What is an IP address?

IP, or Internet Protocol, consists of four numbers from the range 0-255, separated by dots. This sequence is nothing more than an Internet identifier that allows different services to communicate with a device that is connected to the network.

The basic IP division includes addresses:

private or public,
dynamic or constant.
Private addresses are usually used in local networks and their number is limited. The most common IP address in a local network has a sequence of 192.168.x.x, where x stands for successive numbers assigned by the network provider to individual devices. Public addresses, on the other hand, identify network devices on the Internet and it is thanks to them that communication between individual devices on the global network is possible. A public address can have a single device as well as the entire network.

From the perspective of the average user, it is more important whether IP is fixed or variable. Constant, as the name suggests, remains the same with every connection to the network, while the variables with every connection are different.

It is very often the case that IP identifies the whole network, not a single device. In this case, all computers, phones, routers, and other equipment on the network will be visible at the same IP address.

The benefits of changing IP

If you are interested in the subject of IP change, it means that you are a conscious network user and you know that such a change can bring you many benefits. Changing your IP address is not complicated, but it is a milestone in improving the security of Internet use and in particular privacy. By changing your IP, you can hide the address that your ISP has given you, which prevents you from tracking and tracing your activity on the network.

Other advantages are related to more efficient use of services on the Internet. Each provider of such services can impose a ban on a specific IP address, a blockade that prevents the use of this service. An IP change allows you to bypass the blockade using an address that the provider does not yet know and from which it will not identify the user already blocked.

A big problem is using services available only in a particular country. The services with geolocation restrictions include mainly streaming sites that provide VOD services. The change of IP to foreign ones means that regardless of where in the world you are currently located, you will be able to access services from a given country. By changing your IP to another country you can also use all the services available only in that country, e.g. cheaper airline tickets, hotel reservations or shopping in online shops.

IP change is useful not only when you want to use services available in another country, but also when you need to access Polish services while abroad. Changing IP to Polish means that you can easily watch Polish Internet TV or log on to streaming services and VOD services even while abroad.

The change of IP will also be useful for your business. With this option you will check and analyze content that is only available for a selected geolocation, such as advertisements.

How to change the IP?

There are many ways to change the IP. Some of them are temporary solutions, others provide continuity of change over a long period of time.

If you have a variable IP, you can change it once from your router. All you have to do is turn this device off for a minute or two, and when you reconnect, you will get a new IP address. In the long run, however, this is not a practical method, as it requires constant interference with the router and interruptions in the Internet supply, which can be very tiring.

You can also call your ISP and ask them to change your IP. Some ISPs agree to this at no extra charge, others provide an IP change service for a small fee. There are also some ISPs that ask you why you want to change your IP - be prepared to answer that question.

Change or hide your IP

Changing the IP with the above methods is possible, but gives results in the short term. Sometimes, instead of changing the IP, it is more profitable to hide it. How to hide the IP? Just use the method known for years - gateway or proxy server. A residential proxy is an intermediary between the user's computer and a server, which makes data available on the Internet. This intermediary can be a server or a computer with specialized software. As a proxy, the proxy collects data and sends requests on your behalf to other servers. As a result, using a proxy you can count on faster loading of websites and hiding your computer's IP. The service provider will therefore not see your IP, but the proxy IP.

How can I change my IP address with the TOR web browser?

Another option on how to change the Internet's IP is to use a special browser that uses the TOR (The Onion Router), a so-called onion network. Its name comes from multilayer encryption of messages, which resembles the construction of an onion - one of the layered vegetables. A browser operating on the basis of the TOR changes its IP address and therefore ensures almost complete anonymity. Its disadvantage is slower operation, so streaming or downloading files can be very difficult. The browser is available in a portable version, so you do not need to install it on every device.

VPN is a simple way to change your IP

The above mentioned methods of IP change are effective, but require frequent user activity and interference with device settings or are complicated and therefore not suitable for people who do not have specialist knowledge. The easiest and at the same time the safest way to change the IP is via VPN.

As you probably already know, VPN, or Virtual Private Network, provides data tunneling. This means that the data exchanged between your computer and the service provider's server is encrypted and transmitted via an intermediary server, which is the VPN server. The whole "magic" of this solution is that you can connect each time to another server, located in one of the countries around the world. This gives you a foreign IP, which opens up new opportunities for using the global network.

The advantages of changing IP over VPN

First of all, it should be stressed that thanks to VPN, there is indeed a change of IP to another country. The change of IP location is related to the fact that you connect to a VPN server located in another country, and the service provider sees the IP of that server, not your device. That's why you can easily use location-locked sites while sitting comfortably in your favourite chair.

And a VPN provides you with a VPN:

the possibility of streaming from anywhere in the world - the change in IP makes it possible for you to use foreign VOD services and Internet TV while in Poland, but it is also possible to access Polish services when you are abroad. When choosing a VPN provider, pay attention to which of them has servers in Poland and in the countries you frequently visit.
Privacy protection, not only by changing the IP, thanks to which it is more difficult to collect data about your activity in the network, but also by data encryption. Good VPN networks encrypt data using encryption protocols based on 128- or 256-bit keys. Even if a hacker hacks into a VPN, he won't be able to decrypt the data transmitted - the fastest computer in the world would take nearly 100 years of uninterrupted operation. Your data is protected not only from hackers, but also from cybercriminals, government, corporations and even your ISP.
Access to blocked content on the Internet, including pages and sites where you have been banned (blocked). This is the main advantage of a VPN - the service provider that imposed the ban on you will not know that you are re-connecting to its site because the VPN will give you different IPs, leading to a VPN server, not your device. This also gives you access to content that is subject to location-based blocking.
This is to bypass censorship, which is mainly imposed on internet content by national governments. You may encounter such censorship in China, Russia or the United Arab Emirates.
A real possibility of using cheaper products and services, not only plane tickets or hotel reservations, but also basic products that you often buy. The practices of some companies are that they track consumer behaviour on the Internet. Thanks to this, they gather information on which services you use most often and it is these services that will become more expensive for you. Thanks to the changed IP you will stop paying for your purchases.
As you can see, changing the IP via VPN provides many benefits related not only to entertainment, but also to everyday use of the network. With a VPN, you can safely log in to online banking, shop, use your library resources and even work.

How do I change my IP location via a VPN?

First of all, you need to start by choosing the right provider. You can use one of the free VPNs for a one-time IP change, but you will have to take into account the slower operation of the network and the many restrictions. Remember that a free VPN is also not fully free. You often pay for it not with money, but with your personal data.

So take a look at the paid offers that provide much better encryption, and which will give you all the benefits of having a VPN. You will find many VPN providers on the market, but focus your attention on those who have servers in countries that are important to you, including Poland (not all of them have servers in our country), and in the most popular countries they have a few. These countries include mainly the United States and Germany. They have problems with accessing American Netflix and German football broadcasts. How to change IP to American? It is enough to buy access to VPN, which has servers in the USA. And how to change the IP to German? Exactly the same - buy access to VPNs with German servers.

Servers in both countries have the best VPN providers in the world. Currently, the undisputed leader is NordVPN, which has servers in 60 countries, uses modern security protocols and gives you the opportunity to install networks on several devices. With this offer, you don't have to think about how to change your phone's IP anymore, just install a VPN network from NordVPN on it. Equally good offer, but at a slightly lower price, are PureVPN and IPVanishVPN.

When choosing a VPN, think about which devices you want to use it on. Although most good providers ensure that their VPNs work on almost all devices, such as a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet or even smart TV, in reality you may sometimes encounter problems when installing a network on one of these devices. The selected VPN must be compatible with the operating system of the device.

The network installation itself is also important. To obtain an IP change you need to connect to the selected server, and this is not possible without a proper installation. Fortunately, it is not too difficult and even a person with no experience and IT knowledge can cope with it. After buying an account with the provider it is enough:

download the application to the device,
install it using the manufacturer's instructions,
and log in.
During configuration, you need to select the country or specific server through which you want to connect. This setting can be changed at any time, depending on current needs.

Changing the IP over a VPN is not free of defects. Although the VPN provides a very high level of privacy and strong data protection (you don't even need to provide this data to buy the service), you can reveal it yourself through cookies, which are located and stored in your browser. Some VPNs may not work if you want to access specific sites. The biggest problems are created by American Netflix - programmers gradually eliminate access from American servers, blocking subsequent IPs. Similar practices are used by more and more providers, but a good VPN network copes with this problem, at least well. When using VPN, you also have to prepare for a potential slowdown in the network, especially if you choose the free option. Streaming or downloading files is then difficult, and in some cases quite impossible.

So how to change your computer's IP to foreign or Polish? When thinking about how to change your IP to another country, choose the option that will give you the most benefits. As you can see, the best solution will be to buy a VPN, which in addition to changing the IP also guarantees increased security of Internet use. The choice should be dictated primarily by meeting your needs.