How to hide your IP address (8 ways, 6 are free) – Comparitech
I’ll show you how I hide my IP address as well as several other ways to change or hide an IP address free of charge. Your IP address can be used to track your device and location over the internet, so start hiding your IP now!
@pabischoff UPDATED: March 31, 2021
An IP address is a string of numbers and decimals that identifies your device and location. If you’re connected to the internet, then you have an IP address.
Your public IP address is unique and visible to everyone on the internet, so it can be used to track you and wall you off from region-locked content.
Because I like privacy and dislike censorship, I prefer to hide my IP address from internet providers, hackers, governments, advertisers and others. In this article, I’ll explain a few free and paid methods you can use to hide your IP address, as well as a few ways to change your IP address.
What’s my IP address?
In order to hide your IP address, you first have to know what it is. This is easy; just go to Google and enter “what’s my IP address? ”
You’ll see something like this:
123. 45. 67. 89
Specifically, that’s an IPv4 address. Some of you might have IPv6 connectivity, although it hasn’t been adopted everywhere yet. If your internet provider offers IPv6 on its network, you can look up your IPv6 address as well.
It’ll look something more like this:
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
For the most part, these two addresses serve the same purpose. If you want to hide your IPv4 address, then you’ll probably want to hide your IPv6 address as well, if you have one.
You can learn more about the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 here, but I won’t get too deep into that in this article.
Your IP address probably changes once in a while due to how the internet works, but you are the only one with your current IP address on the entire internet. Similar to physical addresses, IP addresses allow computers on the internet to find each other and communicate. IP addresses are an integral part of the IP protocol, the foundation on which the internet is built. Again, I’ll sidestep the nitty gritty details on how the IP protocol works.
8 ways to hide your IP address
#1. Use a VPN to hide your IP address
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network is a software service that encrypts all of the data sent to and from the internet and routes it through a VPN server in another location. The VPN server acts as a middleman between your device and the internet, so websites and online apps only see the server’s IP address and not your own.
Most VPNs are subscription services that cost a few dollars per month for access to hundreds or even thousands of servers around the world. You just need to sign up and download the apps for your devices. After that, hiding your IP address just takes a couple of clicks. It’s really easy.
WANT TO TRY THE TOP VPN RISK FREE? NordVPN is offering a fully-featured risk-free 30-day trial if you sign up at this page. You can use the VPN rated #1 for security and privacy with no restrictions for a month. This allows you to try its obfuscated servers out for yourself before you commit.
There are no hidden terms, either—just let support staff know within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you to claim a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.
If NordVPN. isn’t quite what you’re looking for, you might want to try Surfshark or ExpressVPN. These services have plenty to offer, and come with significant discounts for long-term subscriptions.
Here’s how to hide your IP address:
First off, check your current IP address by Googling, “what’s my IP? ”
Sign up for a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
Download the VPN app onto your device. Windows and Mac users usually get their app from the provider’s website. iOS and Android users get their app from the App Store and Google Play, respectively.
Install the VPN app and run it.
Sign in using the account credentials you created in step two.
Select a server or server location. Your new IP address will be that of this server.
Click the Connect button or double-tap the server to initiate a connection.
Once the connection has been established, you will have a new IP address. To confirm, Google “what’s my IP? ” Your new IP address should be different than in step one.
Here’s a video of how to hide your IP address with a VPN
Most commercial VPN providers, including NordVPN, use shared IP addresses, meaning that all VPN users connected to the same server are hidden behind the same IP address–that of the VPN server.
A VPN that uses shared IP addresses not only hides your real IP address, it makes you indistinguishable from all the other users. Your online activity cannot be traced back to a single user, adding a significant layer of anonymity.
If you’re serious about hiding your IP address, it’s vital to get a VPN with these features:
Private DNS servers – DNS works like a phone book for the internet by translating domain names like “” into IP addresses that your device can use to communicate. By default, you probably use DNS servers operated by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Google, which can see your IP address when you request a website, even when connected to a VPN. For this reason, it’s important to use a VPN that operates its own DNS servers so you never expose your IP address to a third party.
Leak protection – VPNs are meant to protect all the internet data traveling to and from your device, but sometimes they leak. When they leak, they expose your IP address. Get yourself a VPN that has DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak prevention.
Kill switch – A kill switch or network lock cuts off your entire device from the internet if the VPN connection drops for some reason, preventing anything from being sent from your real IP address without the VPN’s protection.
No-logs policy – The VPN provider should not record or store logs of your internet activity or any connection details that could be used to identify you.
2. Use a proxy to hide your IP address
Like a VPN, a proxy acts as a middleman between your device and the internet. Websites and apps see the IP address of the proxy server and not your real IP address.
In fact, a VPN is technically a type of proxy. But when I say “proxy, ” I’m usually referring to either an SSL, SSH, or SOCKS proxy. These types of proxies typically lack the encryption and other security features offered by VPNs, but they do hide your IP address from websites. They can be configured in existing apps like your browser or, like a VPN, use a third-party app.
Proxies usually don’t usually include DNS traffic, so your website requests still go to a third-party DNS server that can see your real IP address. VPNs with leak protection don’t have this problem. Furthermore, your real IP could be exposed if the proxy connection drops for some reason.
Because proxies lack the authentication of VPNs, they are also more susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks, in which an attacker can pose as the proxy server to steal your data.
Some VPNs offer HTTPS (SSL) proxies as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These do a decent job of protecting your browser, but other apps and DNS requests can still expose your IP address.
3. Use Tor to hide your IP address for free
Tor, short for The Onion Router, is a decentralized worldwide anonymity network operated by thousands of volunteers. When you connect to Tor, your internet traffic is encrypted and routed through a random sequence of these volunteer “nodes, ” which are sort of like proxy servers. Websites can only see the IP address of the last server in the sequence, called the exit node.
Each time you visit a website, the sequence of nodes changes. This makes it practically impossible to trace activity back to the original IP address.
The easiest way to use Tor is to download and install the Tor Browser. It works just like a barebones version of any other browser like Chrome and Firefox, and it’s completely free.
There are drawbacks, however. Tor is slow and not suitable for torrenting or streaming–stick to web browsing. Furthermore, Tor is often associated with criminal activity because it can be used to access the darknet and illicit websites. Some websites block connections from known Tor nodes, and your ISP might frown upon its use.
See also: How to set up a hidden Tor service
4. Connect to a different network to change your IP address
Whenever you change networks, your IP address changes as well. So if you think the IP address you’ve been using has been compromised, blocked, or tracked, then you can change networks to get a new one.
You can connect to a public or private wifi network, or use your smartphone’s mobile data connection. Note that public wifi hotspots and open networks can be hunting grounds for hackers that can take advantage of the lack of encryption and authentication. Opt for networks that require a password, if possible.
5. Ask your ISP to change your IP address
Your ISP is the entity that decides who gets what IP address. So if you want to change your IP address for some reason, try giving them a call. You’ll need your account information on hand, as well as your current IP address.
It shouldn’t be too hard to get a different IP address, but don’t expect it to stay the same forever. Because IP addresses are constantly being recycled in order to preserve the limited number of available IP addresses, your IP address will probably change once in a while. These are called dynamic IP addresses.
You could request a static IP address that never changes, but there might be an application process and an extra fee.
6. Unplug your modem to change your IP address
This isn’t guaranteed to work, but you can often get a new IP address by unplugging your internet modem and plugging it back in again. When you lose the connection to your ISP, your old IP address will get recycled. When you re-establish a connection, you’ll be assigned a new IP address.
The longer you leave the modem unplugged, the more likely this tactic will work. Try leaving it unplugged overnight if you have to.
Your ISP must use dynamic IP addresses for this to work. Most do.
7. Use a NAT Firewall to hide your private IP address
If you use a wireless router to connect to the internet, it’s likely that you’re behind a NAT firewall. In simplest terms, a NAT firewall allows multiple devices on the same network to use the same public IP address but unique private IP addresses. Network Address Translation (NAT) forwards requests and data from the private IP addresses of individual devices to their online destination under the router’s public IP address. This conserves address space (the number of available IP addresses) and prevents unsolicited inbound communication with potentially dangerous computers on the internet.
A NAT firewall doesn’t hide your public IP address, but your private IP address. All devices connected to a NAT-enabled router will share a public IP address. The NAT firewall will prevent any online communication that isn’t in response to a request you sent from a private IP address. All other requests and data packets are discarded because they don’t have a private IP address to which they can be forwarded.
8. Renew your IP address to change your private IP address
As mentioned above, if you’re connected to an internet router by wifi or ethernet cable, then you’ve probably got a private, or local, IP address as well. It’s not as important to keep this IP address a secret while online, but there might be instances in which you need to change it.
You can do this by entering a few simple commands into your Windows Command Prompt or Mac Terminal.
How to renew your IP address on Windows:
Search for the Command Prompt and right click it to Run as administrator
Enter ipconfig /release
Enter ipconfig /renew
You should now see a new local IP address.
How to renew your IP on MacOS:
Click the Apple menu and open System Preferences
Select Network
Highlight the network that you’re connected to in the left pane
Click Advanced…
Select the TCP/IP tab
Click Renew DHCP Lease
Your Mac will now have a different private IP address.
You can never hide your IP address from your ISP
It’s not possible to hide your IP address from your ISP. It makes sense: my ISP provides me with internet service and therefore an IP address. Without an IP address, I can’t connect to the internet.
VPNs and proxies don’t literally replace your existing IP address. They just mask your IP address with one of their own so that other computers and servers on the internet can’t see yours. But your real IP address is still there, communicating through the proxy or VPN server as an intermediary.
Even though you can never hide your real IP address from your ISP, you can hide the content and destination of your internet activity with a VPN. The encryption prevents your ISP from seeing what information you send and receive, and the ISP can only see that you’re connected to a VPN server—not the websites or apps you use. Conversely, the VPN hides your real IP address from websites and apps, but they still see the contents and destination of your internet communications.
The only parties that can see all three—your real IP address, the websites you visit, and what data is transmitted between the two—are you and your VPN provider. For this reason, I only recommend VPNs that don’t store any logs of your online activity.
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.
9 Easy Ways to Hide Your IP Address in 2021 (Some Are Free)
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions about how to hide ip address without vpn
How can I hide my IP address permanently?
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
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
Is hide all IP a VPN?
Furthermore, Hide ALL IP is operated by Network & Speed Inc, which launched it’s VPN service in 2014. They’re located in Hong Kong jurisdiction and as of July 2019, they have 150+ servers spread out across 38 countries.Sep 29, 2020