How to change your IP address for free
Does Free VPN Really Work?
Fake Your IP Address in Seconds: The Ultimate How-To Guide in 2023
Welcome, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to fake/change your IP address like a pro.
In today’s world, where privacy and security are paramount concerns, being able to mask your IP address has become essential. Whether you’re trying to access geo-restricted content, protect your sensitive data from prying eyes, or simply maintain your online anonymity, changing your IP address can help you achieve your goals. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of changing your IP address, provide you with tips on choosing the right method for your needs, and help you stay safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape of 2023.
So, buckle up and get ready to take control of your online presence!
In this article:
- Part 1: What Can A Fake IP Address Help?
- Part 2: How Can I Fake My IP Address in One Click?
- Bonus Tips 1. Random IP Address Generator
- Bonus Tips 2. Fake IP Address List
Part 1. What Can A Fake IP Address Help?
A fake IP address can help in a variety of ways, including:
- Anonymity: By using a fake IP address, you can hide your real IP address and prevent your online activities from being traced back to you. This can be useful if you want to browse the internet without being tracked or identified.
- Bypassing geo-restrictions: Some websites and services are only available in certain countries. By using a fake IP address from a different country, you can bypass these restrictions and access the content you want.
- Evading censorship: In some countries, the government censors certain websites or blocks access to certain content. By using a fake IP address, you can access these websites and content without being detected.
- Avoiding IP-based bans: Some websites or services may ban users based on their IP address. By using a fake IP address, you can bypass these bans and access the website or service.
It’s important to note that while a fake IP address can be useful in some situations, using it for illegal or malicious purposes can have serious consequences. It’s important to use it responsibly and within the bounds of the law.
Part 2. How Can I Fake My IP Address in One Click?
If you need to protect your online privacy or access geo-restricted content, the best option is to fake your IP address by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. A VPN works by routing your internet connection through a remote server, which changes your IP address to that of the server. By connecting to a VPN server in a different location, you can fake your IP address and appear as if you are browsing from a different country or region.
To use a VPN to fake your IP address, you can follow these steps:
Step 1. Choose a reputable VPN service such as iRocketVPN, ultimate online security solution and sign up for an account. Download and install the VPN software on your device.
Step 2. Open the VPN software and click on connect, or select a specific server location from the list of available options.
Step 3. Click the connect button to establish a connection to the VPN server.
Once the VPN connection is established, your IP address will be changed to that of the VPN server. You can verify this by checking your IP address by visiting iRocketVPN’s official website or using an online tool such as WhatIsMyIPAddress.com.
What Can iRocketVPN Help?
By using iRocketVPN, you can browse the internet with peace of mind knowing that your online activity is more secure and private. Whether you’re traveling and need to access geo-restricted content, or simply want to keep your online activity private from prying eyes, iRocketVPN can help. With servers located around the world, iRocketVPN offers fast and reliable connections that can help you stay connected and protected no matter where you are.
Here are some of the highlights of iRocketVPN:
- Mask IP address: iRocketVPN allows you to mask your IP address, making it appear as if you’re browsing from a different location or country. This can help you access geo-restricted content and protect your privacy by making it more difficult for third parties to track your online activity.
- Fast and reliable servers: iRocketVPN offers a global network of servers that are optimized for speed and reliability, allowing you to enjoy a fast and stable connection no matter where you are in the world.
- Strong encryption: iRocketVPN uses industry-standard encryption protocols to protect your internet connection and keep your online activity private and secure.
- Unlimited bandwidth: iRocketVPN offers unlimited bandwidth, meaning you can use the service as much as you like without worrying about hitting any data caps.
- User-friendly interface: iRocketVPN offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to connect to a server and start browsing securely and privately.
- Customer support: iRocketVPN offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and a support ticket system, ensuring that you can always get help when you need it.
Does Free VPN Really Work?
Many VPN services offer both free and paid plans, with the free plans often having limitations such as slower speeds, fewer server locations, or data caps. Paid plans typically offer more features and better performance. If you’re interested in using a VPN, it’s a good idea to research and compare different VPN services to find one that best suits your needs and budget.
Bonus Tips 1. Random IP Address Generator
Here are some online tools that can generate random IP addresses:
1 Browserling – Random IP Generator
This online tool generates a random IPv4 address each time you click the “Generate random IP” button.
2 Random IP Address Generator
Although not an online tool, this is a Node.js package that you can install and use to generate random IP addresses within a specified IP range in your JavaScript/Node.js projects.
3 Online Random IP Generator
This online tool allows you to generate multiple random IP addresses at once, and you can specify the number of IP addresses you want to generate.
Using random IP addresses for illegitimate purposes or activities is illegal and unethical. These tools should be used for testing, development, or research purposes only, and you should always respect the privacy and security of others when using the internet.
Bonus Tips 2. Fake IP Address List
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to devices connected to a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: identifying the host or network interface and providing the location of the device in the network.
There are two versions of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 addresses are written in a dotted-decimal notation, while IPv6 addresses use a hexadecimal format separated by colons.
Here is a IP address list :
Conclusion
In conclusion, protecting your privacy and ensuring a secure online experience is essential in today’s digital world. Faking your IP address can be an effective way to access geo-restricted content, bypass censorship, and maintain your online anonymity. iRocketVPN, ultimate online security solution offers a reliable and user-friendly solution that allows you to fake your IP address in seconds. With its extensive range of servers worldwide, top-notch encryption, and easy-to-use interface, iRocketVPN provides a seamless experience for users seeking enhanced online privacy.
Don’t compromise on your privacy and security. Download iRocketVPN now and take control of your digital footprint. Experience unrestricted browsing and regain your online freedom today!
Features of iRocketVPN
- Fast IP Address Change
- Global Server Network
- One-Click Interface for Easy Use
- Enhanced Privacy and Security
How to change your IP address for free
Posted on September 28th, 2022 by Douglas Crawford in Privacy basics.
Every device that connects directly to the internet is assigned an IP address by your internet service provider (ISP). In general, this number uniquely identifies your household.
Most ISPs assign blocks of IP addresses to the same geographic areas, so your IP address is often a good indicator of your rough geographic location (accurate to around the city level). It’s also a common way the websites you visit can identify you and track your online activity.
This makes your IP address a major privacy risk. Fortunately, there are several ways you can hide your real IP address for free. Only your ISP can change your real IP address, but proxy-based solutions can hide your IP address and change it as far as observers on the internet are concerned.
Note that this article only discusses how to change your public IP address. If you connect to the internet via a router, then it’s your router’s IP address that the rest of the internet will see. It’s possible to change the IP address of a device within a local network, but that is beyond the scope of this article.
Other reasons to change your IP address
Proxy-based solutions, such as connecting to the Tor network or a VPN server, allow you to change your IP address and defeat government censorship and other internet blocks. They can bypass blocks because when you connect to a proxy server, you access the internet from where it’s located.
So if you are in a country where a website is blocked but connect to a server in a country where the internet is not censored, you will be able to access that website like normal.
Other popular reasons for changing your IP address include accessing streaming services as though you were in another country (for example, connecting to a US server while on a trip to access the US library of movies and TV shows that you’ve subscribed to) and hiding your IP address from peers when P2P torrenting.
However, setting up and maintaining the server infrastructure required to handle such large amounts of data is expensive and requires teams of full-time professionals. The bottom line is that no third-party service will support these activities for free. At the very least, they might fund themselves with ads and by selling your metadata. We therefore strongly advise caution when choosing to use such a service.
Proton VPN offers advanced features such as streaming and P2P access on our paid plans, which allows us to offer a free service for those who most need to access the internet privately and without restrictions.
How to see if your IP address has changed
To see your current external IP address (the IP address that anyone on the internet can see), simply visit one of the many “what is my IP address” websites on the web. A good example is ip.me.
At the very least, these sites will show your current IPv4 address. Better ones (including ip.me) will show your approximate geographic location, IPv6 address, and more.
If you use a proxy-based solution to hide your IP address, you should see the proxy server’s information and not your real IP address.
Changing your IP address for free
1. Connect to a public WiFi hotspot
Pros
Cons
- Many public hotspots collect metadata from users
- You may need to buy the odd coffee
An easy way to change your IP address is to connect to the internet on a different network. Public WiFi hotspots are great for this (although you may need to pay for the occasional drink when using a coffee shop’s WiFi).
Do be aware that many “free” public hotspots are business ventures that make money by selling your browsing metadata to advertising and analytics companies. This is why you often need to agree to extensive terms and conditions before you can use the WiFi.
2. Restart your modem
Pros
Cons
- Not guaranteed to work
- New IP address is still easy to trace back to you
Your modem’s IP address (or your router’s IP address, depending on your setup) is assigned by your ISP. Most ISPs use dynamic IP provisioning, so they will just issue you a new IP address as needed. Disconnecting your router (by turning it off for 10 seconds and then turning it back on again) can force your ISP to issue you a new IP address.
Whether this tactic works is very hit-or-miss, but there’s no harm in trying. Do be aware that your new IP address will be just as easy to trace back to you through your ISP as your old one was.
3. Contact your ISP
Pros
Cons
- ISP may not cooperate
- New IP address is still easy to trace back to you
Another option is asking your ISP to issue you a new IP address. Not all ISPs will be open to doing this, and you may need to explain why you want it done. But there’s no harm in asking. Again, be aware that this new IP address can be used to easily identify you and track you, same as your old IP address.
Some ISPs offer static IP addresses. These are not dynamically provisioned, so you will always have the same IP address. However, static IPs are usually only available to businesses and not people on residential contracts. They’re also generally not free.
4. Tor
Pros
- Offers true anonymity
Cons
- You can’t choose your IP address location
- Very slow
Tor is a free tool designed to defeat censorship and provide true anonymity on the internet. When you use the Tor browser (or access the Tor network via Proton VPN’s Tor over VPN feature), your connection is randomly routed through at least three Tor “nodes”.
The rest of the internet can only see the IP address of the final Tor node (the “exit node”), not your real IP address. Each node is run by a volunteer, so the more volunteers there are doing this, the more anonymous you are.
This makes Tor a fantastic tool for journalists, activists, and dissidents in restrictive countries who require absolute anonymity to ensure their safety. However, as a tool for changing your IP address, it has a couple of serious drawbacks.
The first is that you cannot (at least officially) select the location of your exit node as the Tor Browser randomly selects three nodes to handle your traffic. This means your IP address could appear to be from anywhere, which is problematic if you’re trying to access a portal that only accepts IP addresses from a specific place.
The second problem is that the Tor network is painfully slow. The Tor Browser routes your connection through at least three random locations. The further these locations are from each other, the slower your connection will be. Additionally, if any of these nodes are experiencing poor internet connectivity, that will also impact your connection speed. Expect to lose 90% or more of your regular internet speeds when using Tor.
5. Public SOCKS and HTTP proxies
Pros
- A quick and dirty way to change your IP address
Cons
- Not at all secure
- Usually slow
A proxy is any server that sits between your device and the internet (so both Tor nodes and VPN servers are specific kinds of proxies). Generally, the term “proxy” refers to a SOCKS or HTTP proxy.
Commercial SOCKS and HTTP proxy services exist, but there’s little reason to choose them over more fully-featured VPN services. There are also free public proxies available, ostensibly run by volunteers.
Lists of public proxies are available on the internet, but you should avoid them. These proxies are not secure and could potentially expose your browsing history as they’re generally far less secure than VPNs. Additionally, once you connect to one of these public proxies, it can see everything you do online. At that point, you’re replacing one potential spy with another less secure one.
Speed performance is also usually poor since most proxies are volunteer-run on a person’s home internet connection that was not optimized to handle large amounts of traffic.
6. Web proxies
Pros
- A quick and dirty way to change your IP address
Cons
- Not at all secure
- Usually slow
- Banners, ads, and (potentially) malware injected into HTML
Web proxies are a kind of HTTP proxy that you connect to inside your browser window without the need to download any software or configure your browser’s proxy settings.
Again, they are mostly free, but all the serious security concerns with “regular” HTTP proxies are also present in web proxies. Many web proxies also fund themselves by injecting banners, ads, and other potentially malicious scripts into your browser window — often to the point that they make the web unusable.
7. Proton VPN
Pros
- 100% free
- IP addresses in 3 countries
- Swiss privacy
- No logs
- No speed or data restrictions
Cons
- Streaming and P2P are premium features
When using a VPN service, your device connects to a VPN server run by a VPN provider. The connection between your device and the VPN server is encrypted, and your public IP address appears to be that of the VPN server.
While this is true of all VPN services, Proton VPN is the only reputable VPN service with a 100% free plan that offers:
- No logs
- No ads
- No bandwidth restrictions
- No artificial speed restrictions
With Proton VPN Free, you have your choice of IP address in the United States, the Netherlands, or Japan, no strings attached.
Note: Many “free” VPN apps are little more than malware. Please only download apps from reputable VPN providers.
Proton offers our free service because we believe that everyone deserves online privacy. Our free service is supported by our paid plans, which provide IP addresses in over 60 countries worldwide, offer dedicated P2P BitTorrent servers, and allow you to access a wide range of popular streaming services.
8. VPNGate
Pros
- Good anti-censorship tool
Cons
- Very slow (at least from outside East Asia)
- No reason to trust volunteer-run servers
- University of Tsukuba collects a lot of metadata
VPNGate is a volunteer-run distributed VPN network developed primarily as an anti-censorship tool by the University of Tsukuba in Japan.
Much like Tor, volunteers around the world run the thousands of available servers (although most of these are located in Japan, with a few more in South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom).
VPNGate is a useful tool for bypassing censorship as the transitory nature and sheer number of its servers make it difficult for authoritarian regimes to block all their IP addresses.
Each server states its logging policy, but there is no way to guarantee that it abides by this policy. The University of Tsukuba also keeps extensive connection logs for “three or more months”.
Connection speeds from outside East Asia are generally quite slow but may improve in locations closer to Japan (such as mainland China).
9. Personal VPN server
Pros
- It’s something you can do on hardware you may already own
Cons
- Very limited IP address options
- Easily traced back to you
- Need technical knowledge
If you have the technical know-how, it’s quite easy to configure your own VPN server on hardware you own or on rented server space (although server space is not free, of course).
This setup ensures your ISP cannot see what you do online and changes your IP address to that of the VPN server you have set up.
If you set up a VPN on your own hardware, you’ll limit the IP addresses you can change to. However, there are specific instances where it could prove useful, such as if you want to use your home IP address when out and about.
Another downside is that it would be very easy to trace your personal VPN server’s IP address back to you.
Final thoughts
If you want to hide your real IP address, commercial VPN services offer the best experience in terms of speed, features, and privacy. However, Proton VPN is the only such service to offer a fully-functioning free VPN service with no logs, no data limits, and no speed limits.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to change my IP address?
Not usually, no. Even in restrictive countries that don’t want you to bypass their censorship systems, access to proxies, VPNs, and Tor is often blocked, but it’s rarely a crime.
Can a free VPN hide my IP address?
Yes. But most free VPNs are either scams or offer a severely limited product in the hope you will upgrade to a paid service. Proton VPN is the only reputable VPN to offer a 100% free VPN service with no logs, no data limits, and no speed limits.
Will I see more CAPTCHs if I hide my IP address?
You might, as the IP address you change to may have many other users. This is especially true if you are using a free service. When Google or other online services see an unusually high number of requests from a specific IP address, they ask for human verification to ensure you are not a bot.
Douglas Crawford
Starting with ProPrivacy and now Proton, Douglas has worked for many years as a technology writer. During this time, he has established himself as a thought leader specializing in online privacy. He has been quoted by the BBC News, national newspapers such as The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Daily Mail, and by international technology publications such as Ars Technica, CNET, and LinuxInsider. Douglas was invited by the EFF to help host a livestream session in support of net neutrality. At Proton, Douglas continues to explore his passion for privacy and all things VPN.