I'm using NordVPN on both my phone and laptop for security, but I'm facing issues connecting to my university's WiFi whenever the VPN is on. It seems like the WiFi is blocking devices with an active VPN, which is concerning since I feel unsafe using the network without it. Has anyone found a way to bypass this restriction?
4 Answers
Have you tried just turning the VPN off? It sounds like the university isn't really okay with VPNs on their network.
Your university probably blocks non-local IPs from VPNs, which is why you're having trouble. You could try talking to the IT department, but if they’re unsure, you might just have to be cautious without the VPN.
I usually keep my VPN on because I mostly use public networks. I’ve tried asking IT for help, but they didn’t even understand the issue. I really want to avoid turning it off because the WiFi is super insecure.
Just so you know, a VPN might not be doing much for you. If a site is HTTPS, it’s already encrypted, but with a consumer VPN, you’re only encrypted until the exit point—so it’s not as secure as you might think.
What do you suggest instead then?
Is the WiFi open? That's pretty risky! My university had a secure network that required some certificates to connect, but it was way safer than using an open network.
We actually have two networks: one private and one public. Everyone uses the public one because the private is painfully slow. It’s so bad you can't even browse without it crashing.
I get that, but I’m really uncomfortable using their WiFi without a VPN. They’ve had a lot of data theft issues, yet they don’t seem to care.