How To Hide Your IP Address
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In today's hyper-connected world, your IP address is like your digital home address—except instead of getting pizza delivered, you're inviting nosy internet providers, hackers, and ad companies to crash your online party. If you'd rather keep them out, learning to hide your IP is your secret weapon.
Whether you want to slip past geo-restrictions or just feel like an internet ghost for the day, this guide will show you some fun and easy ways to make your IP disappear. Read on to learn what IP addresses are, how they work, how to hide yours and much more.
What Is an IP Address?
An internet protocol (IP) address is a specific number that represents a device or a computer network. You need an IP address to send and receive information from other devices connected to the internet. Websites and computer networks also require your IP address as a form of identification to know where you are located.
Allowing a network, website or another device to know your location through your real IP address can be useful. Imagine you're on a date and need to find movie times and availability for that new blockbuster that came out last week. Your IP address allows websites with that information to find theaters near you and give you the information you need.
IP addresses make finding information relevant to your global positioning easier, but this also opens the door to other issues. For example, cybercriminals can access your IP address and track down your location with it. They may then use your geolocation data to access other information and personal data.
How Do IP Addresses Work?
IP addresses work as an identification code assigned by your internet service provider (ISP) that allows you to use the internet. When you try to get on the internet, your device requests access to a network connection. Once your IP address is granted access, you can surf your web to your heart's content.
However, your IP address isn't always the same. When you connect to a network different from your internet service provider's, that network will assign you a temporary IP address. For example, connecting to a VPN server can change your IP address, making it seem like your internet activity is coming from a different geographic location.
Ways To Hide Your IP Address
There is more than one way to hide your IP address and protect yourself against third parties accessing your browsing activity and geolocation. Here are a few options you can use.
1. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)
When you use a VPN like NordVPN and Surfshark, your internet traffic is filtered through the VPN provider's servers, creating a fake IP address and location. VPNs also encrypt and protect any data your computer or network sends and receives, enhancing your privacy.
Although there are free VPNs out there, these often come with strict limitations on their data and servers. We recommend you consider one of the best VPN services instead.
2. Proxy Servers
Proxy servers are different from VPNs but can also protect your identity online. These servers are computers you filter your internet connection through before reaching your online destination. When you connect to any sites or networks, those sites won't be able to see your address — they'll see the proxy server's new IP address instead.
Proxy servers work well when you just want to protect your IP address from getting out. There are free (but slow) proxy connections available online. Moreover, they don't provide added layers of encryption like a VPN does, but they can still be useful.
3. Tor Browser
Using Tor (short for The Onion Router) Browser is another way to maintain anonymity online and ensure privacy. Tor works like a proxy server, but your computer's signal goes through three random servers or relays. The final relay sends your signal out into online space. Think of it like your IP address being inside an onion with multiple layers protecting and hiding it.
Tor Browser keeps your internet activity hidden from your ISP as well as the websites and networks you use. Tor is also open-source software that is free to download and use from the Tor Project's website.
4. Public Wi-Fi Networks
If previous options require too much effort, you can always go to a mall, coffee shop or airport and join their free public Wi-Fi. Using public Wi-Fi also changes your IP address, making it so websites and other networks see your listed IP address as that of the public network.
While these free Wi-Fi hotspots can come in handy, they can also be risky. Joining an unknown network can open you up to several risks, including:
- Malware distribution: Hackers can take advantage of the weaker security in public Wi-Fi networks to install sketchy software on your device, such as viruses, adware and trackers.
- Malicious hotspots: Cybercriminals can create networks that appear like legitimate public hotspots to trick people into connecting before stealing their information.
- Wi-Fi snooping and sniffing: Hackers might use software to see what you're doing online, steal your information or even take over your internet session.
- Man-in-the-middle attacks: Hackers can read information sent to or from your device when it's in between the other device you're communicating with. This is especially dangerous because public Wi-Fi networks often don't have the best or any encryption.
You may want to consider the three options we listed first. As a rule of thumb, it's best to protect any sensitive information with a VPN before using a public Wi-Fi network.
How Do I Change My IP Address?
Using a VPN, proxy server or the Tor Browser will give you a different IP address. But what if you want to do so without hiding it for some reason? There are a few ways to do this.
The first one is to reset your router. All you need to do is check your IP address through your device's network settings and unplug your router for a few minutes. When you plug it back in, you'll find that your IP address has changed slightly. Another way is to manually modify your IP address by going through your device's Settings or System Preferences menu.
Who Owns Your IP Address?
The IP address you're using to read this article right now is not yours — you don't own your IP address. Internet service providers, network operators, hardware manufacturers and others assign you an IP address so you are easily identifiable online. No one actually owns these strings of numbers. They're just ID cards that issuers assign and reassign as needed.
What Can You Do With an IP Address?
If a hacker or third party gets ahold of your IP address, they can use it against you in multiple ways. The third-party can use it to monitor, track and view your online activity. If you have a work computer, your IT department may track your IP address to make sure you're actually working from home instead of watching highlights from the semi-final game the night before.
Hackers who have access to your location and internet activity can use it to create phishing scams to get more of your personal data. In extreme cases, hackers may route illegal files through your computer that trace back to you.
Should I Hide My IP Address?
Your IP address can give away your location, internet activity, browsing history and more. Hiding your IP address is generally a good thing to do online if you are concerned about any of the following:
Concealing Your Physical Location
This one is a no-brainer. If you don't want people to be able to find out where you are, you have to erase any of the arrows pointing in your direction. Your IP address provides information about your whereabouts, so if you don't like that, hide it.
Protecting Your Online Privacy
Unwanted parties can view, track and monitor your internet activity if you don't take the necessary steps to hide your IP address. Your internet provider, websites, networks, governments and even hackers can all see what you've been up to if they want.
Taking steps to mask your IP address will let you keep your secret love of vintage line-dancing tutorials between you and your computer.
Bypassing Geo-Restrictions
Geo-restrictions limit the content you can access online because of your location. Since your IP address shows exactly where you are, streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu can restrict what's available to you due to licensing agreements and internet censorship.
If you're in Detroit and want to catch up on the newest Korean dramas, you might not be able to access them through your streaming service. The service likely only provides content tailored to the specific region of your IP address. You'll have to hide and change your IP address to stream movies from a different region.
Avoiding Targeted Advertising and Tracking
Many companies have turned toward IP targeting in an attempt to create a more efficient marketing process and provide more personalized ads.
When you don't hide your IP address, companies can see what you're searching for online and which websites you visit. They use this data to create targeted advertisements they send to your IP address, which makes them appear on your social media platforms and websites. Hiding your IP address can prevent this sort of data collection and targeted advertising.
Preventing Potential Cyber Attacks
Hiding your IP address can keep you safer from cyber attacks by masking your IP address. Once a hacker has your IP address, they can access information like your location, browsing history, and internet activity. They can use this information to trick you or your loved ones into giving up more personal information through phony emails, messages, calls or texts.
Summary of Digg's How To Hide Your IP Address
Hiding your IP address can protect your location and your information against hackers, your internet service provider and anyone else who may be trying to get your data.
If you want to hide your IP address, remember that the three reliable options are getting one of the best VPN services, relying on a proxy server or to use Tor Browser.
