How to Fix Google Meet Issues in Russia

Google Meet in Russia Experiences Stability Issues Due to Deep Traffic Analysis Technology (TSPU) That Slows Connections Without Completely Blocking Them. Regular VPN Services That Work with YouTube Often Don’t Help with Meet Due to WebRTC Protocol Specifics and More Sophisticated Traffic Detection Methods. To Solve the Problem, Specialized VPNs with Bypass Mode, Network Optimization, or Alternative Video Conferencing Platforms Are Required.

Table of Contents

• What is the problem with Google Meet in Russia?
• Why don’t regular VPNs and proxies work with Meet?
• Working solutions for stabilizing Google Meet
• How does technical blocking through TSPU work?
• What to do if nothing helps?
• Conclusion and recommendations

What is the problem with Google Meet in Russia?

The main issue with Google Meet in Russia is related to the implementation of TSPU (Sovereign Runet Technologies), which not only blocks but actively slows down traffic for certain services. Unlike simple blocking where a service becomes completely unavailable, TSPU creates partial performance limitations.

According to research, Google Meet experiences significant reduction in connection quality due to artificially increased delays and limited bandwidth channels. This manifests as:

• Constant video call freezing
• Image and sound breaks
• Inability to establish stable connections
• Increased device resource consumption

As noted by Digital Report, the traffic slowing technology through TSPU has already been applied to YouTube and Twitter, and is now being actively used against video conferencing services.

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Why don’t regular VPNs and proxies work with Meet?

Regular VPN services that successfully work with YouTube are often ineffective for Google Meet for several reasons:

Technical Features of the WebRTC Protocol

Google Meet uses WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication), which:

• Works directly between browsers of participants without a central server
• Uses P2P connections for media data exchange
• Requires low latency and stable bandwidth

As explained by Meduza, traffic to such services is masked as WebRTC, making it difficult to detect and block.

Google Recommendations

The official Google Workspace documentation explicitly does not recommend using proxy servers for Google Meet:

“We recommend against transmitting Meet data through proxy servers, as this increases latency, which can lead to reduced video quality” — Google Workspace Admin Help

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Working solutions for stabilizing Google Meet

1. Specialized VPNs with bypass mode

Not all VPNs are equally effective for Google Meet. Services with:

• WireGuard protocol or OpenVPN with camouflage
• Bypass mode (obfsproxy or Camouflage)
• Optimization for streaming video

As practice shows, regular VPNs that work with YouTube often can’t handle Google Meet due to more sophisticated traffic detection methods.

2. Network optimization

Disable proxy and VPN before connecting

According to the official Google troubleshooting guide:

“Disconnect from the VPN server. In your system’s network settings, disable proxy servers. Try joining a Google Meet call again using a direct connection” — Google Meet Help

Configure DNS

Use public DNS servers:

• Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1)
• Google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4)

3. Hardware solutions

For critically important meetings, consider:

• Mobile internet from a different carrier
• Specialized routers with VPN support
• SIM card from a foreign carrier (if accessible)

4. Configure Google Meet itself

Use the desktop application

Instead of the web version, use the official Google Meet application for Windows or macOS, which:

• Is less dependent on browser limitations
• Better optimized for working in complex network conditions
• Supports hardware-accelerated video

Disable unnecessary features

• Turn off screen sharing if not needed
• Disable video for participants with unstable connections
• Use audio-only as a backup option

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How does technical blocking through TSPU work?

The TSPU system uses several levels of impact on Google Meet traffic:

1. Traffic metadata analysis

TSPU analyzes:

• Traffic signatures typical for WebRTC
• Interaction patterns with Google servers
• Data packet structures for video calls

2. Partial blocking (throttling)

Unlike complete blocking, TSPU applies bandwidth limitation:

“They block partially, conditionally 10-20% of traffic, which creates inconvenience for users but there’s no actual blocking” — FAQ on blocking

3. Routing manipulation

The system can:

• Direct traffic through slower channels
• Insert delays at the network equipment level
• Limit the number of simultaneous connections

4. VPN traffic detection

TSPU can:

• Identify VPN protocols by characteristic signs
• Block known VPN servers
• Analyze encrypted traffic for belonging to prohibited services

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What to do if nothing helps?

If all attempts to stabilize Google Meet have been unsuccessful, consider alternative platforms:

Alternative video conferencing services

Combined approach

For important meetings, use:

1. Main platform (Google Meet) with VPN
2. Backup communication channel (phone, Telegram)
3. Pre-connection testing 15-30 minutes before start

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Conclusion and recommendations

Key conclusions:

1. Google Meet issues in Russia are caused by TSPU technology that slows rather than blocks traffic
2. Regular VPNs often don’t work due to WebRTC protocol specifics
3. Specialized VPNs with bypass mode are the most reliable solution
4. The official Google Meet app works better than the web version in complex network conditions

Practical recommendations:

• Use VPN with traffic masking support (e.g., NordLynx or WireGuard)
• Regularly check service status through Google Workspace Status
• Always have a backup plan in case of primary platform failures
• Optimize your device’s network settings
• Consider switching to alternative platforms for critical meetings

What to do right now:

1. Disable all VPNs and proxies
2. Test Google Meet in direct connection mode
3. If it doesn’t work, install a specialized VPN
4. Configure Cloudflare DNS servers
5. Download and use the Google Meet desktop app

Google Meet issues in Russia are temporary and require adaptation to current internet conditions. The right choice of tools and network configuration will help maintain quality connection for important meetings and conferences.

Sources

1. Known issues with Google Meet - Official Google Help
2. Google Meet in Russia unexpectedly broke or was slowed down - Digital Report
3. How to prepare your network for Google Meet meetings - Google Workspace Admin Help
4. The main alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram calls — Google Meet — has been working in Russia with strong disruptions for two weeks - Meduza
5. Troubleshooting connection issues in Google Meet - Google Help
6. Sovereign Runet 2025: How Roskomnadzor implemented whitelists and slowed YouTube for 82 million Russians - Digital Report
7. High-profile blocking through TSPU: understanding what it is - Roskomsvoboda
8. FAQ on blocking messengers and the internet - PaperPaper