How to Change IP Address: 6 Ways to Change It
Posts by Colin TanJuly 27, 2023
Whether you’re trying to access geo-blocked content or are conscious about online security, knowing how to change IP address always comes in handy.
Every device needs a unique IP address to connect and communicate with various other devices online.
In fact, if you’re connected to a WiFi network, you’re probably sharing your public IP address with others connected to the same network.
On the other hand, if you’re using a mobile data connection, you’ve your own IP address.
And when we talk about changing IP addresses, we mainly refer to our public IPv4 address.
That’s because this IP address is seen and used by almost all websites, online games, servers, and other devices.
In this article, we’ll see how to change IP addresses using 6 different methods. Let’s go!
How to Change IP Address in 2025
Now, the main question is – how to change the IP address? Luckily, there are six different ways to change your IP address easily.
So, depending on if you want to increase your online privacy or fix router issues, you can choose the right option to help you get the most out of your new IP address.
These are as follows:
1. Change your IP Address by Connecting to a VPN
A VPN, in case you don’t know, is a powerful tool that encrypts your online connection and routes your internet traffic via a VPN server in a location you want.
This ensures that all websites and services will see the VPN’s IP address, not the real one.
Thus, it effectively helps in masking your actual location and identity.
Besides providing privacy and security, changing your IP address can be particularly useful for anyone who wants to access geo-restricted content, such as online streaming services or websites only available in certain countries.
Moreover, VPNs are also helpful for torrenting and bypassing censorship in offices, schools, and countries like China.
So, no matter for what reasons you want to change your IP address (whether to gain privacy and security, stream geo-restricted content, or bypass censorship), using a VPN is the most secure way.
However, not all VPNs are equally good or can help you to actually help you to mask your IP address.
Although most VPN providers can hide your IPv4 address, many can leak it via various security vulnerabilities.
Moreover, only a few VPNs can actually hide your IPv6 address.
Therefore, choosing a service that can either prevent IPv4 leaks by default or disables IPv6 is essential.
But that’s not as easy as it might sound.
There are over a hundred VPN providers, and all of them claim to be the best provider in the market, which can’t be true. Don’t worry; we’ve researched three of the best services you can use to change your IP address.
The best VPN providers for changing your IP address are NordVPN, Surfshark, and AltasVPN.
They offer solid tunneling protocols, a security-minded package, a kill switch, and many other cool extras.
Moreover, they offer a vast server network coverage in terms of switching your location.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to change your IP address with a VPN:
- Go to the official website of a suitable VPN provider and sign up for it. (You can use any of the mentioned VPN providers; however, we recommend NordVPN).
- Download and install the VPN app for your device.
- Open your app and select a server of your choice. You can choose a server within your country if you want to hide your IP address. However, make sure to access geo-blocked content and choose a server in a country where the content is available.
And that’s all! Now, you’ve got a different IP address.
2. You Can Change Your IP Address for Free Using Tor
Tor, short for “The Onion Router,” is open-source and free software that allows you to browse the internet anonymously.
It works by encrypting your internet traffic and routing it through a series of volunteer-run servers, or nodes, worldwide.
This process of routing the traffic via multiple nodes is called “onion routing,” which is how Tor got its name.
The easiest and the best way to get started with Tor is to download its browser version.
The Tor Browser is a primary web browser that routes all your traffic via the Tor network.
When using Tor, your internet traffic is encrypted and routes through multiple nodes before it reaches its final destination.
Each node only knows the IP address of the previous and next nodes in the chain, which helps mask your IP address and location.
This makes it impossible for anyone to trace your Tor traffic back to the source.
In fact, the website you’ll visit will see the IP address of the last node, called the Exit Node.
However, it’s important to note that Tor isn’t a perfect solution for anonymity and privacy.
While it can help protect your online identity to some extent, there are still ways your activity can be tracked or monitored.
Also, Tor can often be slower than a VPN, as traffic is routed through multiple nodes.
This can make it difficult to stream content or download large files.
A paid VPN may be a better option if you require more robust privacy and security features or need to access geo-restricted content.
VPNs also offer the ability to change your IP address, but with the added benefit of more robust encryption and faster speeds.
However, make sure to choose a reputable VPN provider.
3. Change Your IP Address by Using a Proxy
Proxies are another way to change your IP address and browse the internet anonymously.
A proxy server acts like a middleman between your device and the internet.
It allows you to mask your IP address and access content that may be restricted in your region.
It works similarly to a VPN but has lesser versatility and security.
There are several types of proxies available that can help you to change your IP address:
- HTTP/S proxies: These proxy server types allow users to browse the internet anonymously by masking their IP address. They work by intercepting web requests and forwarding them to the destination server while hiding the user’s IP address. They’re sometimes called SSL proxies.
- SOCKS proxies: SOCKS proxies, on the other hand, are typically used for more advanced purposes, such as bypassing firewalls or accessing restricted networks. It can handle various types of internet traffic, including email, messaging, file transfers, and web traffic. The latest version, SOCKS5, includes support for encryption.
- SSH proxies: SSH (Secure Shell) proxies use the SSH protocol to establish a secure and encrypted connection between the user’s device and the remote server. They can tunnel web traffic and bypass internet censorship and restrictions. It isn’t a high-speed protocol, although it’s safe since the encryption is included.
However, it’s important to note that proxies do have their limitations.
Unlike VPNs, proxies only protect your online traffic while routing through the proxy server.
Any data transmitted outside of the proxy connection isn’t encrypted.
Moreover, some sites and services may block access from proxy servers, making it difficult to access certain content.
If you require more robust privacy and security features or need to access geo-restricted content, a paid VPN is a better option.
4. Unplug Your Modem to Change Your IP Address
Do you know that you can change your IP address simply by unplugging your modem? Yes, you read it right.
You’ll be able to have a new IP address by unplugging your modem and then plugging it back in again.
If you don’t know, a modem is a device that connects your computer or router to the internet.
It translates the data from your computer into a format that can be transmitted over the internet and vice versa.
Your ISP assigns you an IP address when you connect to the internet, identifying your device on the web.
When you unplug your modem, it loses its connection to the internet, and the IP address assigned to it becomes available again.
When you plug it back in, your ISP will assign a new IP address to your modem.
However, this method might not always work.
That’s because there is a high chance that your ISP will give you the same IP address again.
Moreover, some ISPs assign IP addresses based on the modem’s MAC address, which is a unique identifier for the device.
In this case, simply unplugging the modem may not change the IP address.
In such cases, you can try cloning the MAC address of another device.
Additionally, save any important work or files before unplugging your modem, as it will disconnect your internet connection.
5. Ask Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to Change Your IP Address
Another way to change your IP address is by asking your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to give you a new one.
An ISP is a company that provides you with internet access.
When you connect to the internet, your ISP assigns you an IP address that identifies your device on the web.
If you want to change your IP address, you can contact them and ask them to assign you a new one.
However, each ISP has a distinct policy regarding handling such requests; therefore, responses may vary.
You’ll need to contact your ISP’s customer support via phone or email, depending on the availability of support channels.
Once you contact them, explain why you want to change your IP address, and they will guide you through the process.
You must note that not all ISPs can change your IP address on request.
Some may have policies that only allow IP addresses to be changed under certain circumstances, such as a security breach.
So, you should read your ISP’s terms and conditions to understand their policies.
Before contacting your ISP, checking if you’ve got a static or dynamic IP address is essential.
So if you’ve got a static IP address, you may need to pay a fee to your ISP to change it.
On the other hand, if you’ve got a dynamic IP address, you can change it simply by disconnecting and reconnecting your modem or router.
However, you’ll need to contact your ISP if you want a new IP address.
6. Change Your Networks to Have a New IP Address.
Although it might appear obvious, you can have a new IP address by disconnecting your device from whatever network you’re connected to and connecting to a new one.
For that, you can switch to a different WiFi connection or switch from WiFi to a mobile data connection or vice versa if you’re on a smartphone.
Moreover, you can even change your network’s IP address manually.
It can be a complex process, but you can do this quickly and easily with the right approach.
Remember that the specific process will vary depending on your device, operating system, and network configuration, but the general steps are as follows:
- Before changing your IP address, you’ll need to know what it is. You can do this by opening the Command Prompt or Terminal and running the “ipconfig” or “ifconfig” commands.
- Once you know your current IP address, you must choose a new one. You can do this manually by selecting an unused IP address within your network’s subnet or automatically enabling DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) on your router or other network devices.
- After selecting a new IP address, you must configure your network settings to use it. This may involve changing the IP address of your router or other network devices and updating the settings on each device connected to the network.
- Once you’ve made the necessary changes, you should test your network to ensure everything works correctly. This can involve checking connectivity to the internet, testing network speed and performance, and verifying that all devices can communicate with each other.
However, it’s essential to be aware of the potential pitfalls and to carefully test your network after making any changes.
Reasons to Change the IP Address
There are several reasons why you might want to change your IP address; these are as below:
- Security concerns: Changing your IP address can help protect your privacy and security online. In fact, hackers and other malicious actors may target devices with known IP addresses, making it easier to attack them. Changing your IP address can make it more difficult for attackers to find and target your devices.
- Network conflicts: Sometimes, devices on the same network can experience conflicts if they’ve got the same IP address. You can change one of these devices’ IP addresses, resolve the conflict, and restore network functionality.
- Bypass geo-restrictions: Some websites and services are only available in some specific regions. So, if you want to access a service that isn’t available in your region, changing your IP address to a location where it’s available can help you bypass geo-restrictions.
- Internet speed: Some ISPs may limit your bandwidth or throttle your connection based on your IP address. You can change your IP address and help you improve your internet speed if your ISP limits your bandwidth based on your IP address.
FAQs
Is It Illegal to Change IP Addresses?
Don’t worry; it isn’t illegal to change your IP address.
In fact, you can legally use a VPN in any country worldwide without worrying about breaking any laws.
But that doesn’t mean you can do anything after changing your IP address.
There are specific activities that are considered illegal, no matter if you’ve to change your IP address or not.
Can I Use a Free VPN to Change My IP Address?
You can indeed use a free VPN to change your IP address.
However, various things about free services make them less ideal to use.
For instance, free services have low monthly bandwidth limits, so you might not be able to use them as much as you want.
Moreover, free VPN service providers falsely claim to follow zero-log policies while they completely forget it and put your privacy at stake.
So we recommend using a reputable paid provider instead of a free one.
Why Does Changing the IP Address Catch CAPTCHA Requests?
You may receive CAPTCHA requests when you change your IP address.
That’s because the IP address is likely to be shared with other users.
Google notices an unusually high volume of requests from a single IP address.
And therefore, it asks you to complete CAPTCHAs to confirm that you’re a human, not a robot.
Conclusion
That’s it for today! In this post, we’ve answered one of the most-asked questions – ‘how to change IP address?’
So that you can improve your online security, bypass geo-restrictions, and troubleshoot network issues.
With the steps outlined above, changing your IP address has never been easier.
So go ahead, change your IP address, and take control of your online experience today!