: a standard that lets you run tunnels inside HTTP3 over QUIC. To censors it looks like normal web use.
stunnel: a small TLS wrapper. You put OpenVPN inside it so the flow looks like generic HTTPS on port 443.
Tor bridges: private entry points and transports for Tor that hide Tor’s signature. obfs4 looks random. Snowflake uses short lived WebRTC proxies. meek hides in big cloud domains.
What actually works in practice
1) Obfuscated VPNs you can live in all day
A) WireGuard over HTTP3 QUIC using MASQUE
Your WireGuard packets ride inside an HTTP3 session. On the wire this looks like web browsing over QUIC. Providers have started shipping this. It is fast when allowed. China has targeted QUIC in some cases so keep a fallback ready.
How to use: update your VPN app. In settings enable QUIC, HTTP3 or MASQUE mode. Connect and try your blocked sites and apps.
B) OpenVPN over TCP 443 wrapped in TLS using stunnel
OpenVPN alone is easy to fingerprint. Put it inside TLS on port 443 so it resembles normal HTTPS. This is slower than QUIC but survives a lot of filters. It is a strong fallback.
Provider mode: choose OpenVPN TCP 443 and enable the “stealth” or “SSL” option if available.
Self host mode:
- Rent a small VPS
- Install OpenVPN
- Install stunnel, listen on TCP 443 and forward to your OpenVPN port
- On your client run stunnel then connect your OpenVPN client through it
Bits to download: OpenVPN community downloads and stunnel
C) XOR or “scramble” patches
This only changes the signature a little. It can beat basic filters. It is a last resort after the two options above.
2) GoodbyeDPI on Windows
GoodbyeDPI does not tunnel. It changes how your packets are seen so the DPI parser misses the classification. It can fragment the TLS ClientHello or tweak headers so the SNI is not parsed. If the block is parser based this often restores direct fast access.
How to use: download the latest release. Extract it. Run the supplied cmd file as administrator. Start with the default preset and test your sites. If something breaks switch presets. GoodbyeDPI uses WinDivert under the hood.
3) Tor with bridges
Public Tor relays are often blocked. Bridges hide the fact you are using Tor. obfs4 is the first try. If blocked switch to Snowflake. If that fails try meek. Tor is slower than a VPN but it is reliable when VPNs are hammered or risky to use.
How to use: get Tor Browser. In settings pick “Tor is censored” then choose obfs4. If that fails try Snowflake then meek. Tor’s circumvention guide is here: Bridges and transports.
Tor plus VPN
Mix these only if you have a clear reason. The valid reason for most people is to bootstrap Tor when Tor is blocked. That means VPN first then Tor. Otherwise you add latency and a VPN trust point for little benefit.
Replicate and test
- Install OONI Probe, Tor Browser, your VPN and GoodbyeDPI if on Windows
- Run OONI first to see what is blocked
- Connect with VPN in QUIC or MASQUE mode and test YouTube, X, Instagram and WhatsApp
- If that fails switch to OpenVPN TCP 443 with stunnel and retest
- If VPNs are blocked use Tor with obfs4 bridges then Snowflake then meek
- On Windows also try GoodbyeDPI with the default preset then adjust if needed
- Re run OONI after each change and note success rate and latency
- Keep two working exits ready at all times since one can fail during an event
Country notes
Russia: ongoing national upgrades to filtering and pressure on VPNs. Expect rolling breakage. Keep MASQUE and TCP 443 stunnel ready. Know the legal risks before you act.
Turkey: blocks that last around a day during protests are common. If you do not have a working setup ready in advance you will not get through when you need it.
China: targeting QUIC by domain and peeking at QUIC initials. Keep a TCP 443 stunnel profile and Tor bridges as backup.
Downloads and docs
Legal note
These methods help you see the open internet. That does not mean they are legal where you live. Some countries penalize access itself. Know your risk before you act.