If you were using ExpressVPN in Dubai and it suddenly stopped working, ExpressVPN is no longer staying one step ahead of Etisalat and Du’s VPN blocking techniques.
This is happening because Etisalat and Du have been able to identify and block the IP addresses provided by ExpressVPN.
To fix this, you need to upgrade to a VPN with a good protocol to get around these Internet Service Provider VPN blocks.
This article will explain how to get a VPN that will work in Dubai.
See also:
ExpressVPN not working in Dubai: Quick Fix
To fix ExpressVPN not working in Dubai, you need to upgrade to a VPN that can provide IP addresses that Etisalat and Du can’t identify and block.
To do that, follow these simple steps:
Create a new account with Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)
Download and install the new VPN app
Open your new app and connect to a server
Continue using a VPN in Dubai
Why isn’t ExpressVPN working in Dubai?
ExpressVPN isn’t working in Dubai because the two state-owned internet service providers (ISPs), Etisalat and Du, constantly monitor and block VPNs.
They do this because Dubai has strict government policies that don’t allow its citizens to view or perform certain actions online.
These include using VoIP calling, dating websites, visiting pornographic websites, viewing LGBT content, viewing content critical of the UAE government or Islam, and even the game Roblox is blocked.
Because ExpressVPN is a well-known way of getting around these blocks, Etisalat and Du have been tasked with blocking VPNs in Dubai.
How does Etisalat and Du block ExpressVPN?
The way Etisalat and Du block ExpressVPN is all to do with the IP addresses ExpressVPN provides.
Because ExpressVPN is popular in Dubai, there are a lot of customers using its service. ExpressVPN struggles to keep up with this demand, and it forces its customers to share IP addresses.
Usually, only a household of devices connects to the internet using the same IP address. When hundreds of ExpressVPN customers use the same IP to go online, Etisalat and Du can recognise that that’s an IP provided by ExpressVPN and block it.

Do VPNs still work in Dubai?
Yes, VPNs still work in Dubai; however you need a VPN that can stay ahead of Etisalat and Du.
Etisalat and Du’s VPN blocking techniques can work on any VPN. However, some VPNs have better protocols than others. These protocols determine how fast and secure a VPN is.
Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) uses its own protocol, NordLynx, designed to be super fast and incredibly secure, and this protocol makes it a very good VPN for getting around Etisalat and Du’s VPN blocks.
NordLynx introduces a new double NAT (Network Address Translation) system that authenticates users through a secure external database. Where most VPNs share the users actual IP address with their VPN server. Nord’s double NAT system means your actual IP is never required.
This system also gives each user a new random IP address for every session on top of the static IP address provided. This will allow customers to connect to Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) without sharing any personally identifiable information on any of Nord’s servers.
This double NAT system makes it incredibly difficult for Etisalat and Du to identify that you’re using a VPN. And you’ll be able to use Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) in Dubai reliably.

What if PIA gets blocked?
Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) uses a simple technique that allows it to provide you with IP addresses that will consistently work in Dubai.
When Etisalat or Du blocks an IP address provided by Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close that IP address and open a new one. The Dubai ISPs will not have blocked this new IP.
This cat and mouse game allows Nord to stay one step ahead of Etisalat and Du, and for you, it means you’ll be able to go online with a VPN reliably.