Hi everyone,
I'm currently facing some frustrating restrictions with the public Wi-Fi at my school. It's an open Wi-Fi network without a password, but the school has implemented a firewall (Fortinet) that blocks access to certain websites and services, including VPNs like Mullvad and ProtonVPN. This makes it difficult for me to maintain my privacy online, especially since I don't want the school to monitor me excessively.
After uninstalling Mullvad, I tried to download it again, but I found that even a search engine (Startpage) is blocked, which is incredibly frustrating! Here’s what happened:
- The Wi-Fi stopped working when I had the VPN enabled.
- I disabled the VPN, but still couldn't connect.
- I forgot the Wi-Fi network and reset the driver, but still no luck.
- I uninstalled the Mullvad, and then the Wi-Fi worked again.
- I tried to access Startpage to search for an up-to-date package for Mullvad, but it was blocked.
- I used my phone to get the software file and sent it over, but couldn't connect.
- I searched for different VPNs using DuckDuckGo, but the whole site was blocked.
- I tried searching for Mullvad, but that was blocked too.
- I attempted to use Tor with various bridges, but couldn't connect for some unknown reason.
- I finally settled for Onionfruit Connect, but it doesn't have a kill switch, which makes me uneasy.
Ironically, websites that could be considered harmful, like adult content, gambling sites and online gaming sites, are still accessible, while privacy-tools are blocked.
I'm looking for advice on how to bypass these firewall restrictions while ensuring my online safety and privacy. Any suggestions or alternative methods would be greatly appreciated! (If any advice is something about Linux, it could be a Problem, since my school enforces Windows 11 only PC's which is really really igngamblingThanks in advance for your help
edit: did some formatting
edit2: It is my device, which I own and bought with my own money. I also have gotten in trouble for connecting to tor and searching for tor, but I stated that I only used it to protect my privacy. Honestly I will do everything to protect my privacy so I don't care if I will get in trouble.
edit 3: Thanks for the suggestions, if I haven't responded yet, that's because I don't know what will happen.
Is this a school issued computer or your own on their network? Never assume you have any privacy on a computer that isn't your own. Even if you do get a VPN on there they probably have software on the laptop to monitor your actual screen which is far more privacy invasive than seeing that you accessed lemmy 500 times in an hour.
Seriously, ever heard of Intel AMT? It gives administrators such deep access to the computer that they can view and control your screen (regardless of OS you're using), power the device on remotely, etc.
AMT does at least put a large flashing red/yellow border around your screen if someone is accessing it remotely.
It is my own laptop. If I could, I would use tails constantly as I do at Home but the school enforces MS356 which doesn't work on Linux. The thing that upsets me the most is that I used happily my VPN for one and a half years and out of nowhere it got blocked. I had some discussions with the school, because I thought that this is a really dumb move. But they refused to unblock it, but still it was an attempt.