26 september 2023
By: samira siddiqui
An IP address, i.e., Internet Protocol address, is a unique numerical label assigned to devices connected to a computer network. It serves as an identifier for these devices, enabling them to communicate with each other on the internet. For example, an IP address might look like this: 192.168.1.1.
There are several reasons why someone might want to hide their IP address. These includes online privacy, prevent tracking, avoid bans or restrictions security, Protect Personal Information and more privacy related concerns.
To protect your privacy and security, you can hide your IP address using various methods. Let's see what these methods are.
A VPN is a highly effective way to hide your IP address. It redirects your internet traffic & conceals your IP with a different one. VPNs are commonly used to protect against data collection and for secure public Wi-Fi usage. VPNs come with options like double VPN for added security, dedicated IPs at an extra cost, and P2P servers for file sharing.
TOR, short for 'The Onion Router,' is free, open-source software enabling anonymous internet browsing by masking the user's IP through layered actions, like an onion. The Tor network bounces your internet traffic through a series of volunteer-operated servers, concealing your IP for anonymous browsing.
Proxy servers act as intermediaries between your device and the internet, obscuring your IP when accessing websites. While proxy servers are usually free, they can potentially sell your browsing data, making them less ideal for privacy.
Using public Wi-Fi can partially hide your IP address. When you connect, it assigns you a different IP address provided by the network, masking your original IP. However, this method doesn't provide the same level of privacy, and it's essential to be cautious when using public Wi-Fi, as it may have security risks.
One more way to hide your IP address is to switch to a mobile data connection instead of Wi-Fi which can temporarily change your IP address.