How Do I Change My I.P Address?

There are times when you need to change (renew) your IP address, for instance: after detecting a virus (trojan) or other threat on your computer, being targeted by a hacker, or as a general security measure, it's good practice to renew your IP address on a weekly basis at the very least. Most ISP's setup their networks and user modems to automatically renew after 7 days (user connections are typically DHCP) however, if you are more technically minded you can easily change the Lease Time by logging into your modem and altering this value to a lower number (value will likely be in seconds or minutes, example: 604800 seconds is 7 days). This is the worry free option that renews your IP address on an automatic basis.

If you require a less complex option, then simply power cycling your modem will renew your IP address quickly and easily 99% of the time (assuming DHCP connection). What does power cycling your modem mean? Well, it's as simple as switching off your modem (or unplugging the power cord) for 60 seconds and then switching it back on again (see example 1.a below). This closes the connection to your ISP and forces a new IP address negotiation when you switch it back on. You may have to wait up to 5 minutes after power cycling to successfully re-connect to your ISP.

Example 1.a

But What If I Have A Static IP Address?

If your ISP has assigned you a static IP address, or if you have previously requested one, the only way to change it is to call your ISP's tech support line and request it to be changed. But remember, for whatever reason you had the static IP address assigned initially (for example: running web servers or certain games) you will likely have to change settings in those items as well, otherwise data will be sent to the wrong IP address.

Can I Hide My IP Address?

The short answer is yes. There are a number of different methods to hide your IP address and we will look at some below in more detail. For the long answer, continue reading after these examples.

• Proxy Servers - This is probably the most popular method of hiding your IP address. A proxy server is another computer situated between your machine and the internet that simply "passes" all your requests through itself and sends it's own identity (including IP address) to the website server thereby obscuring your information. There are also web based proxy servers that you simply visit with your web browser and type in the web address.
• Anonymity Networks - Another popular method requiring software installation are Anonymity Networks. These networks are setup all over the world and any http request can be routed to any number of servers, at any given time. This is known as "onion routing". The most popular of this type is Tor.

There are some exceptions and advisories to the above examples...

1. Servers generally log the real IP address of it's users and therefore create a record of your activity. Records can be handed over to authorities if requested by a court of law.
2. Anonymous proxy servers are renowned as dangerous and not so anonymous. If you have to use a proxy server make sure it is a reputable one, if at all.
3. If you are using anonymity networks for legitimate reasons (for example: business or government, personal safety or genuine want for anonymity online) then you probably have nothing to worry about. Generally it's illegal activities that warrant a court order for log records, as it should.

Further Reading

• Tor Project Website
• More about Proxy Servers at Wikipedia.org
• http://proxy.org/
• Search Google for Change IP Address