IP is short for Internet Protocol. It's a string of numbers that every device that tries to connect to the internet gets. This is to identify every device on the internet, and it serves as the means through which requests are sent to the web and the address through which the responses return.  

Think of your IP address as your office address. You write it on your envelope when sending out correspondence, and you also receive letters to the address.  

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority creates and assigns IP addresses to the Regional Internet Registries. The IP addresses are then assigned to ISPs in their regions, making location tracing possible.  

Since your IP address holds so much data about you, you may ask yourself if you need it. Yes, you do since you can't access the internet without an IP address. The good news is you can have access to the internet without compromising your data by hiding your IP address and so by using any of these five ways to hide your IP address, you will maintain a good level of anonymity.

How to Check Your IP Address

Before you hide your IP address, you must check your IP address. This way, you can be sure that the technique you used worked. Even after hiding your IP address, you still need to check your IP regularly so you can detect any faults that would compromise your privacy and anonymity.

A simple google search will help you check your IP address.

Also Read : Proxy Servers Explained

Block Attacks from Hackers

When you hide your IP address by changing it, you save your device and network from attacks. This is because hackers would find it difficult to trace you and launch attacks. You will also need to change your IP and hide it for security tests such as:

• Identity vulnerability testing
• Rejecting malicious codes
• Testing for system penetration
• Denial of service attacks

Get The Best Deals

Plane tickets vary based on your location, and so hiding your IP address is one of the ways to get the best deals. By connecting to a different IP address where the ticket price is cheaper, you will get a good deal.

Anonymity

Your IP address holds a lot of data about you, and so by hiding it, you would be protecting your privacy. Examples of information that can be gotten from your IP address include your name, your business, and also your location.

This anonymity is greatly needed when you are carrying out tasks such as web scraping. If your real identity is recognized as a competitor, you may be fed false data, or blocked from the website.

Bypass IP Bans

Actions that involve bot use are highly frowned upon by websites even though they are beneficial to you. Such actions include sneaker copping, and web scraping. By hiding your real IP, and using IP rotators, you can avoid and even bypass such IP bans. This way you can maintain normal limits of bot use.

Geolocation

Since your IP address provides details about you such as your location, you can alter it to suit your task. If your target audience or target market is in a different area from you, hiding your real IP and exchanging it for another would come in handy. The new IP address would of course be connected to a server in the target country.

Network Restrictions

There may be certain internet restrictions based on your location, you can only avoid this by hiding your IP address and connecting to a different location where those restrictions don’t apply so that you can gain access to the platforms you need.

1. VPN

Using a VPN is one of the easiest ways to hide your IP address, and it’s also efficient. After registering for the VPN service, you will have different servers to connect to. Service providers like LimeVPN give you global server locations so that you can connect to any region in the world you want. The website would only see this IP address and not your real IP address.

VPNs are not only efficient but also fast. So you can benefit from rapid internet speeds when torrenting or streaming. Apart from the speed it gives when torrenting, it also secures your connection with its security protocols.

With VPNs, you can bypass geo-blocks and access video streaming platforms that are not available in your location. You can also access content that isn’t available in your location by connecting to a location where it is available.

2. Proxy

A proxy is another way to hide your IP address. It does this by intercepting your requests, processing them, and then sending the requests with its server. This way the website doesn’t see your IP address but that of the proxy server.

Proxies are used to access websites and content that may be unavailable in your location. You can do this by connecting to another location where the restrictions are not applicable.

Proxies have their cons though and they include slow connection speed and lack of security. So when using proxies, beware that your data and connection can be accessed.

3. Tor

With Tor browser, you can hide your IP address and connect to the internet anonymously. It works by directing your traffic through a series of servers before it gets to your target. These multiple layers of protection work to keep your identity private.

This reinforced protection comes with its downsides too. It comes with a slow connection as the traffic spends extra time going through multiple servers.

4. Public Wi-Fi

Connecting to a public Wi-Fi gives you a different IP address. It’s one of the easiest ways of hiding your IP address and you can connect in a public place such as a coffee shop. Since the access is shared, it’s even more difficult to trace your activities back to you.

Even though they provide you with anonymity, they give you no form of security as your connection is vulnerable to attacks. So even if you must connect to Wi-Fi, you need to do this over a VPN connection.

5. New IP from Your ISP

Your ISP is responsible for assigning IP addresses to you when you try to access the internet. They usually give one IP but you can request another one from a different location. It’s an expensive way to hide your IP address and isn’t as effective as the others.