Do I Need to Hide My IP Address?
What is an IP Address?
Do you want to know what is my IP address? Well, you should know what it means first.
An interesting byproduct of contemporary computer technology, the IP address enables internet communication between two connected computers or smart devices. IP addresses enable the identification and separation of the billions of digital devices linked to the Internet. Your IP address is required by the server hosting your content to transfer the content to your computer, much like a postal address is required to get a letter in the mail from a friend.
Your IP address changes depending on where you are, so instead of using your home address when you’re in the restaurant or library, you’ll have a different IP address. Your Internet service provider (ISP) may frequently modify your IP address, but this won’t truly hide you very well. There is still a tonne of information unless you take steps to hide it.
Why Would I Want to Hide My IP Address?
The following are some strong reasons for hiding your IP address.
Get marketers off your back
Your IP address is used by marketers to monitor your activity. Because of this, you’ll frequently see advertisements for content you’ve just seen on sites that have nothing to do with one another. Internet-savvy marketers can tell what interests you the most by looking at your online footprint. From the perspective of a marketer, this is a wise business.
WiFi hotspot security
WiFi hotspot usage is notoriously challenging. WiFi in public places is undoubtedly convenient, but you must take precautions to protect your private data. By hiding your IP address, you can increase your online security.
Circumvent network restrictions
You cannot access some types of content on some networks. Particularly in schools, stringent regulations are a common practice. You can circumvent these restrictions and freely access the Internet using an alternative IP address.
Hide your location
The most obvious justification for masking your IP address may be to disguise your location. Hiding your IP address is ideal if you don’t want anyone to know where you live or where you frequently access the Internet. These four tiny numbers can enable a skilled hacker to follow your every step, which is risky for various reasons.
How Do I Hide My IP Address?
Use a VPN
The best method for hiding your IP address is unquestionably using a VPN. Once connected, your original IP address is replaced with a virtual IP address. Your actual physical location on the Internet is kept anonymous thanks to this unique method.
You have the choice to connect to any of the VPN servers that are accessible when you connect to a VPN. On your VPN client app, you are frequently presented with a list of destinations. You can access a server in that area by selecting any of these locations. Once that happens, the server will begin processing your web traffic before it reaches the Internet. With this technique, your original IP address is virtually hidden behind the IP address of the VPN server.
Use a Proxy
By using a proxy service, you can modify your IP address still another way. These services are affordable and frequently even free. Although they can alter your IP address, they also have drawbacks. These services can impair your online browsing because they are frequently incredibly slow. They have numerous leaks as well. Your precise location can be revealed to a website with just a small Web-RTC leak. Because of this, selecting a proxy service might not be the ideal choice for your requirements.
When Should I Use a VPN?
A VPN is your best buddy when accessing public WiFi networks, even those that require a password. It’s quite simple for a hacker connected to the same WiFi network to snoop on your data. Using a WPA2 password for basic security is what most coffee shops do; however, it doesn’t provide very strong protection from other network users.
By ensuring you avoid the coffee shop’s ISP and encrypting all of your communication, using a VPN will offer an extra degree of security to your data. Hackers will have to look for simpler targets.
For security purposes, a lot of employers demand the use of a VPN when employees access corporate services from a distance. When you’re not in the office, a VPN connection to the server at your place of business might grant you access to internal company networks and resources. Even when you’re not home, it may still access your home network.
Using a VPN is the ideal option to conceal your IP because they offer fast bandwidth, usability, a secure connection, private access to prohibited websites, and the flexibility to select the nation and city you appear to be.
