Whenever yous become online, you need an IP address. But you don't have to stick with the aforementioned one. If you're wondering what an IP address is and how to change it, you've come to the right identify!

In this article, we take covered…

  1. What an IP accost is
  2. How to check the current IP accost
  3. How to change an IP address
    To change your public IP address
    To change your private IP accost
  4. Bonus Tip: Apply a VPN to hide your real IP accost

What is an IP address

IP accost is curt for Internet protocol address. It is a cord of number that uniquely identifies a device on the network. Only like a pizza service that requires you to fill in your physical home address for the takeout to be delivered to your door, yous'll likewise need an IP address when going online so that websites and services know where yous are and transmit information.

An IP address consists of two numbers, public IP address and private IP accost. The public IP address is assigned to your router and information technology's how devices outside your immediate cyberspace network identify your local network. For case, if yous're connected to a WiFi network, you are probably sharing the same public IP accost with everyone else connected to the same WiFi. Likewise, if yous use your ain mobile data, you may have your own public IP accost.

The private IP accost is used to identify each device that's continued to the same network. For example, your printer, your estimator, your phone, and your tablet share the same public IP address (bold they're continued to the aforementioned local network), but they take a individual IP address to themselves.

There are 2 types of IP address, IPv4 and IPv6. The IPv4 uses 32 bits in its number and has a full of 4.three billion of addresses available in its class, whereas IPv6 adopts a 128-bit form and allows up to 340 trillion trillion trillion unique addresses, which is the solution for the long term growth of the Internet, with IPv4 addresses dying out.

Here are some examples of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses:

IPv4: 

          123.45.67.89          01 . 102 . 103 . 104

IPv6:

FE80:CD00:0000:0CDE:1257:0000:211E:729C          2001 : db8: 3333 : 4444 : 5555 : 6666 : 7777 : 8888

How to check your IP address

In gild to know whether your IP address change is successful , you lot'll demand to check your device's current IP address outset.

Here is how to do it: Launch your spider web browser, type what'due south my ip and press Enter. Immediately you'll be returned with the current IP address of your device.

How to modify your IP address

Here are v different methods that would assistance you alter an IP accost. Just choose the ones you like.

To alter your public IP address:

  1. Restart your modem/router and restart your figurer
  2. Switch to a different network

To alter your local/private IP address:

  1. R enew your local IP accost
  2. Specify a static IP address manually

Bonus Tip: Use a VPN to hide your real IP address

To change your public IP address:

Method i: Restart your modem/router and restart your computer

If your calculator is continued to a network through a modem, the calculator is usually automatically assigned a dynamic IP address by your ISP. These IP address belong to your modem for a specific period of fourth dimension before your Internet access provider refreshes information technology with a new one. You can sometimes speed up the process past restarting your modem/router and your computer.

Here is how to exercise it:

  1. Unplug your modem (and your wireless router, if it's a separate device) from the power socket.

  2. Wait 60 seconds for your modem (and your wireless router) to absurd off.
  3. Plug the network devices back in again and await until the indicator lights are back to the normal state.
  4. Restart your computer.
  5. Check your IP address to see if information technology is changed.

Please annotation that this method is non guarranteed to work every time. If information technology doesn't piece of work, you might accept to absurd off your modem, router and computer for a longer period of time (sometimes overnight) for the IP to be refreshed. Or, you lot could move on to Method 2, below.

Method 2: Switch to a different network

Another easy way to obtain a different public IP accost is to connect to a dissimilar network. To do then, but tin can take your computer to a friend'south place, a cafe, a library or anywhere that provides you with Internet access.

Please exist mindful of the possible risks of connecting to a public WiFi. You never know who gear up the network, who else is connecting to it or whether your data is being compromised. If you desire to have a peace of listen and command over your network, you should use a VPN.

To change your private IP address

Method 1: Renew your private IP address

If you intend to modify your private IP address, you can run the ipconfig /renew command. This nudges your DHCP customer to negotiate a new IP address lease with the DHCP server.

Here is how to renew your private IP accost:

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and type cmd. So right-click onCommand Prompt and clickRun as administrator.
  2. When prompted for permission, clickYesto run Command Prompt.
  3. Typeipconfig /release and printingEnteron your keyboard.
  4. Type ipconfig /renew and pressEnteron your keyboard.
  5. Check your IP address to run into if it's a new one.

Method two: Specify a static IP address manually

Sometimes the auto-generated IP addresses by your router may be a hassle when y'all desire your PC to have a static, unchanging IP address. In this case, you can assign a static IP address to your device.

Here are the steps:

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo fundamental and R at the same time to invoke the Run box, then re-create & paste control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter into the box and press Enter.
  2. Choose the corresponding connection whose IP address you would like to change.
  3. Click Properties.
  4. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties.
  5. Select Use the following IP accost and enter your desired IP address. And so click into the Subnet Mask area and it should auto-fill accordingly.
  6. Click OK and then close the windows that open to configure the setting.
  7. Now cheque your IP address to run across if it'due south changed.

Bonus tip: Use a VPN to hide your real IP address

Equally you probably have learnt from the higher up, everyone needs a public IP accost in gild to go on the Net. Then every time you connect to the Internet, you lot're essentially sharing that IP address with every website you become to and app/service you apply. This means that your IP address reveals lots well-nigh you lot – your location, your identity and your browsing activity. If you want a free, private and secured Net surfing experience, we recommend that yous use a VPN.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that encrypts your Internet data and routes information technology through a server in a location of your choosing. In doing so, your online activity is scrambled, making it virtually impossible to trace what you take washed online; at the same time, websites, online services and ISPs volition recognize you as y'all were browsing from a location where the server is based instead of where you actually are.

Here are some of the perks using a VPN:

  • Hide your real IP address.
  • Avert Internet service provider tracking.
  • Bypass geographical censorships and unblock contents that are otherwise unavailable to your region.
  • Protect yourself from snooping on untrustworthy Wi-Fi hotspots.
  • Gain some anonymity online past hiding your true location.
  • Protect yourself from beingness logged while torrenting.

You lot can set a VPN connection manually, but this requires a lot of fourth dimension, patience and computer skills. And so information technology's easier to employ a VPN service, such every bit Nord VPN.

As a top-notch VPN service, NordVPN is very easy-to-use. It helps you set up a fast, stable and secure VPN connection to anywhere, all inside a couple of clicks!

If you're non sure whether NordVPN is right for yous, you tin endeavor it out for thirty days complimentary (In fact, Nord insists yous do so). During the free trial, you lot can e'er choose to opt out or stick to the service.

Here is how to utilize NordVPN:

  1. Download and install NordVPN.
  2. Run NordVPN, then cull a location yous desire to connect to.
  3. Once you've set upward a VPN connection, you lot will discover that your IP accost has been replaced past the one where the chosen server is based.

 ? If you take tried NordVPN and decided to subscribe to the service, y'all can checkoutour coupons page for up to a whopping 75% off disbelieve.

That's information technology – hopefully at present you take successfully changed your IP accost. If you lot have any questions, ideas or suggestions, experience gratuitous to drop usa a comment below. Thank you for reading!

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Enya is a author at supereasy.com who spends most of her working hours scouring the web to find the best bargains and deals for her readers. A task that combines her two great loves: writing and shopping. She'due south an introextrovert who loves being out and about, hanging out with friends and exploring new things, but also enjoys staying home and unleashing her inner nerd - reading, getting hands-on with the latest tech, and binge watching clever Television set shows and movies.

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