How can i cloak my ip address

Your public IP address is unique and visible to everyone on the internet, so it can be used to track you and wall you off from region-locked content. Because I like privacy and dislike censorship, I prefer to hide my IP address from internet providers, hackers, governments, advertisers and others.

In order to hide your IP address, you first have to know what it is. If your internet provider offers IPv6 on its network, you can look up your IPv6 address as well.

For the most part, these two addresses serve the same purpose. Your IP address probably changes once in a while due to how the internet works, but you are the only one with your current IP address on the entire internet. Similar to physical addresses, IP addresses allow computers on the internet to find each other and communicate.

IP addresses are an integral part of the IP protocol, the foundation on which the internet is built. A VPN, or V irtual P rivate N etwork is a software service that encrypts all of the data sent to and from the internet and routes it through a VPN server in another location.

Most VPNs are subscription services that cost a few dollars per month for access to hundreds or even thousands of servers around the world. You just need to sign up and download the apps for your devices. After that, hiding your IP address just takes a couple of clicks. NordVPN is offering a fully-featured risk-free day trial if you sign up at this page.

You can use the VPN rated 1 for security and privacy with no restrictions for a month. This allows you to try its obfuscated servers out for yourself before you commit. There are no hidden terms, either — just let support staff know within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn't right for you to claim a full refund.

By September , with just about everything connected to the internet, four out of five RIRs had completely run out of IPv4 addresses! Just as Amazon needs your address to send you a package, servers around the world need your IP address to send you data. That means your IP address needs to be public — any website you visit must be able to access it.

But who cares if someone knows this random string of characters? All around the world there are free and paid subscription geolocation databases that match IP addresses to a specific location. Accuracy can range from country level all the way down to within a few houses. See for yourself how easy it is. If you have an internet connection there are a number of public sites that can reveal you IP address location like HMA!

Much worse, your IP address is scattered around the web like a signature. Almost every site you visit will log your IP address, along with the pages you requested and the information you sent and received.

So if you care about internet privacy and anonymity, blocking your IP address is the very first thing you should do. A proxy server works by sitting between you and your final destination on the web, passing data back and forth as needed. Very slow. The limousine, which is the proxy server, has a different IP address than your current device that is connected to the internet. The servers, search engines, and other companies see only the IP address of the proxy server, and not your own.

The main reason people use proxy servers is to hide an IP address. All your internet activity is routed through the proxy server, keeping your own IP address hidden from prying eyes. Using a proxy server also improves security since it adds an extra layer of protection against hackers. And, if you want to browse the internet anonymously, using a proxy server is one of the best ways to hide your identity. One of the biggest drawbacks of using a proxy server is that even though you are able to visit websites anonymously, the proxy server can still cache sensitive information such as the usernames and passwords you use to access an online account.

Some inexpensive proxy might be incompatible with other server networks or your ISP. Or, you may be consistently annoyed by pop-up ads. A virtual private network works in a somewhat similar fashion to a proxy server.

When you connect your devices to a VPN before going online, your device will appear to be on the same network that the VPN is operating on. Your internet traffic data will be sent to the VPN via a secure connection and routed appropriately to the sites you intend to visit, effectively making your own IP address private and hidden. These days, it is recommended that anyone wishing to improve the security of their devices and internet activity utilize a VPN. This is especially true if you often engage in internet activity while using public Wi-Fi.

Accessing private accounts when using public Wi-Fi is a huge security risk, but when using a VPN, it offers much more protection from hackers. The VPN connection is encrypted and secure. VPNs are great tools for securing your data, such as private messages, passwords and usernames, financial information, and anything else that is a normal part of your digital footprint.

Using a VPN not only hides your IP address but also encrypts all the data related to your internet browsing sessions. Some premium VPNs use advanced encryption protocols that make you nearly invisible to anyone else on the internet. Obviously, VPNs also keep your IP address secure from other entities that track the activity related to it, such as your ISP, search engines, social media platforms, or government agencies. Because your IP address is hidden and your data is encrypted, your online actions will pass undetected through servers.

If you enjoy visiting websites or watching online content that is normally unavailable to you because of geographic restrictions, a VPN can help with that too. A VPN allows you to change the country that your internet traffic appears to be coming from, enabling you to easily connect to data only available in certain countries. Subsequently, a VPN is a great tool for accessing the internet if you are in a country where many internet actions and websites are prohibited.

A VPN with very strong encryption will enable you to conduct normal online activity without fear of repercussions. These typically charge a monthly fee. Take the time to research different VPN providers so that you can familiarize yourself with the different types of features they offer. A proxy sits in front of a client or network of clients, forwarding requests while also receiving and delivering responses from servers.

Proxy servers, especially free web-based proxies, tend to be less reliable than VPNs. Some proxy servers can mask your IP address with a fake one. High anonymity or elite proxies hide both your IP address as well as your use of a proxy. Among other sensitive info, your IP can reveal your shopping and buying habits as well as your physical location.

So why hide your IP? Advertisers and marketers can track you across the internet and analyze your browsing habits with the goal of marketing to you more effectively. 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 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. Many IP addresses are linked to a real-world address, or at least to a general location.

The same goes for Tor.