About 50% of internet users in the US showed more concern about their online privacy in 2019 compared to 2018. This shows that internet threats have become more prevalent. It is also surprising to know that hackers can use your IP address to obtain personal information. Because of this, hiding your IP address is one effective way to keep your online privacy.
Hiding your IP address does not mean that your activities or information will be unknown on the world wide web. It simply means keeping your information secure online. Let’s find out how you can effectively and completely hide IP addresses for security.
How to Hide Your IP Address?
Installing VPN
VPN is short for a virtual private network. As the name suggests, when you browse the internet using your computer, smartphone, or other devices, you enter a different and completely private network. This allows you to hide your IP address because you are using a different network’s IP.
Since there can be some risks in doing so, such as your real IP getting exposed or personal data sold through a free VPN, it is recommended to utilize a paid VPN instead. VYPRVPN, for example, offers 1 free year if you buy a 2-year plan.
Most paid VPNs do not require log-ins. As a result, there is no data storage, and you don’t risk getting your IP exposed to anyone who requests it.
A lot of VPNs come on a subscription basis. HIDE.me offers an exclusive deal of 3 free months when you purchase the 12 months plan. You can pay a couple of dollars each month to gain access to hundreds or thousands of servers all across the globe.
All you have to do is download your chosen VPN on your device, sign up for an account, then follow its instructions on how to hide your IP address.
Browse via Open Wifi
Interestingly, this is the only method to keep your home or office IP address hidden. No one can track your location when you browse through open wifi as your online activity is hidden from other users if the connection is at a bus stop, airport, or market.
Nevertheless, there are dangers in using public wifi. Data is not often encrypted in this kind of connection. Moreover, e-commerce websites and social media platforms can see the login information of people who connect to them using this network.
It can also put your devices at risk of viruses or malware, which can damage them. Lastly, hackers can find ways to get your personal information since it’s open to the public.
It’s very important to be alert for the security of your IP address even though you are guaranteed that your IP is hidden due to the security risks that come with it.
Proxies
Web proxies are similar to VPN in the sense that they connect you to the websites you browse. However, instead of browsing using a VPN, you use the IP address of a proxy server. The thing with proxies is that they also allow you to access blocked websites anonymously.
Of course, there are some key differences between VPN and proxies. First, proxies are not encrypted networks, so even if your proxy server hides your IP, it can still be recovered by your ISP.
Since proxies don’t have the same authentication process as VPNs, you will be more prone to attacks from hackers who will use various tactics to steal your information.
Conclusion
There are several ways to hide IP addresses for security, and the ones we’ve tackled above are the most effective. Always keep in mind that privacy is the most crucial thing when browsing the internet. As such, you have to maintain that privacy as much as possible with the help of these methods.