What You Need to Know About Hiding Your IP Address?

What You Need to Know About Hiding Your IP Address?What You Need to Know About Hiding Your IP Address?

IP addresses are like mailing addresses for your internet-connected device. It allows information to be sent back and forth by the correct parties. However, there are now many instances where IP addresses can be used by would-be hackers who have bad intentions towards you. This is why it's understandable that many are now considering hiding their IP address for security reasons.

If you are interested in knowing how to hide your IP address, then you are on the right page. In this article, you will learn how to hide your IP address using residential proxies, VPN, and Tor.

How to Hide Your IP Address

There are 3 common methods of how to hide your IP address. It includes the following:

1. Using a Proxy

Using a proxy service like Smartproxy is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods of hiding your IP address. Proxy servers handle your internet traffic on your behalf. It serves as a middleman that masks your IP address to make your internet activity appear from a completely different location.

2. Using a VPN

 Aside from using residential proxies, you can also hide your IP address using VPN. This is an intermediary server that encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP.

The VPN hides your IP address by rerouting your traffic to a VPN server. The only one that will be able to view your actual IP address is the VPN provider

3. Using Tor

Another method of hiding your IP address is with the use of Tor. This is a free network that hides your identity online by using multiple layers of encryption.

However, this is not a widely used option because the encryption system of Tor can be quite thorough. As a result, it may take some time for the traffic to be completed; hence it can be quite slow. 

Different Types of Proxies

As mentioned above, one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of hiding your IP address is by using proxies. However, not all proxies offer the same degree of protection. Here are the different types of proxies: 

1. Transparent Proxy

These are considered the simplest type of proxy. It works by passing your information along but instead of using your IP address, it uses the proxy IP address. This is commonly used to filter which websites are accessible in companies and schools. Unfortunately, it does not offer any privacy protection due to the proxy not changing the request settings. 

2. Anonymous Proxy

This is the most commonly used type of proxy. It does not send your IP address when you are browsing the internet to keep your activity private. This is the best type of proxy to use if you do not want marketers to track your activities.

3. High Anonymity Proxy

High anonymity proxies are considered to be the most secure type. They do not reveal your IP address, and at the same time, they do not identify themselves as proxies when making requests. The IP address they use when making requests can sporadically change to provide anonymity and privacy. 

4. Residential Proxy

Residential proxies are the most inconspicuous type of proxy. This is because they use real household IP addresses, so they look like regular clients to servers. This makes them undetectable and allows you to get around geo-restricted contents. 

Security Solutions that Actually Decrease Security

You may think that the idea of hiding your IP address is a shady thing to do instead of it being a security solution. However, you have to take note that not all that is marketed as a “security solution” is actually helpful in increasing security. In fact, some of them can even be used to the advantage of those with bad intent. 

Here are some examples of security solutions that actually decrease security: 

1. Face Recognition

Facial recognition works by picking out distinctive features of a person's face. However, some experiments have shown that it can be fooled by misdirecting the algorithm. This has naturally raised a lot of concerns, especially because facial recognition systems are now widely used for passport control and airport security.

3. Home Security Cameras

There have been several reports that burglars are using home security cameras to monitor their potential victims. Even though they do not have access to camera footage, they can still know whether there is someone inside the premises by using the data uploaded by the camera.

Takeaway

There are many good reasons why you should hide your IP address. The rising threats on the internet are alarming, so it's only natural for you to protect yourself before they get you. Luckily, there are plenty of methods that allow you to do this. But, the most recommended one is to use a proxy to mask your IP address. 

However, remember that not all types of proxy provide the same degree of protection. Make sure to use the best type of your needs and find a reliable provider to get the most out of it. 

About the author
Linas Kiguolis
Linas Kiguolis - Senior IT developer

Linas Kiguolis is a senior IT developer and news editor at Reviewedbypro.com. He has a major in Applied Computer Science because IT has been his passion for a very long time even before he went to college.

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