Internet censorship in China is one of the most notorious, strict and advanced in the world. Not only does the Chinese government block popular websites, social networks and services, but also extensively monitors internet activity of its individuals. Chinese internet users are dictated what foreign websites they can access and what to be said or written on the web, especially on Chinese-owned websites.
How does China censor the Internet?
The Chinese government controls the internet through two sturdy systems; the Great Firewall, which is currently considered as the world’s most advanced filtering system that can not only block websites randomly, but can also detect encryption protocols used by these prohibited websites, such as: VPN and proxy services. What’s more, the Great Firewall of China can block certain pages within foreign websites instead of making that website entirely inaccessible to Chinese surfers. Even the most commonly used websites and services, such as: Google (and its services), Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Instagram, Dropbox, Flickr, Sound Cloud, BBC and thousands more, are completely banned in China. The other system China relies on to reinforce control over the internet is the Golden Shield, “a system for domestic surveillance set up in 1998 by the Ministry of Public Security.”
As a result of this daunting clamp over freedom, thousands of tantalized Chinese users have resorted to unorthodox ways to gain access to blocked web content and services in their country and have found the means to bypass the Great Firewall without being detected by their internet police. One of the most sought after services in China is Google Drive, which has been officially blocked hours after its live launch.
What is Google Drive?
“ Google Drive is a free service from Google that allows you to store files online and access them anywhere using the cloud. Google Drive also gives you access to free web-based applications for creating documents,spreadsheets, and more.” It is one of the most commonly used cloud storage services in the world. Google Drives offers 15GB that can take up all of your important files that you can access from anywhere at any time so long as you have an internet connection. In addition, you won’t have to worry about losing those files, unlike it is the case with regular hard drives and you won’t be needing a USB or an e-mail anymore to share them.
Is it possible to bypass the Great Firewall and unblock Google Drive in China?
For the reasons above and more, internet users in China have been trying to go around their restrictive laws to unblock Google Drive. In order to unblock Google Drive in China, you need to use encryption tools that can alter your IP address and bypass China’s filtering systems, the Great Firewall and the Golden Shield. Popular encryption services like VPNs and proxies have helped surfers in China to gain access to blocked websites throughout the years. However, with the presence of advanced restrictive firewalls in China today, virtual private networks and proxies using old fashioned encryption protocols, like: PPTP can be detected and restricted from unblocking Google Drive or any other website.
Nonetheless, the most effective and evidently successful way to unblock Google Drive or any other blocked content in China is by using advanced double encryption protocols, like: OpenVPN over SSH tunnelling. “OpenVPN is the most popular protocol, because of its compatibility and its balance between security and speed.” But, because openVPN alone can be detected by the Great Firewall, tunnelling it through SSH protocol will make it impossible to detect and will give you an extra layer of protection.
How to use OpenVPN over SSH Tunnel to Unblock Google Drive
Many popular VPN services nowadays provide their subscribers with OpenVPN over SSH tunnelling, however, they are usually extremely difficult to configure since this procedure comes with a long list of complex instructions and puzzling settings. Nonetheless, the only cheap and reliable VPN service that can easily enable you to use OpenVPN over SSH tunnelling is Wasel OpenVPN. Wasel OpenVPN comes with a built-in SSH mode giving you the ability to tunnel your VPN connection through SSH protocol in just one click and unblock Google Drive. Moreover, Wasel VPN tunneling program to unblock Google Drive ” builds a road around the Internet ISP servers used in China and connects your system to a different server used by the VPN service, which is outside of China. The protocol encrypts that line and all the data, information and work you do through that new China VPN line. Since the work is being encrypted, it cannot be seen by the Chinese government and censored.”
Here is how you can easily use Wasel OpenVPN over SSH tunnel mode on any operating system including, Android, step-by-step with pictures:
Download WASEL Pro special edition from the following link and follow installation steps.
For Windows:
For Mac:
For Android: Wasel Pro is now bVPN – Fast VPN tunnel SmokeV2
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.steelkiwi.bvpn
For iOS:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vpn-wasel-pro/id740556166?mt=8
1) Open the dropdown list to view the available servers.
2) Click “Sign in”
3) Insert your WASEL Pro username and password, then click “Login”
4) Now click on “Settings”
5) Next, click “Advanced”
6) Tick the option “Use VPN only over SSH”
7) Afterwards, click on the WASEL Pro logo on the left to return to the main window
8) Open the dropdown list, you’ll only find the working servers in your country
9) Select a server and click “Connect”
