Uh oh, got a Fortnite ban? What did you do? Okay – that’s none of our business, but we can help you fix it!
Fortnite bans can happen for many reasons, so it’s important to understand the game’s code of conduct before running face-first into the Battle Royale mode. You don’t want to get kicked out just as things start to get interesting.
Trying to figure out why Fortnite banned you? Let’s explore the code of conduct, and how you can use CyberGhost VPN to easily get around a Fortnite IP ban.
Quick Guide: How to Bypass a Fortnite IP Ban With a VPN
- Get CyberGhost VPN and set it up on your device or router.
- Connect to a server to get a new IP address. A server close to the Fortnite server you’re playing on will give you the lowest ping and best chance of avoiding a connection-related ban.
- Hop back on the Battle Bus!
What Is an IP Ban?
An IP ban is a measure taken by a game, website, or online service to deny access to a specific IP address.
When an IP ban is in place, any device using the banned IP address is blocked from accessing the platform or website in question. IP bans are often used to enforce rules, policies, or security measures, but Fortnite has been known to accidentally ban the IP addresses of innocent players in the past.
Gaming sites, streaming platforms, and other services might use your IP to block you from accessing their services if you break their code of conduct or community guidelines. They’ll usually let you know your IP has been banned, and if you’re lucky, they might even tell you why.
If you’re one of the many wondering why Fortnite banned your IP, it might be worth contacting them to find out. They may have already let you know on the all-too-familiar Fortnite ban screen. The length of the bans can range anywhere between a few hours and forever – depending on the severity of the offense.
You can bypass Fortnite’s IP ban easily with CyberGhost VPN. Connect to one of our gaming-optimized VPN servers to mask your IP and enjoy playing Fortnite again without delay.
How a VPN Bypasses Fortnite IP Bans
If you get an IP ban, Epic Games identifies you by your IP address and blocks traffic from your IP address from accessing its servers. A VPN changes your IP address, helping you to get back in the game in no time.
When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts your connection and reroutes it via a remote server that then forwards your connection to its destination. When the destination server receives your data, it will appear to originate from the VPN server’s IP address, not your real one. If Fortnite has banned your original IP address, you’ll be able to access the game with your new one.
Why Do Fortnite IP Bans Occur?
Fortnite developer Epic Games applies its code of conduct and community rules to all its games. If you’re seeing the Fortnite ban screen, it’s possible that you breached one of its rules. Here’s an overview of some of the things Fortnite doesn’t allow.
| 1. Sharing personal Information | ‘Doxing’ other gamers, i.e., exposing their personal information |
| 2. Intolerance or discrimination | Using hateful language based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, national origin, etc. |
| 3. Bullying | Threatening, harassing, or intimidating other players |
| 4. Impersonation | Pretending to be another player or trying to take credit for their creations |
| 5. Cheating | Cheating, griefing, teaming, trolling, or exploiting and sharing known cheats, bugs, or exploits |
| 6. Dangerous/illegal activities | Promoting dangerous activities like gambling, illegal drug use, phishing, human trafficking, prostitution, doxing, swatting, etc. |
| 7. Scams | Taking advantage of other players or trading in accounts or personal information |
| 8. Inappropriate Content | Forgetting you’re around kids and failing to keep it clean |
| 9. High Ping | If your connection is not up to speed, it’s not only the rubber-band effect you have to worry about. Fortnite may kick you off the server for holding up the action. |
| 10. Using a VPN | Although Epic Games doesn’t explicitly forbid VPNs, sometimes it puts a blanket ban on a range of IPs it suspects belong to a VPN. |
The last two reasons are why it’s so important to play it smart and use a good quality gaming VPN. You need top speeds as well as access to plenty of servers in the event one server IP gets banned. You also want a VPN with an automatic Kill Switch. That way, if the VPN connection drops for a moment, your real IP won’t leak and potentially get you in trouble.
When Does Fortnite Ban Your IP, Account, or Hardware?
Epic games actually employs three different kinds of ban depending on the offense and severity of the transgression.
1. Temporary IP Ban. This temporary ban only affects your IP address but not your account or hardware. If you break community rules, you might get a temporary IP ban. It can also sometimes happen if Epic Games detects you connecting to Fortnite servers through a VPN.
2. IP and Account Ban. Account bans are more serious. If you’re caught cheating, behaving inappropriately, or engaging in violence or abuse, Epic Games will ban your IP address and username. These bans are often permanent and if you want to get back on the bus, you’ll need a brand new account and IP address.
3. Hardware ID Ban (HWID). Hardware ID bans detect and block device component IDs (e.g., your motherboard, GPU, or SSD). This makes it impossible to play Fortnite on your current machine. Your account might not always be affected but in order to play you’d need to switch to a new device. Fortnite HWID bans can also block devices that give players an unfair competitive advantage.
Banned From Fortnite? Get Back on the Bus With a VPN
You can access Fortnite securely and privately using a VPN to mask your IP address and encrypt your traffic. Here’s how to do it.
1. Download CyberGhost VPN
You can play Fortnite again by bypassing its IP ban with CyberGhost VPN. You’ll get access to a large server network spanning 100 countries, and can change your IP address as often as you like. We’ll also protect your internet data with strong encryption. It only takes a few minutes to set up.
Note: Using a VPN won’t help if you’re experiencing an HWID ban. For that, you’ll need to play from another device or remove/replace the banned piece of hardware. You can also sometimes change your HWID in the Windows Registry, or by reinstalling Windows entirely. There are also some third-party tools that purport to help you change your HWID, but be careful – not all of them are legitimate.
2. Install CyberGhost VPN on Your Device
CyberGhost has VPN apps for most Fortnite-compatible devices. Whether you’re playing on your PC, smartphone, or your game console, CyberGhost VPN has you covered. You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously with a single subscription. Try it risk-free with our 45-day money-back guarantee.
3. Connect to a Server
CyberGhost has VPN servers in cities and countries all over the world, so you’ll have no trouble getting an IP address in the location you need. With your new IP address, you can bypass Fortnite’s IP ban with ease. Our VPN also helps you bypass ISP content-based throttling for a smoother gaming experience.
4. Get Back on the Battle Bus!
Hopefully, with these steps, you’ve managed to bypass Fornite’s IP ban and are reunited with your squad. Remember to play by the rules and respect Epic Games’ code of conduct!
Benefits of a VPN for Gaming
The Fortnite ban screen isn’t the worst thing to happen to a gamer — you can always play another game. What’s worse is being unable to play any game because of high ping, game traffic throttling, or network restrictions. You can face many obstacles when playing your favorite games. Let’s explore why a VPN is a gamer’s best friend.
Change Gaming Location
Playing with friends in different countries can be a pain. Some games automatically lock you into the region you sign up from, while others have unreliable matchmaking systems. Getting around these issues is easy with a VPN – just connect to a server in a country or region where you want to play, and join a lobby.
Some countries block certain games due to local laws or certain kinds of content. With a VPN, you can play any game from anywhere. You can also use one to access region-specific features and other content. Get CyberGhost VPN to game around the globe!
Play Securely and Privately
It only takes one sore loser with access to your IP address to ruin your gaming session. The good news is that CyberGhost VPN shields your IP address, meaning people you encounter online won’t be able to see it. That means you’re protected against DDoS attacks and swatting.
Playing on public Wi-Fi can save mobile data, but unsecured networks can be soft targets for cybercrooks looking to get their hands on your personal data. A VPN encrypts your connection, which stops any lurking snoops from getting their hands on your info, so you can game anywhere with complete peace of mind.
Reduce Lag and Improve Gaming Performance
Nobody likes lag — especially when you’re about to land the perfect head shot. If your ISP uses badly configured or congested servers, your gaming performance – and competitive edge – may suffer. When you connect to a VPN server close to the gaming server you’re playing on, it can bypass these issues and lower your ping, so you can say goodbye to rubber-banding and eliminate your gaming enemies.
CyberGhost VPN has ultra-fast servers in 100 countries, making it easy to avoid slow ISP routes and get a low-latency connection to any gaming server you like. Our servers can easily handle the large amounts of data required to keep your gameplay smooth and responsive.
Bypass Network Blocks
The Wi-Fi at your school or office can restrict what you do online. Games like Fortnite can be viewed as a distraction, or poor use of network resources. To increase productivity and focus, these places might block games altogether.
A VPN encrypts your connection, which stops the network from being able to detect gaming activity, meaning you can bypass blocks effortlessly.
Why CyberGhost Is the #1 VPN for Gaming
Whether you need to remove an IP Ban, gain access to certain games, connect to far-off servers, or avoid cyberpunks, CyberGhost VPN has your back. Here’s why CyberGhost VPN is the #1 choice for gamers.
Super-Fast Servers
Connection speed is critical when playing Fortnite. High ping puts you at a disadvantage and can even get you kicked off the server. You need a VPN that can maintain a low ping and minimize lag for a responsive gaming experience.
CyberGhost VPN has blazing-fast servers throughout our network, including 10 Gbps servers in our busiest locations. We optimize our servers to handle data-intensive activities to ensure your connection never lets you down mid-battle.
Large Global Network
CyberGhost has VPN servers in 100 countries, allowing you to play Fortnite from anywhere in the world. You’ll always be able to find a server in your chosen region. Having such a vast server network means you won’t have to put up with overcrowded servers causing connection slowdowns.
Tough Encryption
Give your connection a Shield Potion with CyberGhost’s powerful encryption. This hides your online activity and personal information from snoopers, and prevents your internet service provider (ISP) from slowing you down based on your activity.
Not even we can see what you’re up to! Under our no-logs policy, we never monitor or record your online activity. To back that up, we use RAM-only servers that can’t store your browsing data. Our Kill Switch cuts your connection completely if your VPN connection ever drops. This way, you’ll never leak your real IP address to Epic Games’ systems.
Play on Any Device
CyberGhost VPN has apps for most Fortnite-compatible devices and runs on all major operating systems, including Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. If you’re gaming on Xbox or PlayStation, you can configure the VPN on your router. This covers every device connected to your network, including your smart TV.
You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously so your entire household could be teaming up together on different devices. If you choose to set CyberGhost up on your router, that only counts as one device.
Your Own Dedicated IP
A dedicated IP keeps you safe from blanket bans. These happen when Epic Games detects multiple accounts accessing Fortnite with the same IP address.
When they blocklist an IP address, it stops everyone connected to it from accessing the game.
CyberGhost VPN can assign you a dedicated IP address. It costs a little extra but it’s worth it! Now other gamers can’t get you banned for their bad behavior.
How to Prevent an IP Ban in Future
Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid an IP Ban. Your best defense against IP bans is to:
- Play nicely, be polite, don’t post inappropriate content, stick to the rules, and don’t cheat
- Make sure you have a fast, stable connection
- Use a good quality gaming VPN that works with Fortnite
- Enable the Kill Switch to keep your real IP from leaking if the connection ever drops
- Get a dedicated IP from your VPN provider. That way, only you can use it and you won’t get in trouble for other peoples’ bad behavior
FAQ
Yes. Fortnite is currently banned in Cuba, North Korea, Syria, and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Crimea. If you travel, it should also be noted that Fortnite’s availability will also depend on the platform you use to game. The Xbox and PlayStation networks aren’t available in every country, after all.
Well, you can get unbanned from Fortnite. Usually, the best thing to do is to wait it out. If you feel you were banned in error, you can always appeal the ban and hope it was just some sort of glitch in the system. If it was an IP ban, you can use a VPN to get around it and at least talk to your friends in the game again. A HWID ban is trickier, and may require you to replace some hardware.
On its own, no. VPNs aren’t forbidden by Fortnite, and using one to just play the game like normal while improving your connection won’t cause any real problems. However, if you attempt to use a VPN to cheat, get around regional pricing, or game the system in any other way, you could find yourself banned. Just play nice, and it will be all good.
You can get rid of a Fortnite IP ban by connecting to a VPN server. Fortnite IP bans detect your IP address but not your account information or hardware. When you connect to CyberGhost VPN, you’ll get a new IP address. We have servers all over the world which means you can get an IP address pretty much anywhere you want, whenever you want.
IP bans can be enforced for a range of reasons and it often depends on the platform’s rules. Some streaming platforms may issue IP bans if they suspect you’re using a VPN. Gaming platforms like Fortnite will usually issue IP bans if you’ve breached their code of conduct. Get CyberGhost VPN to get a new IP address and safely bypass IP bans with ease.
IP bans are typically temporary but for more serious offenses, your account might be suspended too. Platforms will usually tell you if your IP ban is temporary or permanent, if not, you can try to get in contact with them to ask. Change your IP address with a VPN to get around these kinds of bans.
The duration of IP bans will depend on the platform issuing the ban. Each platform has its own rules and policies. For example, on Fortnite, an IP ban usually lasts around 24 hours. The platform will usually let you know how long your IP ban will last. Meanwhile, you can use CyberGhost VPN to access sites and platforms securely with a new IP address.
The duration of a Fortnite IP ban depends on the severity of the offense and your history of past offenses. In general, they can last anywhere from several hours to a few weeks. If you don’t want to wait that long to get back into the game, you can get a new IP address with CyberGhost VPN.
Fortnite bans are issued when a player breaches Epic Games’ code of conduct or community guidelines. The ban length will depend on which rule was broken and the account’s history of offenses. Fortnite’s system will flag your IP address and block it from accessing the game.
Leave a comment
Daniel
Posted on 17/02/2023 at 06:29
This is outdated by 5 years. They only hardware ban now.
Ghostie
Posted on 22/02/2023 at 15:06
Hi Daniel, you’re probably right, IP bans are not as common anymore, probably because of how easy they are to override. Sadly, a VPN will likely not help with a HWID ban, but there may be other things you can do. We’ll look into it and update the post with what we find. Thanks for flagging it.
kristopher
Posted on 14/01/2023 at 13:35
i need my epic account unband please
Ghostie
Posted on 18/01/2023 at 09:53
No problem Kristopher. Download a reliable VPN like CyberGhost. Install the VPN on your device or router.
Connect to a VPN server. Choose one close to your location for the best speeds. Then you should be unbanned. Epic Games identifies you by your IP address and blocks your IP from accessing their servers if you’ve broken any of their rules. Change your IP address and you’ll be back in the game. That’s because a VPN sets up a secure connection between your device and a VPN server in another location. This changes your device’s IP address. Even if Epic banned your original IP, you can access the servers through your new IP.