How to Bypass an IP Ban: Techniques & Tips

How to Bypass IP Bans often starts with changing your IP address – whether that’s switching to a different IP address via a VPN, proxy, Tor, or mobile connection, or masking your real IP address entirely. IP bans happen when a website blocks access based on your IP, usually due to excessive requests, suspicious behavior, or ToS violations. In this article, we'll examine practical methods to regain access and explains how to prevent future bans.

How to bypass an IP ban?

Occasionally, you may encounter a scenario where your IP address is banned without you doing anything wrong. For example, this often happens when websites mistakenly categorize web scrapers as malicious bots and restrict their access. In cases like these, these methods are key if you're wondering how to get around an IP ban quickly and effectively:

Remove the program from your computer

One of the easiest things you can do is to remove the application and install it again.

Step 1. Find Control Panel

Step 2. Select Programs & Features.

Step 3. Locate the program, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.

Clean up the cache in your computer

Similar to clearing your browser's cache, you can also clean up your computer's cache. By doing this, you will eliminate any leftover files from programs that blocked you.

Step 1. Start by heading to your computer's search bar and pasting the following locations:

• C:\Program Files (x86)

• C:\Program Files

• C:\%localappdata%

• C:\%programdata%

• C:\%userprofile%\Documents\

• C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local

Step 2. Identify and delete files related to the program you got your IP banned from.

Step 3. Then, open the registry by pressing the Windows key + R and entering Regedit.

Step 4. Once you receive a pop-up window, you'll see more locations below. Paste them into the search bar of the registry, locate folders related to the program, and delete them.

This method doesn't directly change your IP, but it's a helpful step when you're trying to understand how to remove an IP ban linked to software artifacts or cached identifiers.

Adjust your IP address through VPN or Proxies

Another good solution for bypassing an IP ban is simply changing an IP address. Utilizing a VPN (Virtual Private Network), proxy server, or Tor Browser allows you to circumvent the IP block and regain access to the website. Nevertheless, it is crucial to employ these methods responsibly and acknowledge the possible risks. Always opt for a trusted VPN or proxy server service provider and employ the tool in accordance with their ToS. If you're unsure how to choose one, check out our blog post comparing proxy vs. VPN.

Modify your MAC address

As we discussed earlier, some platforms may ban you based on your MAC address instead of your IP. In this case, you'll need to adjust your MAC address:

Step 1. Head to Settings. 

Step 2. Choose Network & Internet.

Step 3. Select Change adapter options.

Step 4. Right-click on the internet adapter and select Properties.

Step 5. After choosing Client for Microsoft Networks, click on Configure.

Step 6. Navigate to Advanced and select Network Address.

Step 7. Generate a new MAC address with an online MAC address generator and paste it into Value.

Step 8. Click OK.

How does my IP get banned?

IP address blocking or IP banning refers to network service configuration that obstructs requests from hosts possessing particular IP addresses. This technique is frequently employed to safeguard against abuse, limit online activities, and hinder access by a troublesome address.

In some situations, a banned IP address may result from misidentification or being part of a shared IP pool used for automated tasks like scraping or testing. But, in some cases, you may be banned from a website based not only on your IP address but also your MAC address (Media Access Control).

Since some websites may use one or both of these identifiers to restrict uninterrupted access, correctly identifying the root cause is essential. We’ll go over how to resolve MAC and IP bans in the following sections, including how to bypass IP bans effectively.

To ban an IP address, the host first identifies your IP through server logs, cookies, or analytics tools and adds it to their blacklist. You can read our article about IP addresses and how they work to understand more about IP blocks, their causes, and how to bypass IP bans using strategies like switching to a fresh IP address.

There are two ways a server can ban IP addresses: manually or automatically. In manual bans, the administrator directly adds your IP to a deny list. In automated bans, triggers like too many failed login attempts, unusual web scraping activity, or trying to solve CAPTCHAs too quickly can flag your behavior. This results in an automatic block to prevent unauthorized online activities.

The “Your IP has been banned” error

The “Your IP has been banned” message appears when a site blocks your access as a precautionary security measure. This typically happens when the system suspects you're a bot, hacker, or otherwise violating platform guidelines. Online communities often use this to protect their members from spam, abuse, or scraping attempts.

How long does an IP ban last?

The duration of an IP ban depends on the platform and the severity of the offense. Sometimes bans last minutes or hours, while others may stretch into days or even become permanent. A permanent ban might lead users to try creating a new account or access the site via a fresh IP address – either from a VPN, a proxy service, or changing data centers or ISPs.

Understanding the duration is also important if you're researching how to avoid IP bans in future interactions with websites.

Causes of an IP ban

Although there are multiple reasons why an IP could be blocked, the following three are among the most frequent ones:

Excessive requests

Sending a high volume of requests, especially when web scraping, can overwhelm a website's servers. This excessive traffic often triggers simple IP bans as a protective measure. Many websites monitor traffic patterns and block IPs that send too many requests in a short time. To avoid temporary bans or more permanent restrictions, it's crucial to scrape responsibly and limit your request rate.

Malicious activities

If a website detects potentially harmful actions, like DDoS attacks, hacking attempts, or other suspicious behavior, it will ban the associated IP address to safeguard its systems. These bans aim to block users from gaining access through malicious means. Since every user has a unique IP address, this method helps websites identify and stop bad actors effectively.

Terms of service violations

Websites also enforce IP bans when users breach their terms of service. This can include activities like spamming, distributing prohibited content, or using automation where it's not allowed. Once detected, the IP address involved (often the real IP address assigned by an internet service provider) is blacklisted to prevent further access.

If you’ve been banned, using a new IP address, switching your internet service provider, or masking your real IP can help you regain access and overcome an IP address ban. These methods are particularly useful for getting around temporary bans or simple IP-based restrictions.

How to avoid future IP bans?

While these effective techniques are great for overcoming an IP ban once or twice, they won’t suffice in the long run – especially if your business relies on uninterrupted data collection from a target website. In such cases, it's crucial to find a more reliable and extremely effective solution to bypass IP bans consistently.

To avoid random IP bans and reduce the risk of facing a permanent IP ban, incorporating residential proxies into your workflow is often the best approach. These proxies route your internet traffic through real residential devices, making your activity appear more legitimate to the target website and helping you limit access issues.

You might ask whether proxies are better than VPNs. That depends on your needs. VPN services work well for individuals seeking privacy or a new IP address, offering flexible access to the web. However, for companies engaging in large-scale data collection, proxies, especially those based in data centers or residential proxies, are much more scalable. 

If managing proxies seems too complex or time-consuming, automated proxy solutions like Web Unblocker can be extremely effective. This AI-powered service can bypass IP bans even on websites with advanced anti-bot defenses. It helps you scrape data without interruptions, all while minimizing manual effort and avoiding proxy rotation headaches.

That said, before engaging in any scraping activity, it's vital to respect website policies and limit access in a way that complies with their terms. Adhering to these website policies not only helps to avoid IP bans but also ensures your data collection practices are ethical and compliant.

Wrapping up

While getting your IP banned can be annoying, there are effective solutions you can implement to avoid that. With the various techniques and solutions we've discussed in this post, you can overcome IP bans and continue with your business operations without interruptions.

We hope you found this blog post useful and that it helps you avoid future IP bans. If you enjoyed reading this blog post, be sure to check out our other blog content about how proxies can increase security or what is an anonymous proxy.