VPN useage & GW2 - [Merged]

I have a VPN that I use while I am online so that when I am playing a game like GW2, the fact that I am playing the game is not visible to my ISP.

I read some posts that said we are not allowed to use a VPN while playing GW2, & that some people who do use a VPN have had their accounts locked for using one.

I did not know we were not supposed to use a VPN, so I turned it off for GW2 only, as my other games don't have a problem with my using one. Since I turned the VPN off for playing GW2, my internet speed drops so low that I not only drop connection to the game, but after I close GW2, I cannot even open a web page in a browser. It feels like my ISP deliberately slows my connection down if they see I am playing a game, which is the only reason I have the VPN to start with :) If I were to ask them about this, I am quite certain that they would not admit to throttling my internet even if they are! Some friends said this company does throttle but it is very hard to prove & they said the VPN would make it very hard for them to slow me down for gameplay because they cannot see if I am browsing, Youtube-ing, gameplaying, etc. If this is the case & I cannot use the VPN with the ISP I have, I will probably be unable to play GW2 at all anymore :(

Can someone PLEASE officially tell me if I am allowed to use my VPN while playing GW2 or not? I have used it for several months so far with no problem (and no throttle of my connection), but I do not want to have my account locked for using it to keep my game play invisible to my ISP, so I can retain my connection speed while playing.

I also need to say that the ISP I have is the only one available for my address. I have no choice of a different provider.

You can use a VPN but there’s an increased risk that Anet will flag your account for suspicious activity.

Here is official information: https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045462814-Network-Connection-FAQ-(Scroll to bottom.)

This happened to me. Account blocked yesterday. I used a VPN (didn't know my account could get flagged). Sent a support ticket and and hoping my GW and GW2 accounts get unlocked.

I feel as though I am between a rock & a hard place! Playing without my VPN on only allows me about an hour of playtime before the connection speed throttle which lasts until the next morning. I disabled my VPN & had an ISP tech come out to check my incoming signal, my modem, & my allotment speed. Everything was fine, although when I asked him why the connection goes so bad, he said that people who game & people who stream are their worst customers, & they probably "ruin" everyone's bandwidth when they log on.

I did not say that I do that, lol, but the message came through loud & clear. I can pay for my internet, but I should never game or stream on it...

Turned on the VPN & played for about 7 hours last night with no problem. I really wish I had more than one ISP provider for my address :(

It's not against the rules to use a VPN. In fact, it is officially suggested.If the automated sweep catches your account, you can get access back by discussing the issue with the CS Team.

Thank you! Going to see how it goes & hope for the best. Really been enjoying this game :)

Using a VPN does not hide your online actvity from your ISP...

@Ashantara.8731 said:Using a VPN does not hide your online actvity from your ISP...

It does, if it is correctly configured. Then both DNS queries as the internet data is being transferred through an encrypted tunnel to your VPN provider. Your ISP can read it but it is just random gibberish to them because it is encrypted.

My account got locked just 2 days ago as well. Been using VPN for awhile now and this has happened to me the first time. Seems to be an increase in this issue lately (from posts on reddit and this forum etc). It's rather inconsiderate of them towards players playing outside of the US/EU with constant high ping or unplayable disconnections. Guess I can't play the game anymore then :/

@"Ashantara.8731" said:Using a VPN does not hide your online actvity from your ISP...

A properly configured VPN will not let them see what the content is. Data is viewable on your end and obviously the source end, but in between they will only be able to judge the size of the data.

I find it odd that your ISP would throttle traffic based on where it's from rather than the amount of traffic, sounds wonky but not out of the realm of possibility. It's common knowledge that some IPSs that offer "unlimited" data will throttle people that they deem to be "heavy users"....but I don't think the data consumed by GW2 in itself would make anyone considered a heavy user.

I'm from Malaysia. It's been almost 2 weeks, since the cable routing at Europe broke, gw2 have been unplayable during daytime and can only be played after midnight. My ISP have no solution other than asking us to wait indefinitely. I used VPN a week ago and I got blocked for 24 hours.

I would like to know, would my account be perma banned for if I repeatedly use VPN and got block over and over again?

Here is some official information: https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045462814-Network-Connection-FAQ- (Scroll to bottom of page.)

In other words, no.

@SWATwolf.3920 said:I'm from Malaysia. It's been almost 2 weeks, since the cable routing at Europe broke, gw2 have been unplayable during daytime and can only be played after midnight. My ISP have no solution other than asking us to wait indefinitely. I used VPN a week ago and I got blocked for 24 hours.

I would like to know, would my account be perma banned for if I repeatedly use VPN and got block over and over again?

you will not be permabanned, but there is a risk that a random security sweep can and may flag your account as compromised if you use a VPN and your logins will be blocked. it's easily fixed by just contacting support via anonymous ticket (usually around 3 to 5 days before your account gets opened again) but the hassle of having to go through that may or may not be worth the risk

My account (and my alts) were blocked recently (playing from SEA) as I had used VPN to circumvent the international cable issue.They were unlocked after anonymous tickets to support, but now I am not sure if I want to risk another block / ban if they catch me a second time.I literally just struggle through whatever dailies now (if I am even able to log in) and log off. Game is not playable, I had also paid for the VPN just for GW2.

I did ask support if I should continue to use VPN but did not get any conclusive advice.

@"Jazz.7123" said:My account (and my alts) were blocked recently (playing from SEA) as I had used VPN to circumvent the international cable issue.They were unlocked after anonymous tickets to support, but now I am not sure if I want to risk another block / ban if they catch me a second time.I literally just struggle through whatever dailies now (if I am even able to log in) and log off. Game is not playable, I had also paid for the VPN just for GW2.

I did ask support if I should continue to use VPN but did not get any conclusive advice.

Scroll to bottom of page: https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045462814-Network-Connection-FAQ-

@"Jazz.7123" said:My account (and my alts) were blocked recently (playing from SEA) as I had used VPN to circumvent the international cable issue.They were unlocked after anonymous tickets to support, but now I am not sure if I want to risk another block / ban if they catch me a second time.I literally just struggle through whatever dailies now (if I am even able to log in) and log off. Game is not playable, I had also paid for the VPN just for GW2.

I did ask support if I should continue to use VPN but did not get any conclusive advice.

yes this is the sad truth. if they advise people that VPNs [1] are an alternative option to resolving client-side connectivity issues, then they should be able to support the client/user logging in from different IPs.

the "random security sweep" they do is too strict. to be honest it should only come into effect and block your account (error 3023) if you fail two-factor authentication (either via SMS or email or both) when logging in with a new/foreign IP -- that's what these systems in place are for. as a provider you don't just soft-ban people out of the blue just because they used a different IP address (either via VPN or if you happen to travel and play abroad).

[1] as per https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045462814-Network-Connection-FAQ-

My bf constantly using VPN for Elder Scrolls Online that sometimes when he went into GW2, he forgot to switch off.One day when my guild needed some extra fillers for raid, I called my bf in as usual and he got banned because of the VPN thingy. He was unbanned few days later but definitely left a sour experience for us when we needed him that time x_x

But seriously though, we're from SEA as well and GW2 is rather very laggy lately. I wanted to play but I'm too afraid to pop in the VPN, ><

For SEA player literally you can't play in any hour , been playing this game 8years over 3thoudsand hours and the first block that surprised me. The reason i only use VPN to play the game when it really have issues with the lag/ping, from the past and it is no issues at all no block nothing happen. But recently the game like now is always at 500 - 1900 PING without VPN, if you lucky enough you will get unblock in 24hours by sending them ticket and wait. For me it took like a day and a half till they unblock my account.Even you enable 2FA (either via SMS or Authenticaor) is not work , you will still get hit and blocked. Either you just login your game get your daily done and log off or use VPN risk another block.

same here, i got blocked by anet yesterday and unblocked today.i had to use vpn to reduce lag otherwise its unplayable.their cs replied that using vpn is ok but basically threatened me to block my account again if i should use it again.

extremely irresponsible of anet, totally disgusted and disappointed.

I'm from SEA too, and the only way to play gw2 with stable ping is through a paid VPN. BTW, for those of you affected by recent random sweeps, are any of you using GeForce Now? If so, the locked account can be cause of anet's mistake with GeForce now users, and not your VPN.

large group of regular wvw vet players will quit if they cant use VPN to lower ping to play in wvw. I am just saying so Anet will look into this to secure their players.

@Talindra.4958 said:secure their players.

more like they're being too secure and paranoid with their automated security that it starts soft-blocking a small of the portion of the playerbase who are legitimately just trying to play

seriously they need to disable that automated security sweeps of theirs and just stick with 2-factor authentication or atleast let it kick in only when there's multiple failed attempts to clear 2-FA

Im gonna risk another block later, i got login couple hours ago just got worst literally can't move at all and keep disconnected me , totally unplayable for me now with over 2000 ping.Without VPN i don't see how people can play this game, at least for SEA player. I'm not spamming because it is really worst they need to do something, the lag been over 3 weeks already.

sorry astyrah..my english isnt very good. i mean to secure players as in not lose them.. because the base wvw player will quit playing if they cant use vpn to reduce ping