All devices that are connected to an internet connection have their IP address. As you can understand, there are billions of IP addresses worldwide.

IP addresses are visible to everyone on the internet. According to the IP address, other internet users can track your location, which provider you use to connect to the internet, and much more.

What is an IP address?

First of all, an IP address is a number assigned by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is attached to every device online. It serves a purpose to effectively communicate with other online resources. There are two types of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6.

Think of an IP address as a personal ID card that classifies every device connected to the internet. To some extent, it functions just like our physical addresses do, identifying where the letters, parcels, and other goods should be delivered.

Without an IP address, you wouldn’t be able to access the mighty internet. Clearly, IP address is a necessity, but what information about you does it reveal to the public?

Well, your IP address mostly reveals information related to an IP address origin and its geolocation:

• The Internet Service Provider (ISP)

  
  

• The IPs hostname

  
  

• Country, region/state, city, latitude and longitude, and area code

   

• Any recognized services running on IP address

5 ways to hide your IP address

If you want to hide your tracks online, there are many ways to do it. We will cover a few options on how to hide your IP address. Do not forget that every choice depends on your goals and why you need to hide your IP address.

1. Use a proxy

Proxy or a proxy server has its own IP address and acts as an intermediary between you and the internet. When internet users utilize a proxy, their internet request flow through the proxy server first, and only then connects to online resources. Once a proxy server collects the response from the web servers, it passes it back to the user, ensuring enhanced levels of anonymity, as a user’s real IP address is not exposed.

What’s more, proxies unlock further benefits to their users. Each residential proxy is tied to a specific location and provides access to geo-blocked content, even if the real IP address doesn’t have the power to access this particular online material. For example, PIA Proxy Manager provides 50 million high-quality residential IPs to protect your real identity from detection.

2. Use a VPN

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and this is the most common way to hide your IP address. VPN is able to access region-restricted sites, protect your browsing activity, and more. 

When you are connecting to the internet, VPN works as an intermediary by hiding your IP address and creating a secure tunnel where your data is encoded. Websites only see the VPN server’s IP address and not your own. Also, these websites can not access your real browsing data because it is encrypted.

3. Use TOR

TOR is open-source software that enables anonymous communication. Using TOR is a suitable solution to hide your IP address entirely. To put it simply, your traffic is directed through a bunch of different servers before reaching the targeted website.

You can use TOR if you are searching for a free and easily accessible way to hide your IP address. However, this solution can noticeably slow down your internet connection. You should decide if this way fits your needs. 

4. Use mobile network

If you are searching for a fast way to hide your IP address, you can use your mobile network. Your IP address is able to change every time you turn on your mobile data. This makes your traffic less traceable. 

You should know that this solution will slow connection speeds, use up your data plan, and data is not encrypted. This option will help you in certain situations, for example, when your IP is being attacked.

5. Connect to public Wi-Fi

Using your computer to connect to an open Wi-Fi network is a simple way to hide your IP address. However, there are many risks when connecting to public hotspots networks. For example, usually, there are many unchecked connections at the same time. Also, an unsecured public network creates security risks for your device.

You should think of this option in exceptional situations as hiding your IP address to hedge from hackers.