Hide Ip Address Android
How to Hide Your IP Address on Android: 3 Easy Solutions
We are reader supported and may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Learn more
Unless you fully trust your ISP, you should hide your IP address on your Android phone or tablet. The best way to do this is with a VPN, though some providers are better than others. Today, we cover the top VPNs with apps optimized for Android devices, and show you how to use one to enhance your privacy online.
An IP address is a unique string of digits that represents your specific device, and it can be used to track your online activities. If you are concerned about privacy or if you want to improve your security, then hiding your IP address is an important step in improving your overall digital protection.
Looking to hide your IP address? Android users trust these VPNs the most:
NordVPN – Best Spoofing VPN – NordVPN stands above the competition with the world’s most robust server network and encryption methods. Secure your virtual IP with their intuitive Android app.
Surfshark – Modest network in terms of size, but has anonymizing measures you won’t find elsewhere. Static IPs and mult-hop available.
ExpressVPN – Blazing fast network with servers all over the world.
CyberGhost – A great generalist VPN with the biggest network. Best for less tech-savvy Android users.
It is particularly important to hide your IP address from your phone, as it holds a huge amount of information about yourself and your location as well as your online activities. Android is by far the most popular mobile operating system in the world, so knowing how to hide your IP address on this OS is an immensely valuable skill. Read on for an in-depth tutorial on how to hide your IP address on Android.
30-days money back guarantee
How To Hide Your IP Address On Android – Read the Solution
Use a VPN
The best way to hide your IP address on Android is to use a virtual private network. A VPN works by installing an app on your Android device, and this app then encrypts all of the data that your device sends over the internet before it leaves your device.
This encrypted data passes through your internet connection as usual, though no one else can access the data or read it. The data is then sent to a server located elsewhere in the location of your choosing, and at the server it is decrypted and sent on to its original destination. When the data leaves this server, it is assigned a new IP address which corresponds to the location of the server rather than your actual location.
This process means that your real IP address is masked behind the new address assigned to you by the server. If you are based in one location – such as Germany, for example – you can connect to a server in another location – such as the UK – and your German IP address will be hidden behind a UK IP address. Then, when you visit a website, you will appear to be browsing from the UK and you can access UK content like the BBC iPlayer. This also means that your real IP address will be kept safe and private.
READ ALSO: How To Fix The BBC iPlayer Proxy Error Screen
Using A VPN App On Android
The particular app that you will use to connect to your VPN server on Android depends on the VPN provider that you choose. However, the general principals of these apps are all the same. If you need getting started, check out our guide to installing a VPN onto Android. Otherwise, continue reading below.
When you open a VPN app for Android, you will not yet be connected to the VPN. First you need to find the list of servers that are available in the VPN app. Often this will be on a separate tab in the form of an alphabetical list, or there may be a map showing locations of available servers.
Decide which server that you want to connect to, based on the following factors:
Firstly, consider the country of the server. If you want to access region locked content, then you need to select a server in the region where you want to access the content from. Alternatively, if you do not need to access region locked content, then you should choose a server that is nearby to your actual location for the best possible speeds.
Secondly, look at the ping and load of the servers. The ping is an indicator of how fast the server is responding to messages sent to it, so you want a server with a low ping so that it will respond quickly and you can get a fast connection. The load indicates how many users are currently using the server, so you want a server with a low load so that you are not sharing limited resources with too many other people.
Once you have selected the server that will best meet your needs, click on the name of the server and you should see a message indicating that you are being connected to that server (it should only take a few seconds for the connection to be made). Once the connection is made, you will see an indicator on the app that the VPN is running, usually in the form of a green light or icon. You will also see a key symbol in your Android status bar to show that you are connected to a VPN.
Now your IP address is hidden, and most VPN apps will show you your new IP address if you navigate to the home screen. This means you can now browse the internet safely and privately from your Android device.
Top Three VPNs For Hiding Your Android IP
There is a massive selection of VPNs available for various devices, so to help you choose which VPN provider is right for you we have compiled a list of our top VPNs for Android, based on the following criteria:
Software support for Android and other operating systems, so that you can install your VPN and use it to protect your Windows, Mac, and iOS devices as well as your Android device.
Excellent security to keep your data safe and private, such as the use of strong 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy so that your online activities will never be recorded.
Fast connections so that using your VPN doesn’t slow down your browsing or downloading too much.
Many servers available so that you can easily find a server in the location that you need, and that doesn’t have a high load on it.
Considering these factors, here are the VPNs that we recommend for Android:
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is a top provider among the greater VPN market largely due to its massive offering of servers. To date, their network numbers 5, 500 nodes across 59 countries, which on its own is an almost ludicrously large amount. However, where NordVPN truly shines is with its array of specialty servers which are optimised for a variety of tasks, such as P2P, anti-DDoS, onion over VPN, double VPN encryption and more. Whatever you may want to do online, NordVPN will help you do it in the utmost security without compromising on performance.
Speaking of which, NordVPN offers some of the fastest connection speeds on the market. This is especially useful for those Android devices with gorgeous full-HD displays that are so often used as mobile streaming centres. And yes, NordVPN does work with Netflix and Hulu. You just have to spoof your IP address in the country where you want access, kick back, and enjoy your streams. If you have trouble connecting, NordVPN has graciously provided troubleshooting guides on their website and is directly available via their customer service.
The Android app makes it easy to select your preferred server with an attractive map interface. Backing this exceptional utility is industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption, and one of the most comprehensive no-logging policies you’ll find anywhere. The icing on the cake? NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses, so you can hide your location without getting caught in the same dragnet as the shared IPs offered by most VPNs. Your subscription will cover your other devices as well, including Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Chrome OS and even Windows Phone.
Read our full NordVPN review.
Pros
SPECIAL OFFER: 2-yr plan (68% off – link below)
Over 5, 400 servers in 61 countries
Strong encryption is used on all connections
Strict zero logs policy on both traffic and metadata
24/7 Live Chat.
Cons
Some servers can be unreliable
Apps can sometime be slow to connect.
2. Surfshark
Usually, server count is king when it comes to IP spoofing. In that regard, Surfshark falls a little short of the competition. But, it has a few aces up its sleeve that make it stand out as a truly modern solution to hiding your IP address on Android.
While there are “only” around 800 servers to choose from, every one of them has a breadth of functionality that other providers would reserve for their few specialty servers. This includes Surfshark’s Camouflage mode, which is a method of obfuscation capable of beating even Netflix’s harsh VPN ban. Moreover, there’s the CleanWeb anti-malware/tracking/adware/popup module which you can add to any connection for a safer browsing experience overall.
And with 256-AES-GCM cryptography, an independently verified logging policy, RAM-only servers, and even Bitcoin payments, Surfshark does everything they can to maximize your anonymity online.
Reliably unblocks Netflix US, UK, Japan, and more
One of the first VPNs to implement RAM-only servers
Trial in confidence with a 30-day money back guarantee
Absolutely no logging of connection data, IP addresses, bandwidth used, or traffic
Get help any time of day via email, phone, or live chat.
Speeds occasionally suffer a noticeable drop
Young VPN still has plenty of room to grow in terms of advanced functionality.
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is another recommended VPN not only for Android, but across most major platforms. This is largely due to its foolproof user interface, which places simplicity front and center while backing it up with considerable security provisions. All you’ll see on your android device when you fire the app up is a simple green “on” button, which automatically connects you to the nearest server. Of course, you can take a look under the hood and manually select one of their 3, 000+ servers located in 94 countries to dial in your VPN experience.
Underlying this streamlined user experience is unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption, and a no-nonsense logging policy which guarantees never to track your traffic online. Extra features include a built-in speed test and the option to launch the app upon starting your Android, ensuring that you’re never without VPN protection. Your subscription extends protection to your other devices as well, including Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Linux, and more.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
Works with US Netflix, iPlayer, Hulu and other services
Super fast servers (minimal speed loss)
Torrenting allowed
Strict no-logs policy for personal information
Slightly pricier than competition.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost focuses on ease of use, making it ideal for new users who do not have a lot of experience with VPNs. Towards this end, the Android app has a simple graphical interface which makes it dead simple to use. However, this simplicity doesn’t come at a cost to security, as CyberGhost boasts the incredible 256-bit AES encryption along with a strict no logging policy. What’s more, there are over 5, 900 servers available in 90 countries to choose from, giving you a truly unlimited internet.
Perhaps most importantly to Android users seeking to hide their IP addresses is the option for a dedicated IP address. This is especially useful since many VPN blocking efforts such as those deployed by Netflix target the shared IP addresses which most VPNs offer. Having your own unique, masked IP address opens up a world of possibility. Regardless of where or how you choose to connect, CyberGhost promises fast and reliable connections across its entire network.
CyberGhost’s incredible protection is available across multiple platforms in addition to your Android device, including iOS, Windows, and Mac OS.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
Works with Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Hulu
3, 600+ servers, 55+ countries
Robust encryption standards
No logs policy
24/7 Live Support.
Some streaming sites cannot be unblocked.
How Android Users Are Assigned An IP Address
Whenever your phone connects to an online network, it is automatically assigned an IP address. This is a string of numerical characters which is used to uniquely identify your device’s connection to the internet, as well as to alert websites of where you are physically located in the world.
With this information, ISPs and websites (along with other third parties) can effectively track your activity online, as well as your geographical movements. Scary stuff, right? Luckily, a large degree of anonymity can be retained by simply masking your real IP address with that of a VPN’s proxy server.
Why Android Users May Want To Hide Their IP Address
There are many reasons that Android users might want to hide their IP address, such as the following:
Protect Your Privacy
When you leave your actual IP address exposed, any site that you visit can record your IP address and keep records of your activity on that site. This means that there exists a record of all of the sites that you visit and all of your online activities, which are linked by your IP. Your ISP or the government can easily use your IP address to keep tabs on you, even when you try to use a site anonymously. Hiding your IP address makes it much harder for your online activities to be tracked.
Download in Safety
If you are going to participate in file sharing, then you absolutely need to take steps to protect yourself. This is especially important if you use torrent files, as when you download using these files, you expose your IP address while others download from you. This means that it is very easy for your downloading activities to be tracked. By hiding your IP address, you throw down a virtual smoke bomb that makes it impossible for third-parties to see what you’re downloading, or even that you’re downloading anything in the first place.
Improve Your Security
When your IP address is public, it can be used to target you for cyber attacks. For example, a DDoS attack occurs when a person wants to knock your device off the internet. This type of attack, called a distributed denial of service attack, works by co-ordinating various machines from around the world to send huge packets of data to the same IP address – in this case, your IP address – to overwhelm the server you are connected to and thus knock you offline. You can protect yourself against DDoS attacks, as well as other cyber attacks such as phishing and vishing, by hiding your IP address so that malicious actors cannot target you.
Bypass Regional Restrictions and Censorship
One way that IP addresses are used by websites is to restrict the access to content based on the location of the user. For example, sites like the BBC iPlayer can only be used to watch video within the UK. When you try to visit the iPlayer website, the site reads your IP address and works out your location. If your location is within the UK, you are allowed to watch the videos, but if your location is elsewhere then the videos will not play. This means that if you want to watch region locked content like the BBC from outside the UK on your Android device, then you will need to hide your IP address.
Conclusion
Android users may want to hide their IP address for a variety of reasons, such as improving digital security and protecting from DDoS and other attacks, getting around regional restrictions to access the internet more freely, to download files more safely, and to protect their privacy. All of this can be achieved through the use of a VPN which allows you to mask your real address behind an IP address assigned by the VPN server. We have recommended a number of VPNs which provide dedicated software for Android devices. Read about how to your IP on iphones.
Have you tried any of these VPNs for Android? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
How to Hide Your IP Address on Android Devices | SmartyDNS
Using an Android device to connect to the web is extremely convenient and satisfying. The whole Internet is literally at your fingertips anywhere you are in the world – and it’s all topped with a user-friendly interface. The only way to improve all that is to also hide your IP address while using an Android device.
Why? Well, in this article we’re going to show you exactly why you need to do that, and also how to hide your IP address on Android devices too.
What Is an IP Address?
An IP address is a number that’s assigned to an Internet-connected device. It’s main goal is to identify a specific device on the web or a local network. IP stands for Internet Protocol, which is a set of rules that govern how information is transmitted and received over the Internet.
5 Reasons You Need to Hide Your IP Address on Android Devices
1. It Helps You Bypass Geo-Blocks
Did you ever try to access a particular website or watch an online video only to be quickly greeted by a message letting you know that the content isn’t available in your country? Well, that’s a geo-block (also called a geo-restriction) in action. It’s technology used by content providers to make sure their platforms are only accessed by people from specific countries.
A good example of that is you trying to watch a Netflix US show on your Android device when you’re in Hungary. You won’t be able to do it, and you’ll just be redirected to the Hungarian Netflix library instead. And yes, that can even happen if you’re a US citizen who has a Netflix subscription but is traveling or working abroad.
And all that is possible because the platform you try to access can see your real IP address, which actually contains information that can reveal your geographical location. So, the website has a very easy time knowing whether or not it should approve or reject/redirect your connection requests.
If your IP address is hidden, though, that’s no longer a problem, and you get instant access to any content you want.
2. It Protects Your Privacy
Not many people realize this, but an IP address can tell a lot about someone. For example, your real IP address can actually tell anyone what country and city you are from. But that’s not all. Some crafty cybercriminals might even be able to use your IP address to find out what your ZIP or postal code is, and who your ISP is.
What’s more, if all that information is further paired up with other bits of data related to you (such as a username you use on an online platform, or the address range that’s identified by a subnet), a hacker might even manage to find out what your real identity is.
Sounds pretty creepy, right? Well, here’s the scariest part – if that sensitive information ends up in the hands of cybercriminals, it could easily end up being auctioned off on the dark web or used in identity theft scams.
But keep your real IP address a secret, and none of those scary possibilities are something to worry about anymore.
3. It Makes Torrenting Safer
Android devices are pretty popular for torrenting. That is easily confirmed by one look at the Google Play store, where you can find tons of torrenting apps. Also, there’s the fact that Android devices don’t normally need any jailbreaking or additional tinkering to make them able to download torrents
Well, as convenient as torrenting can be on Android devices, it’s also extremely risky if you don’t hide your IP address. Here’s why:
First of all, depending on the country you live in, your ISP could potentially share your torrenting activities with copyright agencies or the authorities. So, because your IP is visible, it’s very easy to get into legal trouble. Secondly, did you know that every member of a Swarm can actually see your real IP address? If you’re not sure what the “Swarm” is, it’s the total number of people downloading and uploading a torrent. Yes, that pretty much means that up to hundreds (if not thousands) of people can see your IP address when you download a torrent.
Hiding your IP address on Android means being able to avoid those problems, and getting to enjoy full privacy when downloading torrents.
Disclaimer
We here at SmartyDNS don’t agree with or encourage illegal copyright infringement and online piracy. However, we do understand that many online users can only get access to the things they need (Internet entertainment, work files, school manuals) through torrenting.
4. It Helps You Bypass Firewalls
Whether you’re at work, school, or the airport, there’s always a chance that the network administrator has blocked access to certain websites. Whether that’s because they’re just following company/school policy or they want to avoid having problems with copyright regulations is hard to say. What is clear is that you end up having to deal with annoying firewall restrictions.
In that situation, the IP address you’re provided with is tied to the firewall restrictions, so there’s not much you can do to circumvent them – other than finding a way to hide your IP address on your Android device, of course. If you do that, you’ll be able to watch your favorite videos or listen to your favorite music while you relax between courses or on your break.
And while we’re on the topic, we should also mention that changing your IP address on Android would also help you bypass government censorship on the Internet (like the Great Firewall of China, for instance).
5. It Keeps Your Data Safe from Advertisers
Advertisers and marketers actually use your IP address to expose you to something called “hyper-targeted advertising. ” Basically, it’s an easy way for them to bombard you with “specific” ads anywhere you are on the web.
What’s more, advertisers can also use your IP address to track your online habits and find out various things about you. Why? So that they can craft a marketing profile to expose you to personalized ads.
Also, you should know that the many websites you visit also log your IP address. Some of them might even share it with advertisers for a profit.
But if your IP address is hidden, you won’t need to worry about your online privacy being exploited by advertisers and marketers.
“How to Hide My IP Address on Android – What’s the Solution? ”
You’d think that masking your IP address would be pretty difficult, but it’s surprisingly simple to do with these two methods:
1. Use a VPN Service
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an online service you can use to easily conceal your real IP address on Android – or any device for that matter. All you need to do is download and install a VPN client, and connect to a VPN server. Once you do that, your real IP address is replaced with the IP address of the VPN server.
So, if you were to connect to a US-based VPN server, you’d have a US IP address which would allow you to access online content that’s only available in the US, for example.
On top of that, a VPN also encrypts your online traffic to give you an extra layer of security and privacy. Essentially, nobody (not even your ISP) will be able to track your online activities anymore.
2. Use a Proxy Server
Like a VPN, a proxy is also a service you can use to hide your IP address. Basically, a proxy is a server that acts a “middleman” between you and the Internet. You send connection requests to the proxy server, and it forwards them to the web on your behalf. Because of that, any website you access with a proxy will only see the IP address of the proxy server.
One thing you might really like about proxies is the fact that they keep a local cache of web pages. If you are requesting one that is already in the proxy’s local cache, the server doesn’t need to forward your requests to the web since it can just automatically retrieve the cached content, resulting in faster speeds.
However, you should know that most proxy services you find online aren’t extremely reliable because they tend to be overcrowded. As a result, you end up having to deal with slow connection speeds when the content you want isn’t locally cached. Luckily, VPN providers have started offering proxy services alongside VPN services, so you would get better speeds if you use a VPN server that also doubles as a proxy server.
Also, we recommend avoiding free proxy server services. While the “free” aspect might be appealing, those services will often have overcrowded servers and will often use HTTP encryption. Why is that bad? Because HTTP isn’t secure, and allows the owner of the proxy to monitor what you do on the Internet, and also see your real IP address.
What About Tor?
While it’s true that you can use Tor (The Onion Router) as a way to hide your IP address and anonymize your online traffic, it’s not the most reliable option. Why? Because Tor has actually had problems with hiding IP addresses in the past. In fact, Tor even leaked user IP addresses at one point. While that problem was eventually fixed, there’s no guarantee that won’t happen again.
Besides that, you should also know that, in order to secure your traffic, Tor bounces it through numerous relays (servers and computers run by volunteers). Well, the problem is that when your traffic passes through the last relay, it’s usually no longer encrypted. That means that whoever runs that relay can see your IP address (and more).
All in all, Tor isn’t a very secure way to hide your IP address on Android devices.
Looking for a reliable VPN service?
Here at SmartyDNS we offer high-speed VPN servers with military grade 256-bit AES encryption and highly secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, SoftEther and IKEv2), and we we adhere to a strict no-log policy.
Our VPN servers act as proxy servers and we also offer Smart DNS service that allows you to unblock 300+ geo-restricted websites around the world.
We offer convenient VPN apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone / iPad, Android and Fire TV / Stick, and extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers.
Special offer! Get SmartyDNS for $ 3. 7 per month!
Yes, and we’ll also get your 30-day money-back guarantee.
Сэкономьте 53% сейчас
How to Hide Your IP Address on Android Devices – The Bottom Line
Masking your IP address on Android is paramount if you want to make sure you enjoy a private, free online experience on your mobile device. Doing that keeps you safe from advertisers, lets you access geo-blocked content, helps you bypass firewalls, and also makes torrenting safe for you.
But how do you do that? Well, it’s pretty simple – just use a VPN service or a proxy server. Both choices are good, but a VPN is better than a proxy since it offers better speeds and more privacy. Ideally, you should choose a VPN provider whose servers also double as proxy servers.
How to hide your IP address (8 ways, 6 are free) – Comparitech
I’ll show you how I hide my IP address as well as several other ways to change or hide an IP address free of charge. Your IP address can be used to track your device and location over the internet, so start hiding your IP now!
@pabischoff UPDATED: March 31, 2021
An IP address is a string of numbers and decimals that identifies your device and location. If you’re connected to the internet, then you have an 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 this article, I’ll explain a few free and paid methods you can use to hide your IP address, as well as a few ways to change your IP address.
What’s my IP address?
In order to hide your IP address, you first have to know what it is. This is easy; just go to Google and enter “what’s my IP address? ”
You’ll see something like this:
123. 45. 67. 89
Specifically, that’s an IPv4 address. Some of you might have IPv6 connectivity, although it hasn’t been adopted everywhere yet. If your internet provider offers IPv6 on its network, you can look up your IPv6 address as well.
It’ll look something more like this:
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
For the most part, these two addresses serve the same purpose. If you want to hide your IPv4 address, then you’ll probably want to hide your IPv6 address as well, if you have one.
You can learn more about the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 here, but I won’t get too deep into that in this article.
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. Again, I’ll sidestep the nitty gritty details on how the IP protocol works.
8 ways to hide your IP address
#1. Use a VPN to hide your IP address
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network 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. The VPN server acts as a middleman between your device and the internet, so websites and online apps only see the server’s IP address and not your own.
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. It’s really easy.
WANT TO TRY THE TOP VPN RISK FREE? NordVPN is offering a fully-featured risk-free 30-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. Start your NordVPN trial here.
If NordVPN. isn’t quite what you’re looking for, you might want to try Surfshark or ExpressVPN. These services have plenty to offer, and come with significant discounts for long-term subscriptions.
Here’s how to hide your IP address:
First off, check your current IP address by Googling, “what’s my IP? ”
Sign up for a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
Download the VPN app onto your device. Windows and Mac users usually get their app from the provider’s website. iOS and Android users get their app from the App Store and Google Play, respectively.
Install the VPN app and run it.
Sign in using the account credentials you created in step two.
Select a server or server location. Your new IP address will be that of this server.
Click the Connect button or double-tap the server to initiate a connection.
Once the connection has been established, you will have a new IP address. To confirm, Google “what’s my IP? ” Your new IP address should be different than in step one.
Here’s a video of how to hide your IP address with a VPN
Most commercial VPN providers, including NordVPN, use shared IP addresses, meaning that all VPN users connected to the same server are hidden behind the same IP address–that of the VPN server.
A VPN that uses shared IP addresses not only hides your real IP address, it makes you indistinguishable from all the other users. Your online activity cannot be traced back to a single user, adding a significant layer of anonymity.
If you’re serious about hiding your IP address, it’s vital to get a VPN with these features:
Private DNS servers – DNS works like a phone book for the internet by translating domain names like “” into IP addresses that your device can use to communicate. By default, you probably use DNS servers operated by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Google, which can see your IP address when you request a website, even when connected to a VPN. For this reason, it’s important to use a VPN that operates its own DNS servers so you never expose your IP address to a third party.
Leak protection – VPNs are meant to protect all the internet data traveling to and from your device, but sometimes they leak. When they leak, they expose your IP address. Get yourself a VPN that has DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak prevention.
Kill switch – A kill switch or network lock cuts off your entire device from the internet if the VPN connection drops for some reason, preventing anything from being sent from your real IP address without the VPN’s protection.
No-logs policy – The VPN provider should not record or store logs of your internet activity or any connection details that could be used to identify you.
2. Use a proxy to hide your IP address
Like a VPN, a proxy acts as a middleman between your device and the internet. Websites and apps see the IP address of the proxy server and not your real IP address.
In fact, a VPN is technically a type of proxy. But when I say “proxy, ” I’m usually referring to either an SSL, SSH, or SOCKS proxy. These types of proxies typically lack the encryption and other security features offered by VPNs, but they do hide your IP address from websites. They can be configured in existing apps like your browser or, like a VPN, use a third-party app.
Proxies usually don’t usually include DNS traffic, so your website requests still go to a third-party DNS server that can see your real IP address. VPNs with leak protection don’t have this problem. Furthermore, your real IP could be exposed if the proxy connection drops for some reason.
Because proxies lack the authentication of VPNs, they are also more susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks, in which an attacker can pose as the proxy server to steal your data.
Some VPNs offer HTTPS (SSL) proxies as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These do a decent job of protecting your browser, but other apps and DNS requests can still expose your IP address.
3. Use Tor to hide your IP address for free
Tor, short for The Onion Router, is a decentralized worldwide anonymity network operated by thousands of volunteers. When you connect to Tor, your internet traffic is encrypted and routed through a random sequence of these volunteer “nodes, ” which are sort of like proxy servers. Websites can only see the IP address of the last server in the sequence, called the exit node.
Each time you visit a website, the sequence of nodes changes. This makes it practically impossible to trace activity back to the original IP address.
The easiest way to use Tor is to download and install the Tor Browser. It works just like a barebones version of any other browser like Chrome and Firefox, and it’s completely free.
There are drawbacks, however. Tor is slow and not suitable for torrenting or streaming–stick to web browsing. Furthermore, Tor is often associated with criminal activity because it can be used to access the darknet and illicit websites. Some websites block connections from known Tor nodes, and your ISP might frown upon its use.
See also: How to set up a hidden Tor service
4. Connect to a different network to change your IP address
Whenever you change networks, your IP address changes as well. So if you think the IP address you’ve been using has been compromised, blocked, or tracked, then you can change networks to get a new one.
You can connect to a public or private wifi network, or use your smartphone’s mobile data connection. Note that public wifi hotspots and open networks can be hunting grounds for hackers that can take advantage of the lack of encryption and authentication. Opt for networks that require a password, if possible.
5. Ask your ISP to change your IP address
Your ISP is the entity that decides who gets what IP address. So if you want to change your IP address for some reason, try giving them a call. You’ll need your account information on hand, as well as your current IP address.
It shouldn’t be too hard to get a different IP address, but don’t expect it to stay the same forever. Because IP addresses are constantly being recycled in order to preserve the limited number of available IP addresses, your IP address will probably change once in a while. These are called dynamic IP addresses.
You could request a static IP address that never changes, but there might be an application process and an extra fee.
6. Unplug your modem to change your IP address
This isn’t guaranteed to work, but you can often get a new IP address by unplugging your internet modem and plugging it back in again. When you lose the connection to your ISP, your old IP address will get recycled. When you re-establish a connection, you’ll be assigned a new IP address.
The longer you leave the modem unplugged, the more likely this tactic will work. Try leaving it unplugged overnight if you have to.
Your ISP must use dynamic IP addresses for this to work. Most do.
7. Use a NAT Firewall to hide your private IP address
If you use a wireless router to connect to the internet, it’s likely that you’re behind a NAT firewall. In simplest terms, a NAT firewall allows multiple devices on the same network to use the same public IP address but unique private IP addresses. Network Address Translation (NAT) forwards requests and data from the private IP addresses of individual devices to their online destination under the router’s public IP address. This conserves address space (the number of available IP addresses) and prevents unsolicited inbound communication with potentially dangerous computers on the internet.
A NAT firewall doesn’t hide your public IP address, but your private IP address. All devices connected to a NAT-enabled router will share a public IP address. The NAT firewall will prevent any online communication that isn’t in response to a request you sent from a private IP address. All other requests and data packets are discarded because they don’t have a private IP address to which they can be forwarded.
8. Renew your IP address to change your private IP address
As mentioned above, if you’re connected to an internet router by wifi or ethernet cable, then you’ve probably got a private, or local, IP address as well. It’s not as important to keep this IP address a secret while online, but there might be instances in which you need to change it.
You can do this by entering a few simple commands into your Windows Command Prompt or Mac Terminal.
How to renew your IP address on Windows:
Search for the Command Prompt and right click it to Run as administrator
Enter ipconfig /release
Enter ipconfig /renew
You should now see a new local IP address.
How to renew your IP on MacOS:
Click the Apple menu and open System Preferences
Select Network
Highlight the network that you’re connected to in the left pane
Click Advanced…
Select the TCP/IP tab
Click Renew DHCP Lease
Your Mac will now have a different private IP address.
You can never hide your IP address from your ISP
It’s not possible to hide your IP address from your ISP. It makes sense: my ISP provides me with internet service and therefore an IP address. Without an IP address, I can’t connect to the internet.
VPNs and proxies don’t literally replace your existing IP address. They just mask your IP address with one of their own so that other computers and servers on the internet can’t see yours. But your real IP address is still there, communicating through the proxy or VPN server as an intermediary.
Even though you can never hide your real IP address from your ISP, you can hide the content and destination of your internet activity with a VPN. The encryption prevents your ISP from seeing what information you send and receive, and the ISP can only see that you’re connected to a VPN server—not the websites or apps you use. Conversely, the VPN hides your real IP address from websites and apps, but they still see the contents and destination of your internet communications.
The only parties that can see all three—your real IP address, the websites you visit, and what data is transmitted between the two—are you and your VPN provider. For this reason, I only recommend VPNs that don’t store any logs of your online activity.
Frequently Asked Questions about hide ip address android
How can I hide my IP address on my Android phone for free?
“How to Hide My IP Address on Android – What’s the Solution?”Use a VPN Service. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an online service you can use to easily conceal your real IP address on Android – or any device for that matter. … Use a Proxy Server. Like a VPN, a proxy is also a service you can use to hide your IP address.Feb 7, 2019
How can I hide my IP address for free?
Use a proxy to hide your IP address. … Use Tor to hide your IP address for free. … Connect to a different network to change your IP address. … Ask your ISP to change your IP address. … Unplug your modem to change your IP address. … Use a NAT Firewall to hide your private IP address.More items…•Mar 31, 2021
How do I hide my IP address?
You can also hide your IP adress on mobile devices with a VPN service for Android or iPhone. Though it is possible to configure some software with a proxy, it is usually a nightmare to setup and one misstep could leave you unprotected. For ease-of-use and top-level security, it’s difficult to beat a VPN.Aug 26, 2021
