How do I know if my domain is blocked in a specific country?
Published 2026-05-16 · 7 min read
TL;DR
The signature is a mismatch: clicks from a country keep coming, but conversions and page loads from
it collapse while other countries stay normal — and the site still works when you test it.
Confirm by checking the domain from real residential and mobile networks inside that country.
If several ISPs return 403, 451, a block page, or a DNS failure while a
datacenter probe gets 200, your domain is blocked at the country or provider level.
Symptoms to watch for
Conversions from one GEO drop to near zero overnight, while clicks continue.
EPC for that country falls sharply with no offer or creative change.
Affiliates or users in that market report the page won't load.
Your own test from outside the country (or a datacenter) looks perfectly fine.
Uptime monitor stays green the whole time.
How to verify it (step by step)
- 1
Don't test from your own IP. It bypasses the filter. Check from inside the country, on real consumer networks.
- 2
Check several ASNs in that country. e.g. Brazil: Vivo (AS26599), Claro (AS28573), TIM (AS26615), Oi (AS7738). This separates a country-wide block from a single-ISP block.
- 3
Record the HTTP status and DNS result per network. A
451or DNS resolution failure on most ISPs points to a regulator-level block; a403on one ISP points to ISP/WAF filtering. - 4
Screenshot the result. A block page or challenge captured per ASN is the proof, not just a status code.
- 5
Check mobile separately. Carriers often block independently of fixed-line ISPs in the same country.
- 6
Set continuous monitoring + alerts so you catch the block the moment it appears, and have a dated history for disputes.
Country block vs ASN block: how to read the result
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| All ISPs in country fail with 451 / DNS error | Country / regulator-level block |
| One ISP fails (403), others work | ASN-level / ISP filtering |
| Only mobile fails, fixed-line works | Mobile carrier block |
| Challenge page on residential/mobile only | Cloudflare / WAF rule |
Related reading
To understand why one ISP can fail while others work, read what is ASN monitoring. If a WAF challenge is the culprit, see is Cloudflare silently blocking my paid traffic.
FAQ
How do I know if my domain is blocked in a specific country?
Look for the signature pattern: traffic and clicks from that country continue, but conversions, sessions, or page loads from it collapse while other countries stay normal. Confirm it by checking the domain from real residential and mobile networks (ASNs) inside that country — if multiple ISPs return a 403, 451, block page, or DNS failure while the server answers a datacenter probe normally, the domain is blocked at the country or provider level.
What are the symptoms of a country-level block?
Conversions from one GEO drop to near zero, EPC for that country falls sharply, affiliates in that market complain the page won't load, bounce rate spikes, and your own checks from outside the country still look fine. The mismatch between "works for me" and "doesn't work for users there" is the tell.
Why does the site work for me but not for users in another country?
Your connection isn't the user's connection. Blocks are commonly applied by a specific country's ISPs, by mobile carriers, or to residential IP ranges. If you test from a datacenter IP or a different country, you bypass the exact filter that's stopping real users.
How can I prove to my partner that the domain is blocked in their GEO?
Capture timestamped screenshots and HTTP status codes from real networks inside that country — ideally several ASNs — showing the block page or error. A shareable incident report with this evidence settles the dispute and supports a refund or chargeback request.
What is the difference between a country block and an ASN block?
A country block affects all or most ISPs in a country (often regulator-driven, e.g. DNS-level). An ASN block affects one provider's network while others in the same country still work. Checking several ASNs per country tells you which one you're dealing with.
Edits
- 2026-05-16: First published.
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