How to Bypass DPI Blocking: Complete Guide

Content

• Problem Analysis: Why Servers Respond to Ping but Traffic Doesn’t Work
• Methods to Bypass DPI Blocking
• Integration with Zapret and Other Tools
• Technical Settings for Traffic Camouflage
• Alternative Solutions
• Practical Implementation Steps
• Conclusion and Recommendations

Problem Analysis: Why Servers Respond to Ping but Traffic Doesn’t Work

Your situation with VDS servers where they respond to ping but traffic doesn’t work is a classic manifestation of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) by your provider.

DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) is a technology that analyzes the content of network packets, not just their headers. Your provider can see:

• SSH traffic: Encrypted in a standardized way, providers rarely block SSH as it would disrupt many companies and system administration work
• VLESS/Traffic: Uses modern camouflage methods, but providers have learned to detect them
• Trojan: A protocol that disguises itself as regular HTTPS traffic, but in your case it’s completely blocked (ping -1), indicating targeted blocking

Interesting fact: The problem being specific to your city (Kirov) and absent in Saint Petersburg suggests that a local blocking system is being used, likely with “Technical Means System” or similar solutions.

Methods to Bypass DPI Blocking

1. Traffic Obfuscation

Obfuscation is masking traffic type as regular internet traffic. The most effective methods are:

• VLESS + Vmess Obfuscation: Modern implementation that masks traffic as random data
• Shadowsocks + AEAD encryption: Speed + security
• Trojan + TLS 1.3 with Cloudflare camouflage: Traffic appears as regular HTTPS

2. Using CDN and Proxy Services

Cloudflare is one of the most effective tools for bypassing blocks:

Your client → Cloudflare → Your server

Advantages:

• Traffic appears as regular HTTPS
• Automatic TLS certificate renewal
• Distributed network worldwide
• Free tier for basic use

3. Transport Protocol Camouflage

WebSocket (WS) and gRPC are currently the most effective transport protocols:

• WebSocket: Masks traffic as regular web traffic
• gRPC: Uses HTTP/2, making traffic indistinguishable from regular web traffic
• QUIC/HTTP3: New protocol that is difficult to block

# Example of VLESS with WebSocket setup
v2ray url://base64-encoded-config

Integration with Zapret and Other Tools

Zapret is a Russian tool for bypassing blocks that can be useful in your case.

How Zapret works:

1. Traffic analysis: Identifies blocked domains
2. DNS obfuscation: Uses alternative DNS servers
3. TLS camouflage: Converts HTTPS traffic to regular HTTP
4. DPI bypass: Exploits vulnerabilities in blocking systems

Setting up Zapret for your case:

# Install Zapret
wget -O - https://github.com/bol-van/zapret/raw/master/install.sh | bash

# Basic configuration for DPI bypass
zapret --config --mode=tpws --host=your_server

Important: Zapret requires ROOT access and may conflict with some security systems. Test in an isolated environment.

Technical Settings for Traffic Camouflage

Setting up VLESS with obfuscation:

{
  "inbounds": [{
    "port": 443,
    "protocol": "vless",
    "settings": {
      "clients": [...],
      "decryption": "none"
    },
    "streamSettings": {
      "network": "ws",
      "wsSettings": {
        "path": "/your-path",
        "headers": {
          "Host": "cloudflare.com"
        }
      },
      "security": "tls",
      "tlsSettings": {
        "serverName": "cloudflare.com",
        "certificates": [{
          "certificateFile": "/path/to/cert.pem",
          "keyFile": "/path/to/key.pem"
        }]
      }
    }
  }]
}

Setting up Trojan:

{
  "inbound": {
    "port": 443,
    "protocol": "trojan",
    "settings": {
      "clients": [...],
      "fallbacks": [{
        "dest": 80
      }]
    },
    "streamSettings": {
      "network": "tcp",
      "security": "tls",
      "tlsSettings": {
        "certificates": [{
          "certificateFile": "/path/to/cert.pem",
          "keyFile": "/path/to/key.pem"
        }]
      }
    }
  }
}

Optimization for the Russian segment:

1. Use Russian CDNs: Yandex.Cloud, VK Cloud
2. Configure DNS-over-TLS: Protection against DNS filtering
3. Use IPv6: Many older blocking systems don’t support IPv6

Alternative Solutions

1. Changing Hosting Provider

If bypassing blocks doesn’t help, consider:

• Hosting in countries friendly to Russia: Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia
• Cloud services: AWS, Google Cloud (accessible from Russia)
• Specialized VPN providers: Offering ways to bypass Russian blocks

2. Using Physical Servers

Dedicated or physical servers are often less susceptible to blocking:

• Renting a server in a data center outside your region
• Physical access for equipment setup
• Ability to use non-standard ports and protocols

3. Pirate CDN and Proxy Services

There are services specializing in bypassing Russian blocks:

• Shadowsocks, V2Ray, Trojan proxies
• Cloud proxies with automatic IP rotation
• P2P networks for distributed access

Warning: Some of these services may be illegal in your jurisdiction. Check your local laws.

Practical Implementation Steps

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Check your current configuration:

   bash

   netstat -tulnp | grep :443
   curl -I https://your-server.com
   

2. Install SSL certificate:

   bash

   certbot certonly --standalone -d your-server.com
   

3. Configure VLESS with WebSocket:

   • Change port to 443
   • Set up TLS
   • Use a path similar to a real website

4. Test connection:

   bash

   v2ray-test -config config.json
   

5. Monitor traffic:

   bash

   tcpdump -i any port 443 -w capture.pcap
   

Automation of updates:

# Script for automatic certificate renewal
#!/bin/bash
certbot renew --quiet
systemctl restart v2ray

Backup options:

1. Backup port: 8443 or 2053
2. Backup protocol: Shadowsocks
3. Backup server: Server in another region

Conclusion and Recommendations

Key takeaways:

1. Your problem is indeed caused by DPI blocking, not technical server issues
2. Bypass is possible using modern traffic camouflage methods
3. Zapret and similar tools can help but require technical knowledge
4. Cloudflare and CDNs are the most reliable way to camouflage traffic
5. Changing hosting provider is a last resort that could solve the problem permanently

Practical recommendations:

1. Start with Cloudflare: This is the simplest and most effective method
2. Use VLESS + WebSocket + TLS: Modern combination for bypassing blocks
3. Set up monitoring: Regularly check availability
4. Have a backup option: Prepare an alternative server in another region
5. Document changes: This will help in the future if problems arise

What to do right now:

1. Check if your hosting provider supports Cloudflare
2. Create a test configuration with VLESS + WebSocket
3. Ask other users in your city to test the connection
4. Consider renting a server in another region

Your observation that the problem is localized (only in Kirov) suggests that changing your hosting region might be the most effective solution. However, you should first try technical bypass methods - they may solve the problem without additional costs.

Sources

1. Official V2Ray Documentation - VLESS Configuration
2. Cloudflare Docs - How to set up proxy through Cloudflare
3. GitHub - Zapret - Tool for bypassing blocks
4. Shadowsocks Documentation - Setup and usage
5. Trojan Protocol - Official documentation