How to Rescue when Domain is Blocked?

April 18, 2025

Introduction #

Certain domains or websites may get “walled off” by the GFW. If your domain is blocked, you might want to “rescue” it and restore access. However, it’s important to understand that once a domain is blocked, full recovery is unlikely—particularly if sensitive content is involved. Rescuing a blocked domain is a multifaceted challenge, and below are the steps and solutions to consider:

1. Confirm the Block #

• Test Accessibility: Try accessing the site from within China without a VPN. If it fails to load but the server IP is pingable, the domain might be blocked.
• Use Tools: Check with online tools (e.g., www.feige301.com or other GFW detection services) to confirm.
• Rule Out Other Issues: Ensure it’s not a server failure or DNS resolution problem.
• Content Review: Examine the site for illegal content (e.g., pornography, gambling, violence) or sensitive topics (e.g., politics, religion) that could trigger censorship.
• Server IP Block: Verify if the server IP is blacklisted. This can often be resolved by switching IPs or contacting your hosting provider.
• DNS Pollution: Check if DNS resolution is functioning. Test with public DNS services like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS.
• Black Hat Activity: Investigate if the site has been involved in cheating, infringement, or other illicit behavior, and address it promptly.

2. Understand the Reason for the Block #

• Content Violation: The site contains politically sensitive material, pornography, gambling, etc.
• Sensitive Topics: Content related to politics, religion, or ethnicity.
• Server IP Ban: The server’s IP address is blocked, preventing proper domain resolution.
• No ICP Filing: Using an overseas server without registering with China’s MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology).
• IP Association: The server IP is tainted by association with other violating sites.
• DNS Issues: DNS resolution errors or server malfunctions.
• Black Hat Practices: The site engages in illicit activities like cheating or fraud.

Identifying the root cause is key to finding the right fix.

Where to solve the domain is blocked issue?

April 14, 2025

Introduction #

If your domain is blocked by the Great Firewall (GFW), it’s typically because the site or service is being filtered when entering certain regions’ internet. Governments in these areas enforce tight censorship and control over online content. The fix depends on your circumstances and goals. Below are some common solutions and steps:

1. Confirm If Your Domain Is Actually Blocked #

First, make sure the domain is indeed blocked and not down due to another issue (like a server outage). You can check this by:

Why Doesn’t a 301 Redirect Work When a Domain Is Blocked?

April 11, 2025

Introduction #

In internet operations, domain blocking is a frequent and vexing issue, with numerous websites restricted due to policy or content violations. When a website or domain is blocked by government authorities for breaching regulations or policies, it often involves deeper technical and administrative layers. Network censorship measures go beyond simply preventing access to a specific IP address—they also encompass control over domain resolution and other tactics.

Website administrators often attempt to use a 301 redirect (permanent redirect) to reroute traffic to an unblocked new domain in hopes of restoring access. However, many find that even after setting up a 301 redirect, users still cannot access the site, and the new domain may quickly get blocked as well. Why does this happen? The primary reason is that a 301 redirect is essentially an HTTP response code sent by the web server to the browser, instructing it to visit a specified new URL. However, this does not alter the underlying network censorship measures that block the domain.