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.
Do I Need to Hide My IP Address? | McAfee Blogs
What is an IP Address?
Think of this as your address on the internet — a location where you receive mail and other data such as webpages, images, and mesages. Your IP address is made up of a string of four groups of numbers, such as 192. 172. 33. 1, which identifies both the network you are on and the device you are using. With these two pieces of information networks and websites can both route data to you and check that you have permission to access it.
Why Would I Want to Hide My IP Address?
Since your IP address is needed to surf around the web, it can act as a fingerprint of your online activities. Webpages may choose to store this information to learn more about you and your interests for marketing purposes. Your data can also be potentially sold to third parties without your consent, or used to spy on you if someone has malicious intent. An example of this would be so-called “spyware, ” which can covertly log the sites you visit.
IP addresses are also used to restrict access to content, such as streaming services that are only available in certain locations. But hiding your IP address for this purpose is not something we advocate.
How Do I Hide My IP Address?
There are two main ways to hide your IP address: by using a virtual private network (VPN), or a proxy server. VPNs are the most common tools used by consumers to mask their IP addresses. This is a piece of software that allows you to create a secure connection to another server over the internet, so your data appears to come from the server you connect to. So, if you are in Los Angeles, for instance, the software can connect you to a server in London, hiding your actual location since your traffic appears to originate in London.
A proxy server is different in that it acts like a middleman between your device and the server you are trying to connect with. It receives a request from your device and then retrieves that information from the target server. The proxy can be either a computer or a piece of software that performs this function. It’s different from a VPN in that it doesn’t encrypt, or scramble, your information, making it less secure. That’s why we suggest that you use a VPN.
When Should I use a VPN?
There are a few scenarios when you may want to hide your IP address. The first is if you’re using public Wi-Fi, because your browsing activity might be accessible to anyone nearby. If you use a VPN, you can make a secure connection to the network and keep your activities private.
You may also choose to hide your IP address if you are concerned about your privacy on the web in general and want to make sure that there are no websites or cybercriminals tracking you.
Finally, users who want to connect with a private business or home network may also choose to use a VPN. Many businesses, for example, only allow their employees to connect to their internal network if their IP address is coming from an approved network. With a VPN, you can connect to the internal network from anywhere and you will be allowed access since it is coming from an approved IP address.
Other Ways to Protect Your Privacy
Check the privacy of all of your accounts to make sure they are on the strictest settings. On social media, make sure that only friends can see your information.
Turn off location services on websites and apps if you don’t need to use them. Unless you are using a service for mapping, or other location-critical functions, there is no reason to share your movements through the world.
Use complicated passwords and passphrases and keep them private. Password managers can help make this easier.
Install comprehensive security software on all of your devices. Try to choose a product that includes a VPN and identity theft protection.
When on a public Wi-Fi network, like in an airport or hotel, always use a VPN if you want to do banking and other sensitive activities securely.
Keep up-to-date on the latest threats, and how to avoid them.
Looking for more mobile security tips and trends? Be sure to follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
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How Do I Change My IP Address?
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Why Do I Need to Hide My IP Address?
Anyone who gets a hold of your IP address can track you. Talk about invasion of privacy!
When you hide your IP you can:
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3 More Ways to Hide Your IP
1. Connect to a Proxy Server
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between you and the content you’re requesting. Your identity will be swapped by the proxy’s IP. That’ll hide your IP address and grant you access to geo-blocked websites or prosYou’re assigned a new IP any website no matter your geographic consThe proxy server doesn’t encrypt your ISP or government can still watch proxy servers monitor and record your online activity.
2. Use CyberGhost Private Browser
If you want an ad-free experience while online, along with fast speeds and complete anonymity, you can try the CyberGhost Private Browser. This free browser goes a step above Google’s Incognito mode to provide you with complete privacy. Surf your favorite websites without leaving a digital footprint behind and watch as all the data from your session (history, cookies, ) deletes itself the moment you close the keep in mind, if you do anything outside the browser window, it won’t be hidden. If you need to open another browser window, you won’t have any protection from snoopers. And for now, thePrivate Browser only works on Windows, MacOS and iOS. It is currently not compatible with Android devices.
3. Join Public Wi-Fi Networks
Public Wi-Fi is accessible for free. When you connect your device to public Wi-Fi, like in a restaurant or coffee shop, you’re assigned a different IP address than the one you have at home. In that sense, the free public Wi-Fi hides your real IP address, replacing it with a new IP from the Wi-Fi that’s really all public Wi-Fi has to offer. Numerous simultaneous connections make public Wi-Fis unsafe and unreliable. Public Wi-Fi is rarely secured and often exposes your device to malicious attackers and data hijackers.
A VPN Is the Best Way to Mask Your IP
VPN services are designed with privacy in mind. Your VPN app receives your IP address and sends a different one to the website or app you’re trying to reach. So only the connection between the VPN server and your target query shows and you’re out of the equation. So, websites, online apps, your ISP, or even the government see the VPN servers’ IP address instead of yours.
A VPN’s encryption protocols also add a secure layer to protect your data. Instead of being protected only by the secure VPN tunnel that hides your IP, the encryption layer guarantees your online anonymity. Your data becomes illegible if there’s a leak.
CyberGhost VPN’s mission is to ensure online privacy and security for its users. Everything we do centers around these goals.
Here are some of the benefits of using CyberGhost VPN to hide your IP.
Bulletproof Encryption Technology
Benefit from the industry standard, 256-bit AES encryption technology. It’s impossible to crack. The US government uses it to encrypt top secret information. Experts say it takes 13. 8 billion years to crack. Needless to say, your data is locked away for good.
Strict No-Logs Policy
We keep our No-Logs policy at the core of all our decisions. That’s why we chose Romania as our headquarters. The country has a long track record of upholding privacy-friendly mania isn’t a member of data-sharing 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, so we don’t have any legal obligation to record or share your data. Our No-Logs policy ensures we have zero data to share, and we don’t store it in the first place. You can rest assured that no one will ever know what you’re doing online.
No More Online Tracking
CyberGhost VPN prevents ISPs, advertisers, or governments from monitoring, recording, and analyzing your surfing browsing without worrying about cybercriminals, mass surveillance, and online behavior tracking.
Hide My IP on All Devices
The only way to fully mask your internet activity is to make sure you use an encrypted connection provided to you by a VPN. And you need to do this on ALL of your devices. Your computer, smart phone, is why we have VPN apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon FireStick, Linux, and even routers. With just one click, you can hide your IP and become anonymous wait, there’s more – with one single CyberGhost VPN subscription, you can protect 7 devices simultaneously!
Change Your IP Address & Access the Websites You Love
We have an extensive network of VPN servers, offering blazing fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth.
With over 7300 servers across 91 countries, we provide you with a wide range of IPs to choose from so you can unblock any website you want.
No. But, using a VPN might be illegal in some countries. Some governments like Belarus, Iraq, and North Korea, enforce anti-privacy laws that forbid and punish your VPN use.
You’ll want to change or hide your IP address to avoid being tracked online, content restrictions, government surveillance, data exposure, and to improve your overall digital privacy.
No. An IP address only shows the device you’re using and your general geographic area. It doesn’t pinpoint your exact identity or location.
Go to: and it‘ll instantly display your IP address, geographical location, city, and country. You can also find it from your Windows:Go to Windows ‘Network & Internet’ Wi-Fi or Ethernet (depending on your internet configuration). ’re allowed access to geo-blocked websites or streaming MacOS:Click the Apple to System ‘Network’ your connection from the left Advanced/ TCP/IP and you’ll see your IP Linux:Open the Terminal the public IP command ‘curl ’ or private command ‘ifconfig’ Enter and wait for your IP to appear. For a private IP, it’ll be to the right of the inet tag.
Yes. You can use Tor, a free proxy, or a free VPN. Unfortunately, Tor can drastically slow your connection. Proxies also don’t encrypt your online data. And free VPNs aren’t your best privacy option. Most free VPN providers have fewer privacy and security features. Some even profit from selling your data to third parties. A paid VPN service is the best option.
IP masking is the same as hiding your IP. Your VPN provider replaces your real IP with a new IP from its database. You can choose the best server depending on your preferred location or one that’s dedicated for streaming. The server will then assign you a new IP.
It depends if you have a dynamic or static IP ISP usually provides a dynamic IP address for a home network. Dynamic IPs change within a few months or years. They can also change if there’s an interruption between your router and the internet, like when you have a power cut or reboot the businesses ask for a static unchanging IP address for security reasons. Individuals can also ask for a static IP but will pay a premium.
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Frequently Asked Questions about how to hide my ip address from my internet provider
How do I make my IP address private?
There are two main ways to hide your IP address: by using a virtual private network (VPN), or a proxy server. VPNs are the most common tools used by consumers to mask their IP addresses.Mar 3, 2020
Can you truly hide your IP address?
The only way to fully mask your internet activity is to make sure you use an encrypted connection provided to you by a VPN. … That is why we have VPN apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon FireStick, Linux, and even routers. With just one click, you can hide your IP and become anonymous online.
How do I hide my IP address and browse the Internet anonymously?
The Tor Browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) is a free software program that you download onto your computer that conceals your IP address every time you go online anonymously. This free process is layered with heavy-duty encryption, which means your data is layered with security and privacy protection.