There are many ways you can easily change your IP address, however, for your specific situation you might need to use a particular method. In this tutorial, we are going to mention different methods to change your IP address, just choose the one which suits you best.

What is an IP Address?

When a computer connects to a network (local or Internet) it’s assigned a unique identifier called IP address. It’s like the name of the students in the class. There are two types of IP address.

 

  1. Public or External IP Address – It’s the IP address of your router and this IP address is assigned by your ISP. The public IP Address looks something like this – 78.22.108.24. To check your current public IP address, simply do a search on Google for “what is my IP address”. Internet service providers (ISP) assign both static and dynamic IP addresses, here is an explanation of both: 1.1 Static IP Address: A static IP address can’t be changed automatically. It becomes your identity until you change the service provider. You can mask it with another IP address using VPN or a Proxy service, but you can’t change it unless the ISP agrees. 1.2 Dynamic IP Address: Many ISPs assign an IP address from a pool of IP addresses when you connect to the network. This means your IP address is changed frequently and you won’t have a fixed identity.
  2. Private or Internal IP Address – It’s the IP address assigned to all the devices connected to your router like – your computer, Android phone. This private IP address usually looks something like – 192.168.1.101 etc. To find your private IP address type in ipconfig/all on your cmd. Again, private IP address can be either static or dynamic. We’ll come to that later. Now, let’s see how to change IP address in all cases.

Case 1. How to Change Public IP Address

First find out, which Public IP address you have – static or dynamic. In 99% of the cases, you’ll have a dynamic IP address. So, let’s see how to change it.

Method #1: Contact your ISP

Usually, ISP don’t assign static IP address unless you pay extra for it, but in case you have a static public IP address and want to change it permanently, then contact your ISP and request them to assign you new public IP address. If you want to temporary change you public IP, then see method #3.

Method #2: Turn Off your Modem to get a New IP Address

This is the simplest method of changing your IP address. If you have a dynamic IP address, then restarting the modem should automatically change the IP address. To change your IP address, just turn off your modem and wait 5-10 minutes and turn it back on. You should be able to see a new IP address assigned to you, if not, then you may have to wait 5-8 hours and then turn on the modem. It depends on your ISP how fast they assign a new IP address. Tip: To check your current public IP address, simply do a search on Google for “what is my IP address”.

Method #3: Use Web proxy or VPN service

You can also use a Web proxy or a VPN service to change your IP address and access content online. This is an easy method, but comes with its own downside. These services (free) slow your connection and also load the web pages with ads. You will have to opt for a paid service if you would like to browse properly. These services will also mask both Dynamic and Static IP addresses. So even if you have a Static IP address, you can use such services to mask your public IP.

3.1 Proxy Service

You can just enter the address in the Proxy service provider website and you will access it from a different IP address (probably, from another country). The service is quite simple to access, but will affect your browsing by slowing it a bit or displaying ads. A good proxy service provider will charge you for using their services, but most of them are free or have paid upgrades. Some Free proxy services include Kproxy, Proxify and ProxySite.

3.2 VPN Service

A VPN service will mask your current IP address at system level. This means it will not only affect your browsing, but everything else as well; such as programs and games. You can check our list of best free VPN services to pick a good VPN service. Most VPN services are ad-supported and require a premium account to get rid of ads and access additional features. If you need VPN service only in your browser, then you can also use Opera browser. It comes with a built-in free VPN that is fast, free and without any ads.

Case 2. How to Change Private IP Address

Like Public IP address – private IP address can also be static or dynamic. Usually, most home routers have DHCP enabled which will give dynamic IP to every computer connected to it. For example,  if you connect your computer to your WiFi, it’ll be assigned 192.168.1.100 now, if you disconnect your computer and connect your smartphone to the WiFi, the router can also assign it 192.168.1.100 and if you computer reconnect later, it can assign it other available IP address like 192.168.1.101 etc. You can check whether you have Dynamic IP address or static right inside Windows. Press Windows+R keys and type “cmd” in the Run dialog to launch Command Prompt. Now type “ipconfig /all”, and hit enter. You will see loads of information about your connection. Here check the entry next to the option “DHCP Enabled”. If it’s “Yes” then you have a Static IP address, and if it’s “No” then you have a Dynamic IP Address. In most cases, DHCP will be enabled.

Now, again the steps to change your private IP address is different for both Static and dynamic (If DHCP is on). Let’s check them out one by one.

2.1 Change Private IP Address – If DHCP is enabled

Method #1 Using command prompt You can use Command prompt to renew your IP address. It might not be as simple as above mentioned method, but it is faster. Open up your command prompt by press Windows+R button to open “Run” window. Here type “cmd” and click on “OK”. Command Prompt will open up, here type ipconfig /release and hit enter. After the process completes and you are again ready to enter commands, type ipconfig /renew and hit enter. This will reset your IP Address and you will be able to see it in the command prompt.

Method #2 Turn off your Internet This one is same as restarting your router to change your public IP. Since you have DHCP enabled, if you disconnect your WiFi or shutdown your system and connect other devices to the WiFi, DHCP will assign your IP address to the new device. And then when you reconnect to the network, DHCP will give new private IP address. Though, this might not work all the time.

2.2 Change Private IP Address – If DHCP is disabled

If you are using static IP address on your local network, then you can easily assign a different static IP by going to your network settings. To do that, first find your IP address by typing ipconfig in the cmd and look for the ipv4 value. Say it’s 192.168.1.104. Also, make a note of your default gateway and subnet mask. We’ll need this later on. Now, click on Start Menu > type in Network and Sharing Center and hit enter. A new window will open, click on Change Adapter Settings >  Right Click on your current Network Adapter (like WiFi) and choose Properties > a new window will open, here click on Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4)  then Properties  > Use Following IP address.

Here you need to enter the IP address that belongs to the same subnet of your default gateway and it should not assigned to other devices on the same network. So, your old IP address was 192.168.1.104, you can enter 192.168.1.x; where x is between 0-255 and should not be used by other devices. If the other device has the same IP address as this one, there will network conflict and no device will get the internet. See this video for details. Type in the new IP address and enter the same subnet mask and default gateway, that you have written in the previous step. and then save changes. To confirm changes, do ipconfig in the cmd. If you see your new IP address and if your internet is working, then you have successfully change your IP address.

Wrapping Up

You can use the methods above to change your IP address and get a new identity on the internet. I believe a VPN service is the best way to change your IP address. It can mask static IP address, let you take advantage of different IPs and keep you anonymous online. However, if you already have a Dynamic IP address, then paying for a VPN or dealing with ads isn’t the best option.