Selecting A Secure VPN Provider
It is also important that you choose a VPN provider that you can trust. While your ISP cannot see your internet traffic, your VPN provider can. If your VPN provider is compromised, so are you. For this reason, it is crucial that you choose a trusted VPN provider to ensure both the concealment of your internet activities and ensure the highest level of security.
Cant I Just Use A Free VPN Instead
You might be tempted to use a free VPN, but Id advise against doing so for several reasons. To begin with, these services tend to have more users than their networks can support. As a result, youre likely to experience slow speeds, stuttering video, and possibly even disconnection from the VPN. Further, free VPNs are usually the first to be blocked by content providers, so theres a strong possibility you wont be able to access the services you want.
Free VPNs dont bill the user directly, and instead, choose to make money in other ways. This often means inserting large ads into the pages you visit, or offering higher speeds in exchange for a monthly fee. The problem is that some services resort to shadier tactics. For instance, they might store tracking cookies on your device to harvest valuable consumer information which can be sold to advertisers at a later date. By acting in this way, these services remove any control you might have had over who sees your data.
Finally, finding a safe, free VPN is harder than it ought to be. An in-depth study of free VPN apps found that of 283 services, nearly 40% contained malware, over 80% leaked personal information over IPv6, and 18% never used any form of encryption whatsoever. Better-known services arent necessarily any safer: in 2015, Hola was found to be selling idle user bandwidth to help run a botnet.
Option : Automatically Update Your Ip Address On Mac Ios Windows And Android
Changing your IP address will better protect your browsing.
Here’s how to do this on Mac, iOS, Windows and Android:;
MacOS: Click your Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen, and click System Preferences then Network then Advanced. At the top of the next screen, click TCP/IP, then click the Renew DHCP Lease button on the right side of the window.;
iOS: Go to Settings, tap Network and choose the wireless network you’re currently on. Under the IPv4 address section, tap Configure IP then Automatic.
Windows 10: Press the Win+R keys at the same time. This opens the Run box dialog. Type cmd, then hit Enter on your keyboard. This opens the command prompt.;
For those who’ve never seen a Windows command prompt before: This is the part where you will either be immediately terrified something is about to get broken, or you will suddenly feel like you’re about to do something extremely cool. Do not panic; neither of those things is going to happen. The magic black box has that effect on everyone their first time.;
Type ipconfig /release into the command prompt and hit Enter. Some text will zoom by. When it stops, type ipconfig /renew and hit Enter again. Then close your command prompt. You’re done.;
Recommended Reading: How To Change Your Ip Without VPN
Advantage : Anonymity Online
Without a VPN your location and even your identity can be traced without too much hassle, thanks to your IP address. This IP address is unique to your internet connection. It is like an online postal code that tells people who you are and where you are at. It enables people to connect your online behavior to you.
A VPN hides your IP address and location. When you use a VPN, your internet traffic is rerouted through an external server and your online activities can only be traced back to the IP address of the VPN server, but no longer to your IP address and you.
By using a VPN, websites, marketeers, streaming services, governments and cybercriminals can no longer identify you with your IP address, because they only see the IP address of the VPN server youre connected to. Moreover, they wont be able to find out your real location, because to others it will look like you are where the VPN server is.
So by using a VPN your online activity will no longer be linked to your own IP address. This way you can browse the internet with more anonymity.
What Should A Good VPN Do
You should rely on your VPN to perform one or more tasks. The VPN itself should also be protected against compromise. These are the features you should expect from a comprehensive VPN solution:
- Encryption of your IP address: The primary job of a VPN is to hide your IP address from your ISP and other third parties. This allows you to send and receive information online without the risk of anyone but you and the VPN provider seeing it.
- Encryption of protocols: A VPN should also prevent you from leaving traces, for example, in the form of your internet history, search history and cookies. The encryption of cookies is especially important because it prevents third parties from gaining access to confidential information such as personal data, financial information and other content on websites.
- Kill switch: If your VPN connection is suddenly interrupted, your secure connection will also be interrupted. A good VPN can detect this sudden downtime and terminate preselected programs, reducing the likelihood that data is compromised.
- Two-factor authentication: By using a variety of authentication methods, a strong VPN checks everyone who tries to log in. For example, you might be prompted to enter a password, after which a code is sent to your mobile device. This makes it difficult for uninvited third parties to access your secure connection.
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Advantage : Protection Against Hackers And Governments
A VPN encrypts your data traffic through strong encryption protocols, which make intercepting and reading your data almost impossible. Why is this important? Well, in this day and age there are a lot of parties that want to listen in or take a look at what you are doing online.
There are many different parties that are interested in your internet traffic, among them are governments and cybercriminals. The security a VPN offers makes it a lot harder for them to look at your data. This increases your online safety.
We have to mention that a VPN isnt the ultimate solution to all things cybercrime. We always recommend combining a VPN with a good antivirus solution so you cover all your bases.
What Can A VPN Do
The VPN server allocates IP addresses to computers on the network, so once connected youll get an IP address from the location you chose. You can change IP address to any country or city location that the VPN provider makes available to you.; These locations will depend on the VPN provider and package plan you choose.
Many VPN providers are available online, charging varying rates, and offering varying levels of services. Some VPN providers have a large number of potential IP addresses that you can use, in many different countries. These allow you to change IP address using a VPN as frequently as you desire, free of charge.
Some providers target users looking to access entertainment sites like Hulu and BBC iPlayer, and some advertise to those who want high security or anonymity while browsing the internet. This is dependent on the provider, but regardless, all VPNs pretty much produce the same results.
Most VPN services allow you to change IP address regularly and automatically. Changing the IP address assigned to your computer requires no input from you. In fact, most VPN providers change the IP address assigned to your computer each time you log onto, or off the network.
Also Check: Can I Use VPN On My Smart TV
What Else Are VPNs Useful For
Plenty! Some countries censor popular websites entirely Chinas outright ban on Facebook and Twitter being one of the better known examples – that’s why our best VPN for China guide is pretty useful.
Or aside from the streaming and app accessing, there’s also the security concern – ;you may not want search engines logging your online activity. The data gleaned from such tracking helps advertisers target you with what they consider to be relevant content across multiple platforms. The list of VPN uses seems to go on and on!
How To Change Your Public Ip Address In 2021
3 minutes
A public IP address is the one that is assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider and solely belongs to your network.;To change your public IP address, you can use any of the steps mentioned below.
Public IP addresses are of two types; dynamic and static.;ISPs are usually keen on assigning users a dynamic IP address as it is often refreshed. This means that your IP address changes after some time to a different one.;However, a static IP remains the same until your device is not decommissioned.
If you want to change your public IP address for any reason,;you can use a VPN.;A VPN will let you connect to any server of any country and allow you to enjoy an encrypted connection while being secure easily.
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Advantage : Secure Browsing On Public Networks
Using a public Wi-Fi network can be very risky. Other users on the same network can easily tap into your data and personal information. Since you dont want others to have access to, for instance, your email login, images/files or credit card information it might be wise to use a VPN connection.
The VPN encrypts all of your data while you use the public Wi-Fi network. A hacker will only see encrypted matter and wont be able to see or use your personal information.
Get Your Isp To Change Your Ip Address
You can try;asking your Internet Service Provider to assign you a different IP address.;But its not guaranteed if your ISP would do that for you or not. This is because every ISP has a different policy and way to handle such user requests.
If your ISP assigns dynamic IP addresses,;then you need to know that your IP might change from time to time as dynamic IPs do not stay the same forever.;These IP addresses are recycled and when you disconnect your device from the internet or unplug your modem.
If you want to go for another IP address and want it to stay the same forever, then you can ask for a static IP address from your ISP. While your ISP might charge you for this, you will receive a new IP that you can insert into your devices network settings.
Do remember that requests like these;might require your present IP address and account information.
Read Also: How To Create Your Own VPN
What Does A Consumer VPN Service Do
A consumer VPN service is, fundamentally, a;software-as-a-service offering. The VPN service provides a secure tunnel between your computing device and the provider’s data center.
This is important to understand. Consumer VPN services protect your transmission from your location to their location, not from your location to the destination application you’re using. If you think about it, this makes sense: A consumer VPN service is operated by a completely different company than, for example, Facebook or your bank.
The VPN service gives you an app that you run on your local device, which encrypts your data, and it travels in its encrypted form through a tunnel to the VPN service provider’s infrastructure. At that point, the data is decrypted and sent on its way.
Two things happen here: First, if you’re using an https connection, your data is encrypted by your browser and then by your VPN app. Your data is decrypted only once at the VPN data centre, leaving the original encryption provided by the browser intact. That encrypted data then goes on to the destination application, like your bank.
How To Change Ip Address
Your IP address acts as an identifier for the device you use to access the web. While it makes it possible to communicate with websites, it can also endanger your privacy if you dont bother hiding it.
Doing that sounds complicated, yes, but it doesnt need to be. Well show you how to change IP address in this guide.
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How To Change Your Ip Address On A Mac
The first step of changing your IP address on your Mac is to sign up for ExpressVPN on their website. Once you choose a plan and a payment method, youll need to create an account. Heres what you need to do next:
Now that youve installed ExpressVPN, lets see how you would use it to change your IP address:
When you start using ExpressVPN, your public IP address will be changed or hidden, making you an anonymous internet user. You can use this method for MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, and Mac mini devices.
Explore The Internet With A New Ip Address
No matter which method you choose to change your IP address, you will add an extra layer of protection to your online identity. There are many reasons why you might want to change your IP address, and its just a couple of clicks away.
Have you ever changed your IP address before? Did you use a VPN or another method to do it? Let us know in the comments section below.
Read Also: How To Connect Lg TV To VPN
Why Hide Your Ip Address With Avira
Its so easy with our free Phantom VPN! Heres what makes it the trusted choice:
Rated one of the top free VPNs in the world
Reliably prevents your IP address from being leaked, ensuring that no one, not even your ISP, can see what websites you visit.
Fast, safe, and keeps no logs of your activity.
Gives you access to 38 server locations around the globewith just 2 clicksso no one knows where you really are.
Works on any device for Windows, Android, iOS, and Mactheres also a free browser plugin for Chrome!
Part of a multi-award-winning software portfolio from a trusted German security leader, with 30 years of experience.
Plus, its free!
How To Change Your Ip Address Without A VPN
If you dont want to use a VPN, you can change your IP address manually. This process is different for every device. For example, if youre using Windows, you can configure your IP address in Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter setting. For Mac, youd need to go to System Preferences > Network> Advanced, and so on.
You can also automatically update your IP address on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.
Also Check: How To Add VPN To Kodi Firestick
How To Change Your Ip Address
Many people enjoy the internet because of the way in which it helps them connect with services and information from across the globe, regardless of their own location. Just as we all have concrete addresses in the ârealâ world, we also have our own addresses that leave digital footprints in the online world when we connect to the internet through wi-fi, a computer, phone or router. These addresses are called IP addresses, and they are easy to change. Keep reading to learn why you might want to change your IP address, as well as find out the best advice for how to change your IP address.
Why VPN Is Not Hiding Your Real Location
One of the VPN features is the ability to virtually change your location. It does that by masking your real IP address and using a VPN server to connect to websites on your behalf.
Changing the location allows you to access otherwise restricted content and browse privately. But does it hide your location all the time?
You probably noticed that websites sometimes still know your location even when on a VPN. So why is VPN not hiding your real location when it is supposed to?
Lets see why you can still be discovered and how to solve it.
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Do VPNs Actually Work
Theres a bit of a secret sauce when it comes to VPNs effectiveness. As long as you stick with a reputable VPN service like NordVPN or TorGuardindividual product reviews are a mustyour VPN will work.
Its not surprising that some people arent convinced, though. Facebook, for example, offered to pay mobile users $20 per month to connect to a VPN. According to an investigation by TechCrunch, this VPN sometimes referred to as Project Atlas was actually a data siphoning operation that gave Facebook root access to mobile devices.
There are also free VPNs like Hola, which offered a free VPN service that was connected to the Luminati network.; Subscribers to this network paid each month to access bandwidth from the devices using Holas free VPN service, essentially creating a botnet with unwitting users hardware. It is worth noting that Luminati has since rectified their botnet-related woes since the issues surfaced.
If you connect to a VPN, theres a quick test you can do to see if its working. Ipleak.org and ipleak.net offer free tools for verifying your IP address, DNS requests and WebRTC information . Connect to your VPN, run the tests on one or both sites and verify that the information is different. As long as it is, your VPN is working as it should.