Opening Syrian websites and services from abroad
If you live outside Syria or are travelling, you may find that Syrian services you used to rely on no longer open, or open and then stall at sign-in. This article covers the kinds of services where that usually happens, how to pick the right way to connect on each device, and what a Syrian address cannot fix.
Services that may only answer from inside Syria
Some services accept connections only from Syrian addresses, or treat other connections with suspicion. There is no fixed list, and any service can change its settings without notice. People abroad most often run into this with:
- Some government e-service portals.
- The online services of some Syrian banks.
- Customer accounts at telecom companies, for checking balance, bills and packages.
- Local shops and delivery services, which may hide prices or refuse orders from outside the country.
- Some news and local sites.
Mobile wallets have their own articles: ShamCash from outside Syria and Syriatel Cash from outside Syria.
Not every failure is about where you are. A service may simply be down for everyone, so try again later or ask someone in Syria before assuming it blocks foreign connections.
Why a Syrian address usually solves it
These services judge your location by the IP address your connection arrives from. With syriaproxy your traffic exits from the Syriatel 4G network inside Syria, on a mobile address that other subscribers use at the same time, so the service sees a phone in Syria. The reasons behind refusal messages are covered in Why Syrian apps do not work abroad.
Pick a method for your device
- Android phone: the syriaproxy app routes the whole phone through Syria, including banking and wallet apps. See Syrian IP on Android.
- iPhone and iPad: the official WireGuard app with a file you create in your account. See Syrian IP on iPhone and iPad.
- Computer: an app for Windows and Linux, and WireGuard on macOS. See Syrian VPN on Windows and Linux.
- Browser only: the Chrome and Edge extension, when the service is a website and you want other programs to keep your normal connection. See Syrian IP in the browser only.
All apps are on the Download page, and the differences between these methods are explained in Syrian IP vs VPN vs proxy.
Steps
- Add balance. You pay for what you use; the amounts are on Pricing. You can pay with USDT, ShamCash or Syriatel Cash.
- Connect. Turn on the app, the extension or the tunnel. The details for each method are under Connect in your account.
- Check the address. Open ipinfo.io. The country should be Syria and the network Syriatel.
- Reopen the service. Close the app or page completely and open it again after connecting, because some apps may remember their first check.
- Finish without disconnecting. Do not switch off the tunnel or extension halfway through a sign-in or a transaction.
Names are resolved inside Syria
Before opening a site, your device asks a DNS server for its address. If that lookup comes from your current country while the connection comes from Syria, a service may notice the mismatch, and your device may be sent to a different server than users in Syria reach. The apps, the extension and WireGuard resolve names through Syriatel's resolvers inside Syria with no setup on your part.
Keep the same address while signed in
Some services tie a session to the address, so a change halfway through can force a new sign-in or another verification code. The address stays for about two hours before Syriatel changes it. Set Address type in your account to Static while you work with accounts, and save Request a new address for when you are done.
If a payment or transfer is interrupted, check the history in that service before trying again, so it does not go through twice. More in Keeping the same Syrian IP.
Sign-in codes by SMS
A Syrian address changes only what a service sees of your internet connection. It changes nothing about your phone line: codes sent by SMS go to the number registered with the service, and whether they reach you abroad depends on your line and its roaming. Before you travel, make sure your line can receive messages in the country you are going to. Details in Managing your Syriatel line from abroad.
What we cannot guarantee
- That a particular service accepts these addresses. Some may ask for extra verification or refuse the connection for reasons we cannot see.
- The availability or speed of Syrian services themselves, which are outside our control.
- A connection without interruptions at all times.
Respect each service's terms
Use the address to reach your own accounts and services. Reaching a service that is available inside Syria from a Syrian address is not in itself a violation, but bypassing protections or entering other people's accounts is forbidden, as set out in the Acceptable use policy. Some services also have their own rules about use from abroad, so read them before you depend on the service.
Questions
Do I need a Syrian SIM to use syriaproxy?
No. An account with your email address and some balance is enough. The Syrian service you want may still ask for a Syrian number to register or verify, but that is its requirement, not ours.
Can my internet provider abroad see which Syrian sites I open?
With the apps, the extension and WireGuard, traffic is encrypted from your device to our server, so your provider only sees that you are connected to us.
The site opens, but slowly. Why?
Your traffic goes through a mobile network inside Syria, so it depends on that network and on the site's own speed. Try Request a new address; if it stays slow, the site itself may be the cause.
What if the service I need does not accept the address?
You can get a refund within 7 days of purchase if you used less than 100 MB, as stated in the Terms. So test your service right after buying.
Do you keep a record of what I do on these sites?
We do not log the sites you visit, the content of your traffic or your DNS queries. What we keep is listed in the Privacy policy.
Create your account and try the Syrian service you need with a small amount first.