What is IP?
IP: Internet Protocol, IP address is a string of numbers and decimal points, used to identify each device connected to the Internet. There are two types: IPv4– composed of four two or three digits (for example: 123.45.67.89), separated by a period. IPv6–address is much longer, including letters and numbers separated by colons. Compared with IPv4, IPv6 has higher routing and data flow efficiency and higher security.
Everyone’s IP address is unique. Every time you visit a website, you will provide your real IP address to the website. In addition, the IP address can easily infer the user’s specific location with high accuracy. Even if you are simply browsing, and nothing is done, revealing your location will be troublesome. In order to profit from your online behavior, websites and third-party advertisers can use this data to push specific content to you, guess what you like, and then push you more and guide you to make purchases.
For example, airlines and travel companies will change product prices based on the location of your IP address. So you may see a big change in airfare prices. Another example is the big data familiarization operations commonly used in various platforms. If you like privacy and don’t like censorship, you have to learn to hide your IP address. Another reason for hiding IP addresses is to bypass restrictions on websites, service providers, government agencies, workplaces, and even schools.
Do you know any good ways to hide your IP address?
Use VPN:fast,convenient and safe
VPN (Virtual Private Network) stands for virtual private network and is a software service. Simply put, encrypt all data through the VPN server and connect to the Internet in the country you want to assign a virtual IP address related to that country. Hide your real location.
Of course, when connecting to the VPN, you need to replace the IP address with the IP address of the connected network. At the same time, the VPN needs to provide information about you in order to track your device traffic (you can also find the IP address through DNS leaks), and it is available on the market The best VPNs need to pay a fee, but they are definitely value for money and very safe. You need to choose a reputable product that has advanced encryption and security profiles to prevent your real IP address from being leaked. Although there are free VPNs, their functions are limited, the speed will not be very fast, and there may be a risk of security threats caused by malicious attacks by other software.
Web proxy-slower and insecure
The working principle of a web proxy is almost the same as that of a VPN. The proxy is usually used to access geo-blocked content: after connecting to the proxy, all traffic starts to pass through the server, and your IP address will be hidden behind the IP address of the proxy server.
The difference between web proxy and VPN:
1.The proxy server is not encrypted
Even if your IP address is hidden by the proxy server when you use it, it can still be analyzed by providers and law enforcement agencies. In addition, some sites may use Flash or JavaScript to track your real IP address.
2.The speed will be slower
Some browsers only allow the proxy to use directed network traffic. You need to go to the browser settings and specify the IP address of the server. Applications and devices outside the browser (such as Skype) will display you Real IP address. In addition, if the proxy connection drops for some reason, your real IP may be exposed.
3.Tor-hide your IP address for free
Tor (The Onion Router) is a free software.It is a decentralized global anonymous network maintained by volunteers from all over the world. When you use it, your Internet communications will be encrypted and routed through a random sequence of these volunteer “nodes”, which are a bit like proxy servers. Traffic will pass through multiple servers, and after multiple encryptions, it is almost impossible for anyone to trace back to your IP address.
The disadvantage is that the speed is slow and not suitable for torrent or streaming media playback-insist on using web browsing, and it is usually related to criminal activities, it can visit dark web and illegal websites. Some websites block connections from known Tor nodes, and your ISP may not approve of its use. To achieve maximum privacy and security, it is recommended to use Tor and VPN in combination.
Public WiFi-high risk
IP addresses are freely allocated by Internet service providers. IP addresses are constantly being recycled to keep a limited number of available IP addresses. Your IP address may change from time to time. This is a dynamic IP. The IP address of a public place is a shared connection, so others cannot trace it back to you.
In the same way, public WiFi will make you more vulnerable to security threats such as hackers and malware.
