We’ve all heard about IP addresses and how it’s important to hide them, especially nowadays. The internet we knew a decade or two ago is long gone, especially with most of the companies slowly transitioning to full online operation. Although this comes with an excellent set of advantages, there are some disadvantages too.
Today, the internet is filled with all kinds of malware attacks, so staying secured and keeping personal information private is increasingly challenging. As the internet progresses, so do the attacks, which have become much more sophisticated and subtle than they were in the past. So, without any additional protection, maintaining online safety became next to impossible.
However, there’s no need to worry as there are several ways to stay as anonymous on the internet as possible, and we’ll mention more about how to hide IP address.
What Is an IP Address Anyway?
IP address, or Internet Protocol Address, is a unique address of your network hardware device. Just like the streets in real life, each house or apartment has its street name and number. Similarly, all IP addresses worldwide have a specific combination of numbers and characters that identify them on the internet.
These combinations of numbers aren’t random, as they’re assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISP). Before that, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers allocates all available combinations and hands them down to domains and internet providers worldwide.
Essentially, when you want to use the internet, there is a process going on behind the scenes before you’re granted permission to go online. Namely, you connect to the internet through a network provider that gives you access and allocates a unique IP address to your internet device, which you’re then using while online.
Why Hide IP Address?
With your IP address easily accessible, many people started looking for ways of staying truly anonymous on the internet. Although all internet providers claim their users are safe, it’s still unknown how true that is. So, here are a couple of reasons why you should hide IP address:
- Ads: Websites are using your private information to show relatable advertisements. They’ll use your age, location, previous searches, and various personal preferences to find the best suitable ads for each user. Although some people find this feature useful, others consider it too intrusive.
- ISP: The purpose of Internet Service Providers is to enable access to all people using the internet through their domains. However, because they’re responsible for giving out IP addresses, they also have the power of tracking them and following everything you’re doing.
- Government: Just like ISP, government agencies and companies have granted access to even the most private and sensitive information. Therefore, numerous countries secretly keep an open eye on their citizens, tracking their every move online.
- Geographical Barriers: You’ve surely come across a video or a website that isn’t allowed in your country, and you couldn’t access it. Due to several copyright acts and laws, the internet simply isn’t the same for every country.
- Sensitive Research: Some people search for information their government would rather keep a secret, especially journalists, celebrities, and lawyers. They might research some more sensitive data than regular internet users they’d like to keep private.
Ways to Hide Your IP
If you want to stay anonymous and keep all your information secured from the prying eyes, then you might consider how to hide your IP address. Luckily, there are more ways than one, so check them out to find which one suits you best:
- Proxy: Proxy servers are also among the best tools for securing your data and keeping your IP address safe. They also mask your location, so you can browse countless websites.
- ISP: If you want something quick and efficient, you can always ask your ISP to change your IP address for you. It isn’t a permanent fix since your ISP can still track your activity and is aware of the change, but you can stop if someone suspicious has been tracking your online presence.
- Public Wi-Fi: Connecting to a public network masks your online activity, and it’s another easy and fast fix for data tracking. However, it comes with its disadvantages, too, as your device is visible and accessible to everyone. That may cause potential malware attacks.
- VPN: VPN is another tool for hiding IP addresses. VPN, or Virtual Private Network, lets you access all geographically restricted websites as it hides your real IP address. Furthermore, your data is completely secured since it’s encrypted.
Conclusion
All in all, securing IP addresses and keeping all personal information secured is something most people are concerned about nowadays. With so many sophisticated attacks, unauthorized use of personal information and data, as well as constant tracking of providers and government, no one on the internet is safe.
There are numerous ways of concealing your online presence, but consider using a proxy server or VPN if you want to maximize your privacy.
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