There are going to times when you just can't access the sites you want to. Much of this happens when you travel with your iPhone and iPad, but there are times even when local networks can block your favorite sites. In the case that you're outside of the country with your iOS device, you may find that the laws in some countries block sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, or even informational sites like Wikipedia or the BBC. Other times using your personal iPhone at work mean you still won't be able to access entertainment websites because you're blocked by network restrictions. VPN software to unblock sites on iPhone and iPad can be used to bypass firewall blocks and access all your favorite sites, no matter where you are.

Why are sites blocked?

Well, the root reason is that your IP doesn't jive with someone. It could be that the place you're in is blocking access to these sites. This would be the same for your work network and the foreign network from the examples above. For example, when I go to Vietnam, Facebook is blocked. When I go to China, some Wikipedia pages are blocked. At work I'm unable to stream YouTube videos, and most recently, NBC's website was blocked to stop us from streaming the Olympics on the work Network.

Sometimes, you may find that websites are blocking YOU! Most of the time, this isn't personal, though if you've been tagged as a spammer some forums and online communities may block you. This is usually going to be when TV and movie streaming sites block foreign IPs. You might be a Hulu member, but when you travel outside the US, you can't access the site. Each country will have some sites that block foreign IPs

How to unblock them

Of course, the solution in both situations is to change your IP. When you're part of a network that blocks sites, you get an IP outside of your current network. When you find that websites are blocking your IP, you get an IP from a network location they approve of. Both of these can be done by using VPN software.

This type of software to unblock sites can be installed on your iPhone or iPad without any extra hardware. Both devices come ready to use the VPN connection. You only need download the appropriate software from a VPN provider you choose. Once installed, simply choose from a list of servers, and sign in. If you want to unblock sites at work, choose any network because they'll all be outside your work network. If you want to unblock geo-restricted sites, choose a server in an approved country.

What's the best VPN for iPhone and iPad?

Well, that's going to depend on what you want to do. For unblocking sites on iOS, PPTP is recommended because it's fast, lightweight, and easy to install. It just makes things simpler. If you require more privacy and security, then L2TP/IPSec is recommended. Both will unblock sites, and both will encrypt your data to protect you from eavesdropping. If you do your homework, you can probably find a service that offers access to both types of VPN for one price and you can do your own experimenting to see what works best.