Hide Your IP Address & Stay Anonymous with a VPN
In today’s world, we cannot or hardly do without the Internet. From agriculture to banking, from academics to engineers, there is virtually no field that is not connected to the Internet. Statistics show that there are 4.3 billion Internet users in the world. People are going to take advantage of the information highway without knowing much about the technical details.
One of those technical aspects that people rarely pay attention to is the IP address. This article aims to enlighten these readers so that they know how to hide their identity when surfing the web. But before we explain how to do this, we’ll start by putting the IP address in perspective.
Understanding IP Address
According to one study, 98% of Internet users have no idea what IP addresses are. Most often we hear network engineers talk about IPs. To be clear, every device connected to the Internet has a unique number that differentiates it from the next device. Thus, the IP (Internet Protocol) address is simply a number, usually separated by dots in three places, used to identify a device or server connected to the Internet.
An example of an IP address is 105.112.45.155. A careful examination of the numbers shows that they are separated by three dots. In summary, it can be said that IP addresses are used to identify network interfaces and address locations. We will not go into the technical details of what the IP address implies, but it is said to be a 32-bit number. Basically, your ISP assigns this number to your device and it can be either static (fixed) or dynamic – the ISP decides which one you actually get.
On the other hand, when you access the Internet from a VPN service, the VPN provider hides the IP address assigned by your ISP. Subsequently, the VPN provider will assign you a different IP address, depending on the server you are connected to. Note that two subscribers using different servers of the same VPN provider will not have a similar IP address, because they do not access geo-blocked services from the same country. With the new IP address, the Internet filters (firewalls) of these countries will be bypassed, as it will be believed that the users are based in their country.
In addition to differentiating one connected device from another, the IP address helps to determine the physical location of an Internet user. To protect your IP, you will need a VPN (virtual private network). Before the end of this article, you will learn why people hide their IP address. But before that, let’s take a look at the best VPNs out there
5 Best VPN to Hide IP – Comparison Table
Top 5 Best VPN to Hide Your IP Address
5. ExpressVPN – Fast Option to Hide IP Address
Website: expressvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
ExpressVPN is one of the high-end VPN services that allow you to hide your IP address, as it is perfectly designed for this purpose. With more than 3,000 servers in about 160 locations, you will probably get an IP address from its pool of more than 30,000 IP addresses. This means that this VPN is exactly the right one for you, as it has a lot of IP addresses to assign to its subscribers. The advantage of having lots of IP addresses is that even if a draconian government blocks your IP address, it won’t cost the VPN provider anything to assign you another IP address. This is not the case with a VPN with fewer servers and IP addresses.
There are even more. Thanks to 256-bit encryption technology, DNS leakage protection and the no-log policy, you are certainly protected from prying eyes in the country where you live or on holiday. Most importantly, its kill switch ensures that your data will not be lost in the event of a connection failure. Since many VPN services slow down your connection speed, ExpressVPN has features such as unlimited bandwidth and a split tunneling. Thanks to these features and many others working in harmony, ExpressVPN has ultra-fast servers, which ensure that your network speed is not adversely affected.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- It supports the simultaneous connection of three devices
- This VPN runs on all the operating systems
- DNS leak protection and no-log policy
- It has 3,000 servers scattered in 94 countries around the world in 160 locations
- There is a 256-bit encryption
Pros:
- The customer helpdesk works round the clock just to assist users
- The enterprise-level protection is cool for protecting users
- It is capable of generating up to 30,000 unique IPs
- This service is good for unlocking and viewing geo-blocked streaming services
Cons:
- There are cheaper products that offer similar services
From the above, you have seen some of the reasons why you should choose ExpressVPN whenever the need to hide your IP address arises. Chances are that your connection will encounter some problems when you are connected to a VPN server, which means it could potentially be exposed. And when your connection is exposed, the goal of hiding your IP address is futile. In this case, you should contact its 24/7 customer service to explain how to resolve it. If you can’t solve the problem, the team will have to solve it on their own. This is one way to show that the company has a human face – even if you don’t meet the team.
Another compelling reason why we think this VPN is the right one to hide your IP address is that it is compatible with many operating systems, such as Windows, Android, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS. Finally, you can connect with up to 5 devices, and ExpressVPN will also hide their IP address. Indeed, all this explains why it’s one of the best VPN to hide your IP address.
Read our detailed review of ExpressVPN.
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4. CyberGhost – User-Friendly VPN that Can Hide Your IP Address
Website: cyberghostvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 45-day
CyberGhost, a VPN provider based in Romania, occupies a crucial place in your list of the best VPNs to hide your IP address. Boasting more than 5,700 ultra-fast servers in 112 locations worldwide, this VPN will allow you to hide your identity and bypass geo-blocked sites in a fraction of a second. Since it has many servers to connect to, CyberGhost will hide your current IP address and assign you a new one immediately. In the future, you will be able to unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hobo, Hulu and many more. Meanwhile, this VPN ensures that your identity remains hidden.
Of course, this is only possible through the combination of standard 256-bit encryption technology, a kill switch, DNS leakage protection and a no-log policy. All of these features work seamlessly, so you don’t have to look over your shoulder when bypassing these sites. Most importantly, the connection speed is super fast, so you don’t have to worry about buffering. In fact, with its built-in ad and malware blocking features, CyberGhost goes even further to protect your device from malicious ransom software. On top of all this, there are other features that make CyberGhost the ideal VPN to hide your IP address.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- It supports the simultaneous connection of up to 7 devices
- The VPN runs on all the world’s leading operating systems
- Wi-Fi Protection
- It offers industry’s top 256-bit encryption
- Automatic Internet kill switch
Pros:
- This VPN gives its users plenty of amazing features
- It is perfect for torrenting and streaming
- The helpdesk does a great job
- Over 10 million users chose it because it is user-friendly
- Lots of extras, such as Automated HTTPS, OpenVPN, etc
Cons:
- The trial version is merely 24 hours
Having gone through all the steps, you have seen all the advantages of using this VPN to seal your IP address. If you encounter technical difficulties when using CyberGhost to connect to the Internet, you have no problem, because it has dynamic customer service. The team responds to questions and technical problems at the speed of light, making it one of the best on the market. Interestingly, the team can answer in four different languages: English, French, German and Romanian. Now that’s great! You can always count on this VPN to synchronize with your operating system. In the end, you’ll enjoy excellent Internet access, rock-solid security and everything in between.
You’ll be interested to know that this VPN is capable of allowing up to 7 devices to connect at the same time, which means your family and colleagues can enjoy it just as much as you do. One of the steps this VPN is taking to build trust is to have it audited by a third party company in 2011. Since then, it has been publishing its DMCA complaints, malware activities and requests to the police. With CyberGhost, you don’t have to worry about hackers and government tracking of your IP address. Yes, the reason is that they won’t even be able to see it in the first place. There is no doubt that joining the ever-growing CyberGhost family is a choice to protect your IP address with enterprise-class protection. Yes, you should try it.
Read our detailed review of CyberGhost.
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3. NordVPN – Well Secured Option to Hide IP
Website: nordvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
One of the best decisions you can make is to hide your IP address with NordVPN. This VPN doesn’t just have a bonus status for nothing – it really deserves it. With 5,000 IP addresses to distribute to subscribers, there is no doubt that it is one of the most effective VPNs on the market. With NordVPN, you can be sure to switch to any server of your choice and get the IP address required to unblock geo-restricted sites. Feel free to bypass Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Fire TV and many others.
What you’ll probably be interested in is that this VPN is the perfect definition of military-grade encryption – thanks to the dual VPN, which encrypts your data twice. The fact is that you will understand the importance of protecting your IP address with NordVPN when you live in or visit countries where Internet laws are very strict. Other security features worth mentioning are the Internet kill switch, the no-log policy and DNS leakage protection. If you are having trouble logging on to the site, you can always contact customer service. The team works around the clock and will be happy to help you through the storm. There are other features that make this VPN unique to hide your IP address.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- 6 different devices can connect simultaneously
- This service has more than 5,100 servers scattered across 60 locations around the world
- DNS leak protection and Internet kill switch
- In addition, it has a 2048-bit encryption
- It runs on all the operating systems
Pros:
- This VPN offers a wide spectrum of payment options, including cryptocurrencies and PayPal
- NordVPN comes in great mobile and desktop versions
- The users of this service are sure that their identities remain hidden
- It speedily connects and switches within servers
- Unlocking and streaming geo-blocked content is extremely easy with it
Cons:
- It is always a challenge connecting to the fewer number of servers
You’ve seen all the incredible benefits NordVPN offers to those who seek to hide their IP addresses. But it has even more advantages. Thanks to its superb ad blocking capabilities, you are guaranteed that you won’t see ads appearing from time to time when you broadcast your favorite geo-blocked sites. Nevertheless, it is able to hide the IP addresses of up to 6 devices simultaneously, allowing your friends and family to enjoy the VPN service just as much as you do. With 5,100 super-fast servers hosted on 60 sites, there is no limit to what you can achieve with this VPN, every time you hide your IP address.
It is interesting to note that NordVPN is constantly updating its configuration just to secure your connection and improve your viewing pleasure. This VPN is fast because it has features like split tunneling and unlimited bandwidth. With these features, you won’t have to worry about your network being slowed down every time you use it to hide your IP address. With all these advantages and many more, NordVPN remains one of the best VPNs to hide your IP address.
Read our detailed review of NordVPN.
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2. IPVanish – Affordable VPN that Can Hide Your IP Address
Website: ipvanish.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
Beyond hiding your IP address, many people surf the web for several reasons. If your goal is to browse the Internet for an exceptional experience with peer-to-peer traffic and torrent, IPVanish is the software you need to achieve it.
With over 1500 servers in 75 locations worldwide, IPVanish allows a growing list of users around the world to broadcast their favorite geo-blocked sites, browse the Internet and chat with friends on the go. Indeed, no other software does it better, and that’s why it has been included in our list. In addition, this technology product has other features that would take your breath away.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- There are 1,500 servers scattered in 75 locations around the world
- It is capable of generating up to 40,000 IP addresses
- It runs on all the popular operating systems
- It seamlessly circumvents the firewalls of streaming sites
- Internet kill switch
Pros:
- All its servers around the world are owned by the company
- The helpdesk is very efficient
- The connection and download speeds are awesome
- Its apps are extremely easy to configure
- It is capable of supporting unlimited devices that are connected at the same time
Cons:
- It doesn’t give a trial period
- The mobile version has no kill switch
Based in the United States, IPVanish is one of the most sought-after VPNs by people looking to keep their IP addresses hidden – thanks to its 40,000 IP addresses. From this pool, you will be assigned an IP address that will allow you to bypass geo-blocked sites in a fraction of a second. You can unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Fire TV, Hobo, etc. While unlocking your favorite geo-blocked sites, your identity will remain unknown to hackers and the government.
IPVanish offers you the online security you need so much, by changing your IP address and also providing you with military-grade security. While you’re at it, this VPN allows you to contact customer service 24/7 to file complaints and have them resolved in no time. The advantage is that your real IP address will be hidden and a new one will be assigned to you, ensuring that your security is a priority.
Read our detailed review of IPVanish.
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1. PrivateVPN – Great Option to Hide IP Address
Website: privatevpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
Aren’t you satisfied with the VPNs we’ve reviewed so far? If so, Private VPN is perfect for low income people. Besides the price, PrivateVPN is the best VPN to hide your IP address, as it has very nice features. In the future, the distribution of servers is relatively fair and user privacy is ensured. To make things clearer, PrivateVPN does an excellent job of protecting your IP address, because it obscures your real IP address and assigns you another one. With the second IP address, you can bypass your favorite movies and TV shows.
From US Netflix to BBC iPlayer, from HBO to Hotstar, from Hulu to Amazon Fire TV, there is no limit to the number of geo-blocked sites you can bypass. It goes without saying that you have to hide your IP address with this VPN when you want to share files using the BitTorrent protocol. Keep in mind that governments and production companies around the world are always on the lookout for torrents. However, PrivateVPN guarantees you the best security thanks to its top-notch security features, such as the “no logs” policy, DNS leakage protection and 256-bit encryption technology. Other features that you will find fascinating are detailed below.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- It allows up to 6 devices to connect at the same time
- This VPN is extremely easy to use
- There is a kill switch
- It also has support for many different protocols
- NAT firewall is enabled on it
Pros:
- It does a great job at privacy and security
- Additionally, it is user-friendly
- It doesn’t keep the users’ logs
- It is very affordable
- Gives users two options for encryption
Cons:
- Its helpdesk team is not exciting
There are many advantages that make PrivateVPN a superior product to all others. The price cannot be overemphasized, as many students have to change their IP address to bypass the Internet filters set up at their school’s Wi-Fi hotspots. In these schools, students are not allowed to visit social networking sites, as the authorities consider it a total waste of productive time. Against the will of the students, they stick to the regulations, as they cannot afford to use expensive VPNs to bypass internet filters.
In addition, the school’s Wi-Fi has become a haven for hackers, who keep a close eye on unsuspecting users just to hack into their systems and steal them. But the launch of PrivateVPN, an affordable service, has changed all that: you can now change your IP address and stay safe. Interestingly, it can hide the IP addresses of up to six devices that can be connected to it simultaneously. Thanks to a well-trained customer service team ready to help you, it has become easier to hide your IP address with PrivateVPN. Indeed, this VPN has a lot to offer.
Read our detailed review of PrivateVPN.
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Why Should You Hide Your IP Address with a VPN?
You may be wondering why it is important to hide your intellectual property. There is no doubt that hiding IP addresses is essential for some reasons that we will discuss shortly.
- Protects the personality of others: Since you don’t want your competitors to know who you are, you can hide your IP address. Therefore, you can leave a comment about your product or your competitor’s product on different forums.
- Keep your address unknown: One way to hide your position from prying eyes is to hide your IP address with a VPN. Then you can select the VPN server of any country of your choice and access any geo-blocked content.
- Avoid surveillance: In addition to protecting your personality and not knowing where you are, hiding your IP address has other advantages. You may visit websites online randomly until you come across a website that tracks visitors. Guess what? When your IP address is hidden, they won’t be able to track you.
- Bypass censorship: In some countries around the world, there are limits on the Internet content that their residents can view. A typical example is China. But when you connect to a VPN service provider’s server, they assign your device a new IP address. So you can access content that residents of your country are not even allowed to see.
How to Protect Your IP Address with a VPN?
As you already know, VPN offers you the best method to hide your IP address. To hide it, follow the simple steps below:
- Choose your preferred VPN service provider from the list above
- Pay, download and install on your device
- Choose from a range of servers available to you; some of them automatically select the best server for you
- Turn on the add-on
Just follow the step-by-step procedure above and your IP address will be hidden in no time. Just before that, you need to keep these points in mind:
- If you don’t know your current IP address, you can search for it on Google by simply looking for “What is my IP address” in the address/search field.
- You can download the application for your device from the websites of the providers
- When you select a server, your IP address will be replaced by the IP address of the server.
- Confirm that your IP address has changed by doing this Google search again: “What is my IP address?
- If a VPN provider uses a shared IP address, this means that all users connected to a server will have the same IP address, which allows users to be identified differently.
In addition to using a VPN, you can also use a proxy or Tor to hide your IP address. However, VPN is best because of its military-grade security and ultra-fast speed.
Yes, it’s that simple. Then you can continue to enjoy the content on your favorite sites knowing that all the advanced phishing and eavesdropping tools are miles away.
Final Thoughts About Hiding Your IP Address with a VPN
In this article, we explained what the IP address means, how best to hide it and why it is important to protect it. To conclude, it is essential to remember that you must hide your IP address to access the Internet safely. It is so reassuring that you are surfing the web, torrents, chatting and streaming HD video sites from the comfort of your home. In addition, you need to hide your IP address to protect yourself from cybercriminals who don’t sleep at night because they want to steal from potential victims.
To be clear, when you hide your IP address, your Internet Service Provider knows that you are connected to a VPN service. However, it won’t be able to tell which application you are using, what you are doing, or which website you are visiting.
Of course, only you and the VPN provider will see everything that your ISP cannot see. This is why it is important that you sign up for a VPN service that does not keep logs. This means that there is no room for espionage in such a cybersecurity company.
There are many free VPNs out there. However, we advise you not to use them, as they often fail. If you wish to hide your IP address, simply select one of the VPNs we have examined above and enjoy unlimited access to Internet resources.