Egypt VPN Guide 2024: How to Get an Egyptian IP Address

How Free is Egypt's Internet?

In 2011, Egypt experienced large turmoil and protests against the government, often labeled as the Egyptian Revolution. Since then, Egyptian authorities have imposed various internet restrictions, resulting in diminishing internet freedom.

From 2015 onwards, Freedom House considers Egypt "not free" regarding internet restrictions. It's a category attributed to countries like Russia, Iran, and China, where every internet service provider is strictly regulated by the government.

When the protests renewed in 2019, more restrictions followed, affecting various news sites, voice-over-IP services, and even encrypted communication channels. The Egyptian government banned social media sites such as X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook during the protests.

While Egyptian authorities claim these restrictions are imposed to fight malicious websites and terrorism, you are likely to feel their effect on everyday uses. Unless, of course, you use a VPN for Egypt.

What Content is Banned in Egypt?

Compared to Western countries, reading news, browsing social media, or accessing other content is much more difficult in Egypt. In general, all content deemed harmful by the Egyptian government is banned. Let's take a closer look.

News sites

Most Western news sites, such as Al-Jazeera, Huffington Post, and many others, are banned in Egypt. Often, their offices were raided following the bans.

Many smaller local news sites were also closed and banned from functioning online. The underlying reason behind these bans is almost always government criticism.

Social media platforms

Freedom of press restrictions in Egypt extend to social media since, by law, all channels with more than 5000 followers are treated as media outlets. Egyptian authorities have a say on what is published there and can persecute users.

For example, it's known that a number of female influencers on TikTok received prison sentences for their opinions. Such measures have resulted in high levels of self-censorship among Egyptian internet users.

Communication apps

Egyptian authorities are known to disrupt various messaging and voice call apps. The National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority also monitors apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Facebook Messenger.

Encryption isn't a solution since, according to the Telecommunication Regulation Law, encrypting your online communications is a crime. Using encrypted messaging apps, such as Wickr, Signal, and Wire, has resulted in fines or even jail time.

Entertainment

Streaming services, such as Netflix, are available in Egypt, but you might lack some popular TV shows and movies compared to other countries. Online gaming is also possible only with some multiplayer limitations for Egyptian servers. Using VPN services is likely to solve these restrictions.

Should You Use a VPN in Egypt?

Just as in any other country, using a VPN in Egypt is beneficial. You will be able to ensure your privacy, access geo-restricted content, secure remote access, protect yourself from attacks from malicious websites, and much more.

However, Egyptian authorities have passed laws that make it risky to use a VPN in this country. While there is no specific law that governs the usage of VPN services, there is a collection of legislation that affects privacy efforts.

Anti-Cyber and Information Technology Crimes Law is the most prominent one, but there are other bills relating to the use of encryption and bypassing restrictions imposed by Egyptian authorities.

This puts VPN services in a legally gray area, where using them is legal, but you risk breaking laws inadvertently.

It's important to consider the risks before using a VPN in Egypt. Research the current laws and take some precautions.

• Be careful when using public Wifi networks.
• Don't post identifiable information on social media.
• Use only the highest quality VPN and conceal the app with a password on your phone.

How to Get an Egyptian IP Address using CometVPN

CometVPN makes it easy to change your IP address to various locations worldwide. There are plenty of Egyptian servers readily available, so getting a VPN Egypt is barely an inconvenience. Whether you are using a Windows PC, Mac, Android, or iOS, it only takes a couple of steps.

Windows PC

1. Download the CometVPN Windows app from the dashboard.
2. Run the installer and log into your account.
3. Select Egypt as your location on the main dashboard.
4. That's it! Now, your Windows PC is using an Egyptian VPN service.

Mac

1. Download the CometVPN app for Mac from the dashboard.
2. Install and log into your account.
3. Set your location to Egypt.
4. That's it! Now, your device is using VPN servers from Egypt.

Android

1. Download the CometVPN app from the Google Play Store.
2. Create an account and choose your plan.
3. Select your location as Egypt and press change location.
4. That's it! Now, your Android device is connecting through Egyptian servers.

iOS

1. Download the CometVPN app from the App Store.
2. Create an account and choose your plan.
3. Select your location to use an Egyptian IP address.
4. That's it! Now, your Apple device has changed its location.

Conclusion

While using a VPN in Egypt is possible, we strongly advise you not to break any local laws on your travels. VPN servers are an excellent tool for ensuring privacy and making you safer in Egypt. However, you should avoid creating unnecessary risks for yourself.

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