If you surf the Internet frequently, then you need some online security, as there are several websites that want your personal information. One way to protect your online privacy is to surf by changing your ip address while using websites that you don't trust. Here you can get the methods to change your ip address in Windows XP, Vista, 7, and Mac, using the popular browsers Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Mac Safari.
One thing any Internet user should know is how to change their IP Address. This little piece of information is the first thing many sites can see about you as soon as you visit. Thankfully, unless you have a static IP Address for running your own web server, IP addresses can be easily changed.
How you change your IP address depends on how you connect to the Internet. If your computer connects directly to the Internet or you would like to change the IP address you have on your LAN, you can use the command prompt utility called ipconfig.
First open a new Command Prompt window in XP. The Command Prompt can often be found in the Programs menu under Accessories. To familiarize yourself with whats going on, type "ipconfig" (without the quotes). This shows your IP address and other stuff like your internet adapter and modem. For an extended view put in ipconfig/displaydns. This will show you more stuff that can come in handy when digging up IP's for servers at work or at school. Now, to renew (change) your IP, type "ipconfig/renew". Now you have a new IP address.
If you are a broadband Internet subscriber and have a separate stand-alone modem, the easiest way to change your IP address is to unplug the modem, wait 30 seconds to a minute, and then plug it back in. This will force the modem to go out to the ISP again and get a new IP address. Often times there will be a way to reset your IP address somewhere in the modem's options but this varies by modem brand and ISP, and can often take longer.
If you would like to check your IP address (before or after changing it), you can use a service like ShowMyIP.com
Change IP Address in Internet Explorer
Go to Internet Options under the Tools menu.
Click on Connections tab.
If you use a dial up connection, select currently active connection and click on Settings button.
Check the check box labeled "Use a proxy server for this connection".
If you use cable or DSL, click on the LAN Settings button, and repeat step 4 and 5 for that connection.
Click the OK button to finish. Now feel free to surf anonymously with changed ip address.
Change IP Address in Firefox
Click on Tools and then click on Options.
Click on Advanced button at the top of pop up window.
Now choose Network tab and go to Connection settings.
Click on Manual proxy configuration radio button.
Now set the HTTP Proxy and Port Number. (Feel free to use these) Click on OK button. Now you can access the Internet with a changed ip address.
Change Your IP Address in Mac's Safari
Go to Edit and click on Preferences.
Click on Advanced button.
Click on Change Settings button which is just next to label "Proxies".
For dial up connections, select the Internet connection for which you want to change your ip address.
Click on settings.
Click on OK button to change your ip address with anonymous proxy ip address.
For LAN Connections, you need to click on "LAN Settings" Button after step 3, and enter anonymous proxy ip and port as in ster 6 and 7.
While most people are primarily concerned about the privacy of their web browser only, sometimes that is not enough. Here are instructions for completely changing your ip address in Windows XP, Vista, and 7. However, please note that this method does not change your apparent geographic location or identity. If you'd like to change your IP address to something other than your own (or to a different location), try a real change ip address service.
Change my IP address in Windows XP
Remove your router (if using one), connect your computer to your modem, and restart both. After doing this, try refreshing this page to make sure that your Internet is back online.
- Go to your START menu, click Run, and type cmd, then hit Enter.
- At the prompt, type "ipconfig /release" and hit Enter.
- Go to your START menu, "Connect to", and "Show all connections".
- Right-click on "Local Area Connection" and select Properties.
- Highlight "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click "Properties"
- Check "Use the following IP address", for IP address enter 111.111.111.111, and for Subnet mask enter 255.0.0.0
- Click OK and Close, and then wait a minute (60 seconds) for those settings to register.
- Repeat steps 4-6 to get back to the TCP/IP settings, but this time select "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS automatically"
- Click OK and Close, then wait 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, refresh this page to confirm that your IP address has changed.
Change my IP Address in Windows Vista and 7
Again, if you're using a router, you'll need to remove it. Simply connect the modem cable directly into your computer, and then restart both the modem and computer. After doing so, refresh this page to make sure that you've reconnected to Internet. With Vista and 7, you may need to restart a couple times.
- Click on your START menu (very lower left corner of your screen), type "cmd" into the white box, and Enter.
- At the prompt, type "ipconfig /release" and Enter.
- Turn your modem OFF, disconnect it's electric cord from the wall, and remove any backup battery if it has one. Then wait a full 60 seconds (if this doesn't work, then try again and wait overnight).
- Turn your modem back ON, and wait another 60 seconds until all the lights are back on and blinking normally.
- From your START Menu, click Control Panel, then Network and Internet, Network and Sharing Center, Manage network connections.
- RIGHT-click on Local Area Connection, and select Disable.
- Wait 30 seconds. RIGHT-click on Local Area Connection, and select Enable. Wait another 30 seconds.
- Refresh this page to confirm that you have a new IP.
You can also use the following methods:
Type "ipconfig/release" and then going into network properties and automatically renewing the ip.
Internet options --> right click on your source of internet click properties --> Scroll down to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) hit properties --> click "use the following IP address:" --> use ipconfig in commands prompt (start --> run --> type cmd hit enter) --> copy the information into the provided fields and change ur ip address by 1 on the last three digits
Remove your router (if using one), connect your computer to your modem, and restart both. After doing this, try refreshing this page to make sure that your Internet is back online.
2. Go to your START menu, click Run, and type cmd, then hit Enter.
3. At the prompt, type "ipconfig /release" and hit Enter. Notice the space in between ipconfig and /
4. Go to your START menu, "Connect to", and "Show all connections".
5. Right-click on "Local Area Connection" and select Properties.
6. Highlight "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click "Properties"
7. Check "Use the following IP address", for IP address enter 111.111.111.111, and for Subnet mask enter 255.0.0.0
8. Click OK and Close, and then wait a minute (60 seconds) for those settings to register.
9. Repeat steps 4-6 to get back to the TCP/IP settings, but this time select "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS automatically"
10. Click OK and Close, then wait 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, refresh this page to confirm that your IP address has changed.
Note: Remember no operation can be performed on Local area connection while it has its media disconnected and no operation can be performed on Bluetooth Network while it has its media disconnected. For those of you whose ip address was the same after doing this, do this:
BEFORE you put in ipconfig/renew, you need to put in ipconfig/release. You will then see your ip address as a bunch of zero's. THEN put in ipconfig/renew.