Internet Protocol Address (IP address) is a unique identifier (number) of a device connected to a local network or the Internet. It allows other devices connected to the network to interact with yours, that is, send messages, exchange files, and so on. Although, in fact, it’s not as simple as it seems at first glance.
What Is an External IP Address and How Is It Different from an Internal One?
The external IP address is unique to the entire Internet. There are a limited number of such addresses. If your device is assigned an external (or “white”) IP address, it can easily become a server. That is, it will be possible to connect to it via the Internet. This cannot be done if you have a regular (“internal” or “gray”) IP address that is allocated to all devices on the local network. For example, having a “gray” IP address, you can easily browse websites from home, but you will not be able to connect from outside (for example, from work) to your home computer to use a webcam, remote assistant, or other services.
Benefits of an External IP Address
Unlike an internal IP address, an external IP has many advantages. First of all, it is worth noting that some file-sharing systems (torrents) do not allow downloading information without a specific external IP address. If you do not have it, then one address is distributed to several users. In this case, downloading files often become impossible due to service limitations or high downloads. With an external IP address, these systems will work with full efficiency and allow you to freely download files at the highest possible speed.
Having an external IP address allows you to use your computer as a host for your website or a server for any services. There is also the possibility of remote access – control of your computer from anywhere using specialized programs.
Disadvantages of an External IP Address
The virtue of an external IP address is its main disadvantage. Since you can see your home computer from the outside (from work, from friends, while on a business trip, etc.), then nothing prevents other Internet users, viruses, and spyware from trying to penetrate it. Therefore, first of all, before connecting an external IP, you need to pay special attention to protecting your computer. Otherwise, there is a high probability that you will lose data on your computer or it will become a breeding ground for computer viruses.
To ensure security, it is essential to have a good anti-virus program with the latest versions of anti-virus databases. It is highly desirable to have a firewall configured on the computer. Although its setup requires some experience, as a result, you can feel much safer.
See below for other effective ways to hide IP address.
How to Hide IP Address on the Internet: Available Methods
Carefully study this section and find out how you can safely hide your IP in the global network.
Using VPN: The Easiest, Most Reliable, and Fastest Option
As it is known, you can use your Internet Protocol address to track your device. The IP address helps determine your real location. VPN can help you to find out what’s my real IP and hide it in a couple of seconds. When connected to VPN, your online activity is encrypted, and the real IP address is masked. When you hide IP, no one (not even ISPs) knows who you are. Thus, VPN is an important tool for protecting your privacy on the Internet. Such IP checker data includes your browsing history, downloaded files, internet banking data, and passwords.
VPN hides the real IP address of the user and encrypts the Internet connection, in particular:
- Search history becomes confidential. VPN hides the user’s search history from the ISP. The only thing an ISP can see is encrypted traffic that goes to the VPN server;
- You can change your online location. The IP address gives the physical location of the Internet user. However, with a VPN you can connect to a server in another country and access local content (for example, to the American Netflix, etc.);
- Online actions become anonymous. Thanks to VPN the user gets complete anonymity on the Internet. This is ideal for those who frequently download torrent files.
Connecting to a Proxy Server
You can hide the IP address by connecting to a proxy server. A proxy connection is similar to a VPN connection, but it does not provide all the security and privacy features that a VPN offers. Proxies only change the user’s address in the browser, not the entire network.
Also, not all proxies have encrypted servers or a strict privacy policy, so it’s important to use only trusted ones and only for basic browsing. They are not suitable for video viewing and downloading torrents.
Using TOR
Using TOR is a free way to hide a user’s IP address. However, this method is slow. The web page can take up to 10 seconds to load. This is because traffic is sent through different servers with multiple levels of encryption when a search term is entered in a web browser.
Pay attention that there are various risks to using this browser. Firstly, the ISP will know that you are using TOR. Secondly, in some countries around the world, the use of the browser is considered illegal and may attract the attention of law enforcement agencies.
Therefore, before using the browser, you should pay attention to all its pros and cons.
How to Hide My IP Address on iPhone: Creating an Access Point
If you are worried about the issue “How to hide my IP address in Gmail?”, pay attention that creating an access point is a quick way to get a new IP address from your mobile network. This allows masking the address assigned to the user by the home router. However, this method is suitable for temporarily IP masking.
Using the Wi-Fi Public Network
You can change your IP address by connecting to a public Wi-Fi network, such as a shopping center, coffee shop, airport, etc. This is a quick and easy way to temporarily access a website.
However, the use of this method can be quite dangerous. Hackers often monitor public Wi-Fi networks and steal the data of innocent users. Therefore, any private activity, such as online banking or checking e-mail on public networks, is risky.
VPN as The Most Effective Way to Secure Your Network
As you can see, VPNs are the most efficient way to use the Internet while maintaining confidential information. Using VPN networks, the subscriber receives a number of prerogatives:
- Firstly, this is network security. Without the user’s knowledge, the program or website can track Internet activity. They then have the opportunity to analyze the collected data and use it to try to target advertising to the user. Without a VPN, you can experience an influx of pop-up ads that can interrupt browsing. When using a VPN, this can prevent malicious users, software, and web browsers from gaining access to the connection. This ensures the security and anonymity of the information that the user transmits and receives;
- Secondly, it can help preserve personal information. Hackers can use various methods to intercept conference information that users fill out on websites. Using this information, they can try to impersonate other people by gaining access to bank accounts, credit card information;
- Thirdly, it will help prevent data regulation. Data adjustment occurs when a user has used up a certain amount of available data, and then the Internet Service Provider (ISP) decides to slow down the service. If a user has a VPN, he can avoid data restrictions, especially because even an ISP cannot see how much data a subscriber is using. This can be especially useful for employees who have to use tariff plans on private smart devices when accessing the Internet on the go.
Thus, summarizing all the benefits, it becomes obvious that the use of VPN networks securely hides the user’s IP address and significantly improves the quality of Internet use.
Why Hide an IP Address at All: 4 Main Reasons?
You can ask why hide your IP address at all. We describe 4 main reasons:
- Hiding location. If you want to hide your location from websites and third parties, this can be easily achieved by hiding your IP address;
- Freedom on the Internet. Using a different IP address in a country with severe censorship will help you enjoy complete online freedom;
- Increased comfort of using the Internet. Maintain true privacy and avoid bandwidth restrictions. If you hide your IP address, your ISP will not be able to track your online activity and reduce your connection speed;
- Online privacy. Information about your online activities, including websites you visit, will be unknown to your ISP, network administrator, or other third parties.
So, changing or hiding the IP address is advisable in some cases. Using a VPN can greatly help in achieving the desired goal.