Does Gmail Work in China?

[IAMBOG]

Does it work? I have a VPN, so wondering if this would fix any issues (if there are any).

[PATeach]

It usually loads up for me, but GChat functionality usually goes in and on. Attachments are iffy, particularly downloading. Keeping a VPN on clears up just about every issue with China's internet, thankfully.

[tdaley26]

I can use GMAIL without the VPN in Shanghai. For Facebook, youtube etc. a VPN is needed.

[IAMBOG]

I'm going to be emailing you soon, TDaley, about ayis and other such things :-)

[wntriscoming]

I can't get gmail to work at home without a VPN, and even then it can be picky. Sometimes I have to clear all my history in my browsers and restart my computer. At school, I can get on gmail, youtube, FB, etc. instantly with no problems at all.

[eion_padraig]

My gmail seems to work fine without a VPN.

This year, and in the past, there are times where even VPN's don't get you through to blocked sites. The last month or so the internet, and especially streaming video has been erratic for me and my colleagues.

A number of foreign run international schools in China route service through HK. It costs a lot, but it allows access to web sites without a VPN. Not every school has this, but a lot of the better ones do.

[roamer]

I am in Beijing and use a VPN called Astrill. It has an annual fee and is totally worth it. I am on gmail and facebook every day with few problems. Astrill can route through servers in dozens of cities, so if one is running slowly, you can just change to a different city.
Good Luck!

[IAMBOG]

I already have Astrill, so that's good to know.

[tdaley26]

I use astrill also. It occasionally runs slow for streaming. but is otherwise fine here.

[eion_padraig]

Yes, I use Astri as well. They continue to improve it as the GFW is modified.

[Lindaawilsoon]

IAMBOG wrote:
> Does it work? I have a VPN, so wondering if this would fix any issues (if
> there are any).

I personally use NordVPN

[PsyGuy]

I recommend either Express VPN or Nord VPN. Express is a little easier, a little more reliable, and a little faster but Nord VPN while a little less in those areas cost about a third if you get their longest subscription. Both have 30 day free trials and youre going to want to have it downloaded and set up before leaving for China, thus you can try both once there and figure out which one works best for you and then cancel the other one without spending anything.

[mamava]

I used Strong vpn since we were in Beijing. It's not too much for how much you'll use it and they have great customer service. When you contact them you can tell them you're going to China and they'll know what works best. I worked at a school whose servers were in HK, so we had full access to what we needed at that time while at school but we needed it at home. Things tightened up a lot...I have a friend who is going there (Shenzen/Shekou area) and was told that Google docs wouldn't work there so they couldn't see his docs he sent.

The government blocks VPN sites in terms of purchasing them, so you need to get it set up before you land in country. It's worth every penny!

[interteach]

Gmail can be spotty at times without a VPN. Astrill gets both good and bad reviews. Express VPN doesn't do a good job with tougher connections and needs good infrastructure to work and is overall slower than others. Vypr works well and has good tech support. Strong is good but can be a bit behind in updating. A lot of the smaller companies aren't worth your time since they don't update very well.

[PsyGuy]

A lot depends on how your going to use your VPN for and what you need out of it (such as torrent sites or geo locating for Netflix, etc.)? Do you do a lot of online gaming or streaming? Are you going to maintain a critical blog of China on the side, etc?

I dont have an issue with Strong VPN, they are just smaller and arent as responsive to updates and changes as Nord is and you can get Nord for a lot less on a long term subscription than Strong.

Astril use to be the go to inside China, and still is a top contender if you have to arrange VPN service from the inside, but their service is unreliable and so is their customer service.

I can see how @interteach could come to those concussions about Express VPN. You need a relatively modern building with newer infrastructure. If your in an old building or out in nowhere using twisted pair ADSL Express VPN can be more trouble than its worth. Ever since this summer Express has also gotten a lot busier as the need for a VPN has increased and the result of increased popularity and business sometimes means congestion (which goes back to what your priorities are, are they speed or reliability? If youre just browsing the web and social media, you dont really need speed, you just need it too work when you want it too. If your priority is gaming or streaming, than you need a fast connection and you just wont play or watch if its lagging. All VPN services have down times in China).

My issue with Vypr is you have to pay for more premium services to get the same benefits other VPNs give you as part of the package. Vypr also keeps some minimal logging which could be an issue for torrenting or if the PSB really wants to make you an issue (or example). If all you want to do is get to social media or Google its not really an issue for you (aside from the cost), but why pay more (compared to Nord) for comparable service.

Strong and Vypr have 30 money back guarantees available the same as Express and Nord. You can sign up for all of them before you leave and then choose which one works best for you under the actual conditions you will be living under. There isnt an equivalent 30 day guarantee for Astril (they offer a few days), but they are inside China so you dont need to set up with them before leaving. You get the best value the longer your initial membership. If your going to pay month to month there really isnt much difference in cost, and the issue becomes solely about which service meets your needs best.
I personally use Nord.