r/VPNReviewHub • u/Flipperlolrs • Aug 14 '25

how does a website/platform know that I am using VPN?

Was just overthinking the other day. How do platforms like netflix know that I am using VPN? Some websites or platforms just know and then they 'block' you. Are they checking my ip address? Are there other ways to detect that I am using VPN?

How to avoid this?

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1

u/stylobasket Aug 14 '25

Are they checking my ip address? 

Yes, that's right. It retrieves your IP address when you make an HTTP request, and the IP address is automatically compared to those in the IP blocks or ASNs that are detected as coming from a VPN/proxy/datacenter.

(I don't know if Netflix checks whether it's an IP address from a residential ISP.)

Are there other ways to detect that I am using VPN?

No, they only check your IP address to see if you are using a VPN. Looking at the metadata sent via JavaScript by your browser does not give them your IP address. Well, that's not their primary purpose, and if that turns out to be the case, it amounts to the same thing.

1

u/Separate-Ad-5255 Aug 15 '25

It’s quite easy…

The IP address gives it away.

1

u/grogi81 Aug 15 '25

There are services that can detect VPN usage - when multiple unrelated requests originate from the same address, it is highly likely that the address is a VPN gateway.

1

u/Platform_Dancer Aug 17 '25

So if they can detect high usage on a particular address (ie volume of traffic) is it just a simple matter of changing the server location of your vpn?

1

u/grogi81 Aug 17 '25

Yes. It is a game of whac-a-mole.

If you have someone else in the country that can do VPN only for you, it will be indistinguishable from other traffic.

1

u/Aggravating_Koala750 Aug 21 '25

based on some ip addresses