How to hide an IP address in Google Chrome – Switcherry VPN
Hello, my name is Nicholas Kats. I am an employee of Switcherry VPN. In this article, you will learn what an IP address is and why, why it sometimes has to be hidden, and how to do it for users of the Google Chrome browser.
Google Chrome – the most popular browser in the world. Despite the fact that Chrome is considered one of the most secure browsers, it, like all other browsers, allows the leakage of critical information that makes it possible to identify the user. This information contains, among other things, your IP address, which immediately identifies the country and region where you live.
And not only the country – knowing the IP address of the user can learn a lot about it, almost everything, up to the home address, which is known to his Internet provider. And the Internet service provider records all the network activity of its customers in log files. According to the legislation of most countries, these log files must be stored on the servers of the Internet provider for at least six months and presented to the employees of government agencies on demand.
Thus, if you do not take any security measures and protect your personal data during your online activity, then all the most confidential information about you can fall into the hands of outsiders and can be used against you. The purpose of this article is to tell users of the Google Chrome browser how to remain anonymous while surfing the web and how to protect themselves from the leakage of personal data.
Read our review “How to hide your IP in Windows“.
Table of contents1 What is IP2 How to hide IP in Google Chrome browser2. 1 Anonymizers2. 2 Proxy extensions for the Google Chrome browser2. 3 Buy a proxy server and configure the operating system to work with it2. 4 VPN extensions for Google Chrome3 Why you should try the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome
What is IP
IP-address (Internet Protocol Address) – is a digital identifier assigned to each server, computer, or any other device connected to the Internet. There are two types of IP addresses: old IPv4 (version 4 IP addresses) and new IPv6 (version 6 IP addresses). IP addresses of the 4th version are a 32-bit binary number, which is usually represented as four decimal numbers separated by dots. A typical IPv4 address looks like this: 157. 240. 224. 35 or so: 91. 198. 174. 192. Due to the lack of IP addresses in version 4 (the total number of IPv4 addresses can not be more than 4. 3 billion), a new Internet addressing system was developed – IPv6. The IP address of version 6 is a 128-bit binary number represented by a series of hexadecimal numbers separated by a colon. Example IPv6-address: 2001:67c:2660:425:21b:21ff:feb5:b89c.
The IP addressing system allows computers and other devices to exchange information on the network. Just as any person receiving mail has a personal unique email address, any device connected to a network has its own unique IP address. And if the user does not take any measures to protect personal data, then the IP address of his computer or tablet can be identified as easily as by his postal address.
Read more about this here.
How to hide IP in Google Chrome browser
There are several proven methods of hiding IP address in Chrome
Many Internet users hide their IP address not only for security reasons. Spoofing a real IP address allows users to change their geolocation and thereby gain access to blocked sites and streaming services. Since prices in many online stores depend on the customer’s location, changing the geolocation also makes it possible to make purchases online at minimal prices.
There are several proven methods of hiding and spoofing an IP address in Chrome: installing various browser extensions designed to ensure anonymity and security of surfing on the network, as well as using anonymizers, proxy servers and VPN.
Anonymizers
Using anonymizers is the easiest way to hide your real IP address. The main function of anonymizers is to allow users to visit websites that are blocked in their countries for one reason or another. In most cases, anonymizers refer to web anonymizers – online services that allow their users to surf the web anonymously.
How anonymizers work
For the average user, the web anonymizer looks like a regular website. The main element of the web anonymizer is the address bar, in which the user enters the address of the target web page. The anonymizer uploads this page to its server and, after processing, sends it to the user on behalf of its server. That is, the web page that the user needs turns out to be «inside» the anonymizer’s web page. The anonymity and confidentiality of the user are ensured as follows:
IP-address server anonymizer substitutes the user’s IP address, so that the user can visit web resources that are blocked by their owners for viewing in their region;
IP-address of the visited web page is also substituted with the IP address of the anonymizer server, which makes it possible to overcome the censorship and blocking of the Internet provider.
Popular anonymizers
As mentioned above, using the web anonymizer is very simple – just enter the address of the site you need in the address bar, which is located in the most prominent place. The best, advanced anonymizers additionally allow you to select geolocation and configure the connection: allow or deny JavaScript, record and transfer cookies, encrypt data, etc. Popular anonymizers New IP Now, Hide My Ass, 4 Ever Proxy at the same time, they are among the best, Zend Proxy and 11 proxy – examples of the simplest web anonymizers.
New IP Now
A popular anonymizer that allows the user to change the geolocation and choose a new IP.
To visit the site you need, select the appropriate geolocation and IP from the list, enter the site address in the Connect To field, and tap Enter.
Hide My Ass
Advanced web anonymizer that allows you to select a new geolocation and set up a connection.
Select the desired geolocation from the drop-down list, enter the address of the site you plan to visit in the upper field, and tap Enter.
4 Ever Proxy
One of the most advanced web anonymizers. In addition to the server that spoofs the user’s IP address, you can also choose an intermediate web server. A secure «tunnel» connection is created between the two servers, which maximizes the security and confidentiality of the connection.
Select a new geolocation, the location of the intermediate web server, enter the address of the web page in the upper field, and click the Go button or tap Enter.
Zend Proxy
The simplest web-proxy that does not allow the user to select geolocation.
The only useful element of the page is the address bar in the center. Enter the address of the site you need in it, click on the Go button or tap Enter.
11 proxy
Very simple HTTP web anonymizer without advertising.
Is it safe to use anonymizers
Only anonymizers that use the secure HTTPS protocol can be considered relatively secure, since they encrypt traffic, protecting the user from surveillance by supervisory authorities and hacker attacks. Many old web anonymizers, for example Anonymouse, still use the insecure HTTP protocol. It is not recommended to use such anonymizers! You can also not trust the new, newly created web anonymizers, since it may well be that they were created by hackers to intercept passwords and other sensitive user data.
Anyway we strongly recommend that you do not use web anonymizers to transmit critical information, such as usernames and passwords of e-mail and social networks, bank card data, bitcoin wallets, etc. Use web anonymizers only for normal surfing on the network!
The main disadvantage of web anonymizers is the ease of blocking them. In fact, a web anonymizer by definition looks like a normal website and can therefore be blocked by an Internet service provider very easily. For example, in China, Iran, and Russia, the vast majority of popular anonymizers are blacklisted and blocked by local regulatory authorities. Therefore, for residents of these and similar countries, almost all web anonymizers are inaccessible and useless.
Features of web anonymizers
not all web anonymizers have the ability to choose geolocation. A simple anonymizer automatically redirects all user requests to the nearest unloaded server;
the ability to unblock streaming services in practice is difficult due to the fact that it is not always possible to choose a new geolocation, as was mentioned in the previous paragraph, and if such a possibility exists, the choice of available IP addresses is always very limited and, most likely, blocked. Also, due to the fact that web anonymizers significantly reduce the speed of the Internet, they can not be used to watch streaming videos;
downloading from torrent trackers is extremely difficult and unsafe, since all web anonymizers significantly reduce the data transfer speed and do not protect against tracking. Web anonymizers are created exclusively for surfing the web!
web anonymizers are available for all devices that have any modern browser installed, including Google Chrome.
Proxy extensions for the Google Chrome browser
Another way to protect your anonymity and hide your IP address for Google Chrome browser users is to install the Proxy extension. By default, the Google Chrome browser uses the system settings for using a proxy server. Proxy extensions for Chrome make it possible to use a proxy server only for this browser. That is, the system settings are not affected, other browsers running simultaneously with Google Chrome will still access the Internet directly, without using a proxy server.
How Proxy extensions work
After installing, configuring, and enabling the Proxy extension, all browser traffic will go through the intermediate proxy server specified by the user in the settings. At the same time, the «native» IP address of the user is replaced by the IP address of the proxy server. If the connection between the browser and the proxy server is encrypted (when using an HTTPS proxy), the Internet service provider will not be able to censor and block access to prohibited sites.
Popular Proxy Extensions
Proxy SwitchyOmega
Proxy SwitchyOmega – this extension allows you to manipulate dozens of proxy servers by setting the conditions for their use in the parameters. The user specifies the protocol, IP address, port number, and proxy servers. Also, in the settings, you can specify which proxy servers to use when visiting certain sites, make lists of exceptions, etc.
Falcon Proxy
Falcon Proxy – popular Proxy extension for Google Chrome browser.
Proxy Helper
Proxy Helper – the simplest proxy server manager for the Google Chrome browser.
Best Proxy Switcher
Best Proxy Switcher – this extension offers you to use free proxy servers or buy access to paid VPN servers. Unfortunately, most free proxy servers are not anonymous, do not encrypt traffic, and significantly reduce the speed of the Internet.
Is it safe to use Proxy extensions
Proxy extensions themselves are not malicious programs, but the use of proxy servers does not always guarantee security and anonymity. Proxy servers hide the user’s IP address, but they can transmit critical information about the user that can be used to identify the user. Also, the Internet service provider, using modern technology of deep packet analysis (DPI), can determine what type of content the user is viewing, what files he downloads, whether he uses a torrent, etc.
Proxy Extension Features
Proxy extensions for Google Chrome provide the user with the ability to choose geolocation (the appropriate location of proxy servers is selected);
free open proxy servers are blocked by the administration of streaming services. But even users of paid proxy servers can not always overcome the blocking of streaming services, since the entire range of available IP addresses of companies that provide proxy server rental services is usually known to the owners of video services, and is blacklisted;
to download from torrent trackers, you need to install an additional extension – the Torrent client for Google Chrome. Only paid proxy servers allow you to freely download files from torrents, but your Internet service provider, using deep packet analysis technology, can determine that you are using a torrent and block your Internet access.
Proxy extensions can be installed on any device that has the Google Chrome browser installed.
Buy a proxy server and configure the operating system to work with it
Installing the Proxy browser extension protects traffic originating only from this browser. But you can make sure that all the computer traffic goes through the selected proxy server. To do this, in the network settings of the operating system, you must specify that you want to use a proxy server and enter its parameters – IP address and port number.
How it works
Just like the Proxy extension for the browser, but it protects not just one browser, but the entire computer. From a consumer point of view, proxy servers are divided into commercial, for the use of which you have to pay and free (open) proxies.
Paid proxy servers. Now there are a huge number of companies in the world that provide proxy server rental services. In some of them, you can purchase a specific proxy server with a specified geolocation and a static IP address, while others offer to install software that allows customers to independently select the location and IP address of the proxy server and change these parameters «on the fly» for IP address rotation.
Open proxy servers. The main disadvantage of free proxies is their unstable operation and short lifetime. The «life» of free proxy servers is usually quite short. On the Internet, you can find many sites that publish regularly updated lists of «live» free proxy servers. Use open proxy servers with great caution, as they do not guarantee security. In addition, some free proxy servers are created by hackers specifically to intercept confidential information.
Is the method safe
Everything that was said above about the security of the Proxy extension for the browser also applies to proxy servers. Paid, highly anonymous HTTPS proxy servers provided for rent by reliable companies can be considered relatively secure. Using open free proxies is always associated with the risk of personal data theft.
VPN extensions for Google Chrome
VPN extensions allow you to choose geolocation, replace the user’s IP address, and securely encrypt traffic. Using VPN extensions is the best way to protect yourself from tracking and circumvent censorship and geo-blocking.
In fact, the VPN extension for Google Chrome is an ordinary VPN client that works «inside» the browser. Immediately after the VPN client starts, it creates a secure connection to the VPN server – a so-called «tunnel». All browser traffic passes through this «tunnel». The user’s IP address is substituted with the IP address of the VPN server, the data is encrypted and protected from tracking. In this case, the system settings are not affected, other browsers work on the network directly, under the user’s own IP.
Popular VPN Extensions for Google Chrome
Very important! You can install multiple VPN extensions for your Chrome browser at once, but while one extension is running, all other extensions must be disabled. Otherwise, the extensions will conflict with each other.
DotVPN
DotVPN – one of the most popular extensions for the Chrome browser. The choice of geolocation is limited to 30 countries. Only the paid version of the extension works.
– a VPN extension for the romanian company’s Chrome browser. Geolocation is limited to 20 countries. It works only after registration and payment for access.
Tunnello VPN
Tunnello VPN – this extension has a seven-day trial period, after which you must pay for access.
Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy
Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy – a popular VPN extension for the Chrome browser. In the free version, you can only connect to US VPN servers. To get the ability to choose geolocation, you need to buy premium access.
Switcherry VPN
Switcherry VPN is an extension for the Google Chrome browser of our company. It appeared in the Google Chrome store quite recently, but has already managed to gain great popularity among users due to the high connection speed and stable operation. The main thing that distinguishes our extension from the products of competitors is a large selection of countries, the full operation of the free version of the program and the low price of premium access.
Currently, a VPN is considered the safest way to change the IP address and protect personal data on the network. The VPN extension for Google Chrome will help users bypass censorship and geo-blocking, ensuring complete anonymity and privacy.
Opportunities
all full-featured VPN extensions have a choice of location;
all VPN extensions are able to unblock streaming services, but 100% success is not guaranteed;
secure download from torrent trackers is guaranteed, but the download speed may decrease slightly;
VPN extensions for Google Chrome are available for all devices and operating systems that have the Chrome browser installed.
Why you should try the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome
We have made our extension for Google Chrome as user-friendly as possible. Distinctive features of the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome:
easy to install and configure;
intuitive interface;
stable operation;
changing the current geolocation with a couple of clicks;
a large selection of geolocations – more than 70 countries are available for registered users! Our app will help you easily unblock Netflix and other streaming services, bypass censorship and geo-blocking;
the highest possible data transfer speed, which is not available to our competitors, allows you to easily download files from torrents and watch 4k video streaming;
the basic version of the extension is completely free, premium access (more professional settings) for a small fee.
Installing the SwitcherryVPN extension for Google Chrome and other products of our company will ensure your privacy, protect you from surveillance, protect you from hacker attacks, and raise your network security to the highest level.
9 Easy Ways to Hide Your IP Address in 2021 (Some Are Free) – vpnMentor
Hiding your IP address is the best way to enjoy total digital freedom and protect your identity online – and it’s also super easy.
There are lots of reasons to hide your IP address, from getting discounts on plane tickets to accessing content that’s not available in your region. It allows you to unlock different countries’ Netflix libraries and use platforms like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, which are blocked in many parts of the world.
It’s also a great way to protect your privacy and keep your personal information from falling into the hands of advertisers, hackers, and other third parties.
The best way to hide your IP address is to use a VPN. My all-time favorite is ExpressVPN, as it’s the fastest service and has over 3, 000 servers in 90 different countries, giving you 25, 000+ IP addresses to choose from. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free!
Hide Your IP With ExpressVPN Now!
What Is an IP Address?
An or IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique string of numbers and decimals used to identify every device that connects to the internet. Each device that’s connected to a computer network has its own, unique IP address. But if you have multiple devices connected through one WiFi router, their IP addresses are the same.
When you visit a website, your device sends out a request to the website’s server using the website’s IP address. The request comes back with the information you requested using your own IP address.
There are two types of IP addresses. IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) addresses consist of four two- or three-digit numbers separated by periods (123. 45. 67. 89, for example). IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) addresses are much longer and include both letters and numbers separated by colons.
IPv6 is being deployed because the number of available IPv4 addresses is running out. It also has more efficient routing and data flow than IPv4, and improved security. But most of the world still uses IPv4, and switching to IPv6 isn’t an easy process.
If you do want to change to IPv6, your ISP, router, and operating system all have to be compatible with it. Unfortunately, most internet service providers don’t support IPv6 yet.
If you want to see your own IP address right now, you can easily do so with our IP checking tool. I used it to check my IP address with and without a VPN:
Your IP address isn’t randomly assigned. A nonprofit organization called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority creates IP addresses and gives them to the world’s five regional internet registries (RIRs), which then give IP addresses to internet service providers in their region.
This means that your IP address can be used to identify your location.
Since your computer and other devices need an IP address to access information online, there’s no way to avoid using an IP address altogether. The only way to hide your real IP address is to mask it with a different one.
Hide Your IP Address With ExpressVPN
Why Hide My IP Address?
Handing out your real IP address to every website you visit can threaten your privacy and anonymity online.
This is because your IP address can easily be used to figure out your location – sometimes with a scary level of accuracy. Hiding your IP address keeps this from happening. It’s especially important if you’re going to torrent or do any other activity that falls in a legal gray area.
But even if you’re just browsing, revealing your location has consequences. Websites and third-party advertisers can use this data to target you with specific content, in order to profit from your online activity.
For example, airlines and travel companies change their prices based on the location of your IP address. You might be shocked by how much plane ticket prices can vary because of this.
Another reason to hide your IP address is to bypass the restrictions of websites, service providers, government agencies, workplaces, and even schools. One common example is Netflix, which uses your IP address to determine the content you’re able to watch.
If you don’t hide your IP address, you’ll only be able to see the Netflix library for your actual location. But if you want to get around regional restrictions and access content from all over the world, hiding your IP address will do the trick.
Get a New IP Address Now
9 Ways to Hide Your IP Address
1. Use a VPN – The Fastest, Easiest, and Safest Option
This is the best and most reliable way to hide your IP address. All you have to do is pick one of the top VPN services, download it, and then choose which country you want to connect through. The VPN will assign you a virtual IP address associated with that country, effectively hiding your real location.
One of the biggest advantages of using a VPN is fast connection speed. Unlike with other methods, you won’t have to worry about super slow browsing, streaming, or downloading.
This is particularly important if you want to stream content on Netflix or other platforms. These sites are very good at detecting when users are trying to bypass their restrictions, and won’t hesitate to block you. But the best VPNs can easily get around even the strictest geoblocks.
VPNs are also the safest way to torrent. In addition to hiding your IP address and protecting your identity, some VPN providers offer dedicated torrenting and P2P profiles.
VPNs are incredibly safe in general, as long as you choose a reputable service that uses advanced encryption and security profiles, such as ExpressVPN. This keeps your real IP address from being leaked.
The best VPNs on the market require you to pay a subscription fee, but they’re absolutely worth it. Although there are some decent free VPNs available, they are very limited and will usually give you a slow connection and only a small amount of bandwidth and data transfer. Some free VPNs can even put you at risk of data theft, malware attacks, and other security threats.
In my opinion, investing in a premium VPN like the ones listed below is essential; a few extra bucks per month is a small price to pay when it comes to protecting your privacy. My recommended VPNs offer money-back guarantees, so you can test out their service risk-free.
The Best VPNs to Hide Your IP Address
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has thousands of servers around the world and boasts incredible speeds. When we tested ExpressVPN, we found that it’s especially good at accessing platforms that don’t support VPNs, which means you can use it to watch content on Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more.
ExpressVPN also supports P2P connections on all servers, making torrenting a breeze. Its advanced security features include TrustedServer technology, DNS leak protection, and more. You can try ExpressVPN risk-free before you decide. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can ask for a refund if you’re not happy with it.
Change Your IP With ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is an incredibly stable and secure service, with over 7, 260 servers around the world. It’s super easy to set up, allowing you to connect in a matter of seconds. Our speed tests show that it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN, but its speeds are sufficient to stream in HD.
It’s also very affordable, but lower prices don’t mean less security; it has advanced encryption, zero logging, leak-proof apps, and an extra kill switch. One thing that sets CyberGhost apart is its 45-day money-back guarantee, which is much longer than most competitors’ offers.
Change Your IP With CyberGhost
2. Proxy – Slow and Not Safe for Torrenting
Proxies are commonly used to access geoblocked content. Let’s say you want to view something that’s only available in a certain country. Your computer sends a request to the website to view it, but the proxy intercepts the request and resends it using an IP address from that country. When the proxy server gains access, it sends it back to you — et voilà.
There are several downsides to proxies: they’re super slow and not very secure, as they don’t encrypt your traffic like VPNs do. They also don’t work well for torrenting, since they won’t hide all your activity from your ISP. And many popular sites, like Hulu, can easily tell when you’re using a proxy and block your access.
3. Tor – Mask Your IP for Free (Not for Streaming or Torrenting)
If you want to stay completely anonymous online without paying a cent, Tor is a solid solution. It consists of a large network of volunteer-operated servers around the world. When you use Tor, your traffic is routed through several of these servers and encrypted various times, making it nearly impossible for anyone to trace it back to your IP address.
However, all of that encryption and decryption makes Tor incredibly slow, so it’s not useful for streaming or downloading – and its developers advise against using it to torrent. If you just want to browse, you can use Tor Browser or download the Firefox extension. However, for the highest possible level of privacy, I recommend using Tor in combination with a VPN.
Hide Your IP With ExpressVPN
4. Public WiFi – A Risky Last Resort
Your IP address is assigned to you by your internet service provider, so if you connect to the internet through a different network, you’ll be assigned a new one. If you need to quickly and temporarily change your IP address, you can go to a café or other spot with public WiFi. Since it’s a shared connection, your activity can’t be traced back to you.
That said, public WiFi makes you vulnerable to hackers, malware, and all kinds of other security threats. I always suggest using a VPN when connected to public WiFi anyway. Plus, public WiFi won’t help you bypass geoblocks – so it’s more of a quick fix than a long-term solution.
5. Use Your Mobile Network – A Temporary Solution
If you don’t have easy access to a public WiFi connection – or prefer not to subject yourself to all of the risks it involves – you can also temporarily change your IP address by using data on your mobile device instead of WiFi.
The main downside of this method is that it can get expensive, especially if you want to stream or download a lot of content. Again, it’s far from a permanent solution, and I only recommend it if you think your regular IP address has been compromised. If that’s the case, using your mobile network is an easy way to immediately get a new IP address.
6. Unplug Your Modem – Reset Your IP Address
This may sound silly, but sometimes unplugging your modem for a while can actually change your IP address. When you disconnect from your ISP, the link with your current IP address is deleted – but only if your ISP uses dynamic IP addresses (which is likely).
Leave the modem unplugged for as long as you can stand, as this increases the chance that your IP address will be changed. When you plug it back in, you should receive a brand new one. However, this isn’t the most reliable method, so it shouldn’t be your first choice.
7. Renew Your IP address – Follow These Steps
I mentioned above that your main IP address is publicly visible, but if you’re using WiFi or an ethernet cable, you also have a private IP address. This method only works for replacing the private one, not the public one.
If you want to get a new private IP address, all you have to do is enter some commands on your computer.
On MacOS:
From the Apple menu, open System Preferences.
Open Network settings.
Click on the network you’re using.
Click “Advanced…”.
Choose the TCP/IP tab.
Click “Renew DHCP Lease. ”
On Windows:
Search for Command Prompt.
Right click on it, then select “Run as administrator. ”
Type in ipconfig /release.
Type in ipconfig /renew.
After following these steps, your device should have a new private IP address.
8. Use a NAT Firewall – Hide Your Private IP Address
Like the previous method, this option only applies to your private IP address. A NAT (Network Address Translation) firewall lets different devices keep their private IP addresses hidden by using the same public IP address. In other words, multiple devices that are connected to the same router can share a public IP address.
The main benefit of NAT is that it protects you from receiving unrequested communications from unknown internet users, which may be malicious. But it doesn’t hide your device’s public IP address, which is what matters most when it comes to online privacy. As I said before, the best way to do that is with a VPN.
9. Get Your ISP to Change It for You – Ask Nicely
Since your internet service provider assigns your IP address, you can simply ask them to change it. You’ll need to contact them directly and provide your account information. This is a fairly straightforward way to change your IP address, but it won’t solve any problems related to geoblocks or security, like a VPN would.
Don’t forget that if your ISP uses dynamic IP addresses, it will change again at some point in the future. If you want it to stay the same, you can ask for a static IP address – but this usually costs extra and requires additional effort.
How to Check Your IP Address
Once you’ve used a VPN or another method to hide your IP address, it’s important to check that it’s working. You should do this right after hiding it, and then periodically for as long as you need it to stay hidden. This will help you detect any errors that could compromise your privacy.
Our IP checking tool is the simplest way to ensure that your IP address is completely hidden. It will automatically display your IP address and the geolocation associated with it.
If your IP address has been hidden correctly, our tool will display the IP address and location of the VPN or proxy server you’re connected to. If not, it will display your own IP address and physical location – letting you know that something has gone wrong.
FAQ
What else can a VPN do?
In addition to hiding your IP address, the best VPNs allow you to access geoblocked content from all over the world. It can also get you past online restrictions put in place by service providers, government agencies, or other entities. Finally, it’s the best way to hide your identity and internet activity if you want to maximize your privacy and keep your data safe.
To learn more about what a VPN can do, read our beginner’s guide to VPNs.
How can I see my IP address?
The easiest way to see your IP address is by using our IP checking tool. All you have to do is click the link in the previous sentence, and you’ll see your IP address, browser, country, and city at the top of the page.
Can my IP address reveal my identity?
Technically, your IP address alone cannot reveal your identity. However, when combined with other easily accessible information like usernames, browsing activity, and the physical location associated with it, people can use your IP address to figure out who you are. This is why if you value your privacy, you should use a trustworthy VPN, like ExpressVPN, to hide your IP address.
Why would I need to hide my IP address?
There are lots of reasons why you might need to hide your IP address, but the most common ones are to bypass geoblocks to access online content (such as streaming sites like Netflix) and to protect your privacy online. Beyond that, if you’re traveling to a country with strict internet censorship (like China), a VPN is vital in order to stay connected and safe.
How can I hide my IP address for free?
There are a few ways to avoid paying to hide your IP address. You could use the Tor network, which is totally free – but also infamous for slow connection speeds. Or you could use a free VPN, but I don’t recommend this for security reasons.
Instead, I suggest downloading a premium VPN like ExpressVPN. If you’re not happy with it, you have 30 days to ask for your money back.
What is IP masking?
IP masking is just another term for hiding your IP address. Essentially, it means that you’re covering up your actual IP address with a different one from another server somewhere else in the world. This is the only way to use the internet without revealing your IP address.
The best way to mask your IP address is with a VPN, which makes it impossible for anyone to identify your location or identity based on your online activity.
Can I use a free VPN to hide my IP address?
Yes, there are some free VPNs that will allow you to hide your IP address. However, I don’t recommend using these services, as their lack of advanced security can make you incredibly vulnerable online.
If you really don’t want to pay, use a premium VPN’s money-back guarantee to try the service for a month, then cancel for a full refund. CyberGhost’s 45-day guarantee period is one of the longest on the market.
Is it illegal to hide my IP address?
No, it’s not illegal to hide your IP address – or to use a VPN to do so. Even in countries like China, where VPNs are strictly regulated, it’s not technically against the law to use one. Although some people may think that hiding your IP address is a sign that you’re doing something shady online, there are plenty of legitimate and totally legal reasons for it.
Is an IP address permanent?
Most IP addresses are dynamic, which means they’re not permanent. Some IP addresses are static, meaning they never change, but it takes extra effort and money to request a static IP address.
It’s important to remember that even if you have a static IP address, it does not move with you; if you switch to a different internet connection, you’ll have a different IP address.
Is there a way to hide my IP address from my ISP?
No, there is no way to hide your IP address from your internet service provider. Even when you use a VPN, your IP address is still being used to communicate with the VPN server. However, a VPN keeps your ISP from seeing what you’re doing online, while hiding your IP address from the apps and websites you’re using – so no one can see the whole picture.
What’s the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
IPv4 and IPv6 are two different types of IP addresses. IPv4 addresses are more common and less complex, consisting of a string of numbers and periods. IPv6 addresses are much longer, and include both letters and numbers separated by colons. IPv6 is currently being deployed to provide more IP addresses and to resolve some issues associated with IPv4.
Bottom Line
While there are a few ways to mask your IP address, it’s hard to beat the safety and reliability of a VPN. High-quality VPN services like ExpressVPN are an easy way to hide your IP address, and they also protect your privacy and anonymity with strong security protocols.
VPNs also give you the fastest connection speeds, help you access and stream content from anywhere, support torrenting, and encrypt your data for maximum security.
If you want to learn more, read our guides about proxies vs. VPNs and Tor vs VPNs.
To summarize, the best VPNs to hide your IP address are…
Privacy Alert!
Your data is exposed to the websites you visit!
The information above can be used to track you, target you for ads, and monitor what you do online.
VPNs can help you hide this information from websites so that you are protected at all times. We recommend ExpressVPN — the #1 VPN out of over 350 providers we’ve tested. It has military-grade encryption and privacy features that will ensure your digital security, plus — it’s currently offering 49% off.
Visit ExpressVPN
How do I Hide My IP Address? – Avast
What is an IP address, anyway?
An IP address is a series of numbers that identifies your device or network on the internet. Activity on the internet is a series of two-way communications between clients — software, such as a web browser, that requests data — and servers, which reply to clients with responses. Every client has an IP address that tells servers who is making the request.
So, it’s easy to understand what an IP address is and also why they’re important. IP addresses let search engines like Google know where to send the results of a search, help websites know who’s visiting their site, and make sure you receive the emails that are addressed to you.
In other words, IP addresses undergird how the internet works in general. Thankfully, it’s very easy to find your IP address if you need this information.
Three ways to hide your IP
Now, let’s take a look at three tools you can use to hide your IP address. Each offers its own blend of privacy, security, and practicality.
1. Use a VPN
A VPN is an intermediary server that encrypts your connection to the internet — and it also hides your IP address. A VPN encrypts all your traffic, not only in your browser but also in other apps, and then passes traffic onward to its destination. They’re a popular privacy solution, and as such, there’s a strong incentive for VPN providers to design tools that are as easy to use as they are secure.
Here’s how to hide your IP address with a VPN: Simply download a VPN such as Avast SecureLine VPN, log in, and turn it on to protect both your IP address and your internet traffic.
How does a VPN hide your IP address?
When you’re using a VPN, your IP address is hidden because your traffic takes a detour through the VPN server. When your traffic — sites visited, online apps used, uploads, downloads, etc. — reaches its destination, it does so under a “virtual” IP address assigned by the VPN.
There’s only one party who’ll be able to see your actual IP address: your VPN provider. That’s why you should choose a trusted VPN provider that isn’t going to keep logs on your activity.
Avast SecureLine VPN is a safe, secure, and convenient way to mask your IP address. It’ll hide your online activity from your internet service provider (ISP), employer, school, and anyone else on your network, including a snooping cybercriminal. And we never keep any logs on sites you visit, apps you use, or content you view.
2. Use Tor
Comprising thousands of volunteer-run server nodes, Tor is a free network that conceals your identity online via multiple layers of encryption. When you access Tor, typically by using the free Tor Browser, your traffic is relayed and encrypted through a series of three relay nodes, each of which decrypts one layer of encryption to learn the identity of the next node. When your traffic leaves the final node, it’s fully decrypted and sent to its destination.
The relay system hides your IP address, but not without cost: because Tor’s encryption system is so thorough, it takes a long time for your traffic to complete its journey. You’ll be sacrificing browsing speed for Tor’s anonymity. This is a worthwhile tradeoff when it really counts, such as for whistleblowers and political dissidents. But if you’re simply seeking to hide your IP address, when comparing Tor and a VPN, you’ll find a VPN to be a far more convenient and faster solution.
How does Tor hide your IP address?
When you use Tor, each relay node along your traffic’s pathway through the Tor network knows only the IP address of the node immediately before and after it. Even if an attacker manages to intercept your traffic while it travels from the final node to your destination server, it’d be very difficult at that point to parse your original IP address.
3. Use a proxy
A proxy server handles your internet traffic on your behalf. A proxy sits in front of a client or network of clients, forwarding requests while also receiving and delivering responses from servers. You may need to manually adjust your device’s proxy settings if you want to use a proxy.
Unlike a VPN, most proxies won’t encrypt your traffic, and they also won’t hide your IP address from anyone who can intercept your traffic on its way from your device to the proxy. Proxy servers, especially free web-based proxies, tend to be less reliable than VPNs. That’s why proxies are best used as a quick, temporary solution as opposed to a long-term privacy plan.
How does a proxy hide your IP address?
Some proxy servers can mask your IP address with a fake one. You’ll appear as though you’re based in the same country as your proxy server. If you’re using a proxy to hide your IP, be aware that not all proxies offer equal protection.
Transparent proxies conceal neither your IP address nor your use of a proxy.
Anonymous proxies hide your IP address but not your use of a proxy.
High anonymity (or elite) proxies hide both your IP address as well as your use of a proxy.
Some sites or content platforms may block traffic from known proxies, so you’ll have to be careful if you’re trying to use a proxy to access media.
Why should I hide my IP address?
Your IP address identifies you online, and in today’s data-driven world, your online activity is very valuable. It’s important to hide your IP address so that you can regain control over your privacy while you’re online. Among other sensitive info, your IP can reveal your shopping and buying habits as well as your physical location. So why hide your IP? You’ve got plenty to gain, and not much to lose.
Hide your IP to browse anonymously
Advertisers and marketers can track you across the internet and analyze your browsing habits with the goal of marketing to you more effectively. Unfortunately, even hiding your IP address won’t stop them, because tracking cookies also deliver this information — which is why you should regularly take the time to delete cookies from your browser.
To take private internet browsing to the next level, consider a dedicated private browser like Avast Secure Browser. It includes a range of advanced anti-tracking features to let you use the internet without leaving any clues behind that companies and individuals can use to follow your activity.
Hide your IP to shield your location
Hide your IP address behind another IP in a different part of the world and no one will know where you really are. This includes websites and services that host geo-restricted content. For example, if you’re traveling abroad and want to access movies or TV shows that are available only for your home country, you can use a VPN or proxy to unblock that website with a false IP address in the correct location.
Many IP addresses are linked to a real-world address, or at least to a general location. If you’re frequently using false IP addresses to change your online location, no one will be able to figure out where you actually are.
Can my IP address ever truly be hidden?
While it’s not possible to hide your IP address from everyone, you can achieve an effective level of privacy sufficient for everyday needs. With a VPN, the only entity that can link your online activity to your IP address is your VPN provider itself. This is why it’s so important to choose a VPN provider with a reliable reputation for security, and one that doesn’t keep logs of user activity.
Your ISP can see the type, timing, and amount of traffic you’re sending to the VPN server, but they won’t know the specifics. The same goes for Tor. Many proxies don’t encrypt your traffic, and so your ISP will be able to access your activity if it wants to while you’re using a proxy. And, as mentioned earlier, all the websites and services you use while connected to a VPN will see only the VPN’s IP address, not yours.
The primary purpose for hiding your IP address is to protect your online activity and location from third-party observers: websites, advertisers who use ad tracking techniques, and cybercriminals. When your safety and privacy is at risk, it’s important to be proactive.
What is IP masking?
IP masking is the technique of concealing your IP address by adopting a false one. This is how hiding your IP address works — they’re two ways to refer to the same thing. If you’re interested in learning how to mask your IP address, you can apply the same techniques described in this article. After all, the only way to hide your IP address and still use the internet is to mask it behind another one.
Your traffic is always going to need an IP address online, since that’s how websites and services know who’s making the requests and where to send the replies. Clients use IP addresses to reach servers, and servers use IP addresses to send requested data back to the correct client.
That request-and-response system is part of the TCP/IP model, which governs how devices on the internet communicate with one each another. IP addresses are classified in a variety of ways: IPv4 vs. IPv6, public vs. local, and static vs. dynamic IP addresses. Read more about IP addresses here.
Hide your IP the easy way with a VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN lets you hide your IP address by choosing from any one of our blazing-fast servers located in dozens of countries all over the world. With your online activity securely encrypted and our no-logging policy, you’ll be able to easily access blocked content, disrupt tracking techniques, and browse the internet freely, with complete confidence in your online privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions about chrome ip hider
How do I hide my IP address on Google Chrome?
Another way to protect your anonymity and hide your IP address for Google Chrome browser users is to install the Proxy extension. By default, the Google Chrome browser uses the system settings for using a proxy server. Proxy extensions for Chrome make it possible to use a proxy server only for this browser.May 14, 2021
Is hiding IP address illegal?
Is it illegal to hide my IP address? No, it’s not illegal to hide your IP address – or to use a VPN to do so. … Although some people may think that hiding your IP address is a sign that you’re doing something shady online, there are plenty of legitimate and totally legal reasons for it.Sep 21, 2021
How do I hide my IP address from my browser?
Three ways to hide your IPUse a VPN. A VPN is an intermediary server that encrypts your connection to the internet — and it also hides your IP address. … Use Tor. Comprising thousands of volunteer-run server nodes, Tor is a free network that conceals your identity online via multiple layers of encryption. … Use a proxy.Apr 8, 2020