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Using techniques to hide IP addresses allows us to maintain anonymity at an acceptable level.
Using techniques to hide IP addresses allows us to maintain anonymity at an acceptable level.
As privacy is violated more and more every year, anonymity while surfing the net is becoming increasingly relevant. Threats arise even if the attacker only knows your real IP address, and more and more people begin to use different methods of masking the IP address. The essence of such techniques is to hide the real IP address from the IP address from another network.
You cannot be completely anonymous and if you really want, your actions can be tracked, but using techniques to hide your IP address allows you to maintain anonymity at an acceptable level.
Method 1: VPN
The abbreviation VPN stands for virtual private network (virtual private network), but in fact, everything is much simpler. Roughly speaking, you connect your computer or device to another network and surf the Internet through this network. Any activity looks as if carried out by the owner of that network, but not by you.
When you connect to the VPN, you mask your IP address behind the IP address of the network you are connecting to. In order to track traffic to your device, the VPN must “hand over” you (the IP address can also be found out through a DNS leak).
Accordingly, for greater confidence and reliability, it is better to use a paid and proven VPN, since free services have many disadvantages. For example, in the case of a free VPN, questions immediately arise: “Are my data sold?”, “Will a real IP address be issued in case of a request?”. And similar situations occur.
Based on the foregoing, we recommend using services that do not save logs related to your activity and cannot give out your IP address even if requested by government authorities. In addition, in most VPN services that do not save logs, all of your traffic going to and from the network is encrypted. Thus, the interception of information by the provider or law enforcement agencies is prevented.
Which service to choose?
See the catalog of VPN services on our website. Unfortunately, there is no VPN service that would 100% guarantee your privacy. Whatever service you choose, you need to download and run the corresponding application and connect to the desired network before surfing. Nothing complicated.
Method 2: Web Proxies
A web proxy works much like a VPN: you connect to a proxy, after which all your traffic starts going through this server. In this case, your IP address is hidden behind the IP address of the proxy server.
However, there are two important differences between a web proxy and a VPN.
First: a proxy server usually does not have encryption. Even if your address is hidden, traffic is available for analysis by providers and law enforcement agencies. In addition, some sites may track your real IP address using Flash or JavaScript.
Second: some browsers only allow redirecting web traffic through a proxy. To use a web proxy, you need to go to your browser settings and specify the IP address of the server. In this case, applications and devices outside the browser, such as Skype, will show your real IP address.
You can find free web proxies, for example, on the PremProxy or Proxy List sites . If the server is located in your country, the surfing speed will be quite high. A proxy in another country can be useful in case of blocking some sites and for a slight increase in masking.
Configure proxies in Firefox
1. In the main menu, go to the Options section.
2. Go to the Network section in the Advanced tab.
3. In the Connection section, click on Settings ...
4. Select Manual proxy configuration and enter the address / port in the HTTP Proxy field.
Proxy settings in Microsoft Edge
1. From the main menu, select Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on View advanced settings.
3. Scroll down and click on Open proxy settings.
4. In the Manual proxy setup section, enable the Use a proxy server option, and then specify the server address and port in the Address field.
Proxy settings in Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi
1. From the main menu, select Settings.
2. In the Network section, click on Change proxy settings ...
3. In the Connections tab, click on LAN settings.
4. Turn on the Use a proxy server for your LAN option and enter the address and port in the Address field.
Note: Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi and other Chromium-based browsers do not have a built-in proxy option specific to browser traffic. Instead of this option, system-wide proxy settings are used. However, you can use the extension to use the Proxy Switcher & Manager web proxy, which will only affect browser traffic.
Method 3: Public Wi-Fi
Instead of redirecting traffic through another network, you can connect to this network directly. For example, to public Wi-Fi.
The funny part is the only way to hide your real IP address. When you are connected to public Wi-Fi, no one will be able to track you especially if the access point is popular (for example, it belongs to the Starbucks coffee house). In this case, your activity will be hidden by dozens of other users. However, you should not forget that using public Wi-Fi carries other risks.
By default, most public access points do not have encryption, and all your activity, including accounts for banks and online stores, is available to everyone. In addition, a malicious program may enter your device through a public access point.
There are other ways in which attackers can steal your personal data through public Wi-Fi. Thus, while hiding your IP address, you are simultaneously exposed to many other risks related to privacy and security.
Using techniques to hide IP addresses allows us to maintain anonymity at an acceptable level.
As privacy is violated more and more every year, anonymity while surfing the net is becoming increasingly relevant. Threats arise even if the attacker only knows your real IP address, and more and more people begin to use different methods of masking the IP address. The essence of such techniques is to hide the real IP address from the IP address from another network.
You cannot be completely anonymous and if you really want, your actions can be tracked, but using techniques to hide your IP address allows you to maintain anonymity at an acceptable level.
Method 1: VPN
The abbreviation VPN stands for virtual private network (virtual private network), but in fact, everything is much simpler. Roughly speaking, you connect your computer or device to another network and surf the Internet through this network. Any activity looks as if carried out by the owner of that network, but not by you.
When you connect to the VPN, you mask your IP address behind the IP address of the network you are connecting to. In order to track traffic to your device, the VPN must “hand over” you (the IP address can also be found out through a DNS leak).
Accordingly, for greater confidence and reliability, it is better to use a paid and proven VPN, since free services have many disadvantages. For example, in the case of a free VPN, questions immediately arise: “Are my data sold?”, “Will a real IP address be issued in case of a request?”. And similar situations occur.
Based on the foregoing, we recommend using services that do not save logs related to your activity and cannot give out your IP address even if requested by government authorities. In addition, in most VPN services that do not save logs, all of your traffic going to and from the network is encrypted. Thus, the interception of information by the provider or law enforcement agencies is prevented.
Which service to choose?
See the catalog of VPN services on our website. Unfortunately, there is no VPN service that would 100% guarantee your privacy. Whatever service you choose, you need to download and run the corresponding application and connect to the desired network before surfing. Nothing complicated.
Method 2: Web Proxies
A web proxy works much like a VPN: you connect to a proxy, after which all your traffic starts going through this server. In this case, your IP address is hidden behind the IP address of the proxy server.
However, there are two important differences between a web proxy and a VPN.
First: a proxy server usually does not have encryption. Even if your address is hidden, traffic is available for analysis by providers and law enforcement agencies. In addition, some sites may track your real IP address using Flash or JavaScript.
Second: some browsers only allow redirecting web traffic through a proxy. To use a web proxy, you need to go to your browser settings and specify the IP address of the server. In this case, applications and devices outside the browser, such as Skype, will show your real IP address.
You can find free web proxies, for example, on the PremProxy or Proxy List sites . If the server is located in your country, the surfing speed will be quite high. A proxy in another country can be useful in case of blocking some sites and for a slight increase in masking.
Configure proxies in Firefox
1. In the main menu, go to the Options section.
2. Go to the Network section in the Advanced tab.
3. In the Connection section, click on Settings ...
4. Select Manual proxy configuration and enter the address / port in the HTTP Proxy field.
Proxy settings in Microsoft Edge
1. From the main menu, select Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on View advanced settings.
3. Scroll down and click on Open proxy settings.
4. In the Manual proxy setup section, enable the Use a proxy server option, and then specify the server address and port in the Address field.
Proxy settings in Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi
1. From the main menu, select Settings.
2. In the Network section, click on Change proxy settings ...
3. In the Connections tab, click on LAN settings.
4. Turn on the Use a proxy server for your LAN option and enter the address and port in the Address field.
Note: Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi and other Chromium-based browsers do not have a built-in proxy option specific to browser traffic. Instead of this option, system-wide proxy settings are used. However, you can use the extension to use the Proxy Switcher & Manager web proxy, which will only affect browser traffic.
Method 3: Public Wi-Fi
Instead of redirecting traffic through another network, you can connect to this network directly. For example, to public Wi-Fi.
The funny part is the only way to hide your real IP address. When you are connected to public Wi-Fi, no one will be able to track you especially if the access point is popular (for example, it belongs to the Starbucks coffee house). In this case, your activity will be hidden by dozens of other users. However, you should not forget that using public Wi-Fi carries other risks.
By default, most public access points do not have encryption, and all your activity, including accounts for banks and online stores, is available to everyone. In addition, a malicious program may enter your device through a public access point.
There are other ways in which attackers can steal your personal data through public Wi-Fi. Thus, while hiding your IP address, you are simultaneously exposed to many other risks related to privacy and security.