Anonymous Ip Browsing

How do I Hide My IP Address? – Avast

What is an IP address, anyway?
An IP address is a series of numbers that identifies your device or network on the internet. Activity on the internet is a series of two-way communications between clients — software, such as a web browser, that requests data — and servers, which reply to clients with responses. Every client has an IP address that tells servers who is making the request.
So, it’s easy to understand what an IP address is and also why they’re important. IP addresses let search engines like Google know where to send the results of a search, help websites know who’s visiting their site, and make sure you receive the emails that are addressed to you.
In other words, IP addresses undergird how the internet works in general. Thankfully, it’s very easy to find your IP address if you need this information.
Three ways to hide your IP
Now, let’s take a look at three tools you can use to hide your IP address. Each offers its own blend of privacy, security, and practicality.
1. Use a VPN
A VPN is an intermediary server that encrypts your connection to the internet — and it also hides your IP address. A VPN encrypts all your traffic, not only in your browser but also in other apps, and then passes traffic onward to its destination. They’re a popular privacy solution, and as such, there’s a strong incentive for VPN providers to design tools that are as easy to use as they are secure.
Here’s how to hide your IP address with a VPN: Simply download a VPN such as Avast SecureLine VPN, log in, and turn it on to protect both your IP address and your internet traffic.
How does a VPN hide your IP address?
When you’re using a VPN, your IP address is hidden because your traffic takes a detour through the VPN server. When your traffic — sites visited, online apps used, uploads, downloads, etc. — reaches its destination, it does so under a “virtual” IP address assigned by the VPN.
There’s only one party who’ll be able to see your actual IP address: your VPN provider. That’s why you should choose a trusted VPN provider that isn’t going to keep logs on your activity.
Avast SecureLine VPN is a safe, secure, and convenient way to mask your IP address. It’ll hide your online activity from your internet service provider (ISP), employer, school, and anyone else on your network, including a snooping cybercriminal. And we never keep any logs on sites you visit, apps you use, or content you view.
2. Use Tor
Comprising thousands of volunteer-run server nodes, Tor is a free network that conceals your identity online via multiple layers of encryption. When you access Tor, typically by using the free Tor Browser, your traffic is relayed and encrypted through a series of three relay nodes, each of which decrypts one layer of encryption to learn the identity of the next node. When your traffic leaves the final node, it’s fully decrypted and sent to its destination.
The relay system hides your IP address, but not without cost: because Tor’s encryption system is so thorough, it takes a long time for your traffic to complete its journey. You’ll be sacrificing browsing speed for Tor’s anonymity. This is a worthwhile tradeoff when it really counts, such as for whistleblowers and political dissidents. But if you’re simply seeking to hide your IP address, when comparing Tor and a VPN, you’ll find a VPN to be a far more convenient and faster solution.
How does Tor hide your IP address?
When you use Tor, each relay node along your traffic’s pathway through the Tor network knows only the IP address of the node immediately before and after it. Even if an attacker manages to intercept your traffic while it travels from the final node to your destination server, it’d be very difficult at that point to parse your original IP address.
3. Use a proxy
A proxy server handles your internet traffic on your behalf. A proxy sits in front of a client or network of clients, forwarding requests while also receiving and delivering responses from servers. You may need to manually adjust your device’s proxy settings if you want to use a proxy.
Unlike a VPN, most proxies won’t encrypt your traffic, and they also won’t hide your IP address from anyone who can intercept your traffic on its way from your device to the proxy. Proxy servers, especially free web-based proxies, tend to be less reliable than VPNs. That’s why proxies are best used as a quick, temporary solution as opposed to a long-term privacy plan.
How does a proxy hide your IP address?
Some proxy servers can mask your IP address with a fake one. You’ll appear as though you’re based in the same country as your proxy server. If you’re using a proxy to hide your IP, be aware that not all proxies offer equal protection.
Transparent proxies conceal neither your IP address nor your use of a proxy.
Anonymous proxies hide your IP address but not your use of a proxy.
High anonymity (or elite) proxies hide both your IP address as well as your use of a proxy.
Some sites or content platforms may block traffic from known proxies, so you’ll have to be careful if you’re trying to use a proxy to access media.
Why should I hide my IP address?
Your IP address identifies you online, and in today’s data-driven world, your online activity is very valuable. It’s important to hide your IP address so that you can regain control over your privacy while you’re online. Among other sensitive info, your IP can reveal your shopping and buying habits as well as your physical location. So why hide your IP? You’ve got plenty to gain, and not much to lose.
Hide your IP to browse anonymously
Advertisers and marketers can track you across the internet and analyze your browsing habits with the goal of marketing to you more effectively. Unfortunately, even hiding your IP address won’t stop them, because tracking cookies also deliver this information — which is why you should regularly take the time to delete cookies from your browser.
To take private internet browsing to the next level, consider a dedicated private browser like Avast Secure Browser. It includes a range of advanced anti-tracking features to let you use the internet without leaving any clues behind that companies and individuals can use to follow your activity.
Hide your IP to shield your location
Hide your IP address behind another IP in a different part of the world and no one will know where you really are. This includes websites and services that host geo-restricted content. For example, if you’re traveling abroad and want to access movies or TV shows that are available only for your home country, you can use a VPN or proxy to unblock that website with a false IP address in the correct location.
Many IP addresses are linked to a real-world address, or at least to a general location. If you’re frequently using false IP addresses to change your online location, no one will be able to figure out where you actually are.
Can my IP address ever truly be hidden?
While it’s not possible to hide your IP address from everyone, you can achieve an effective level of privacy sufficient for everyday needs. With a VPN, the only entity that can link your online activity to your IP address is your VPN provider itself. This is why it’s so important to choose a VPN provider with a reliable reputation for security, and one that doesn’t keep logs of user activity.
Your ISP can see the type, timing, and amount of traffic you’re sending to the VPN server, but they won’t know the specifics. The same goes for Tor. Many proxies don’t encrypt your traffic, and so your ISP will be able to access your activity if it wants to while you’re using a proxy. And, as mentioned earlier, all the websites and services you use while connected to a VPN will see only the VPN’s IP address, not yours.
The primary purpose for hiding your IP address is to protect your online activity and location from third-party observers: websites, advertisers who use ad tracking techniques, and cybercriminals. When your safety and privacy is at risk, it’s important to be proactive.
What is IP masking?
IP masking is the technique of concealing your IP address by adopting a false one. This is how hiding your IP address works — they’re two ways to refer to the same thing. If you’re interested in learning how to mask your IP address, you can apply the same techniques described in this article. After all, the only way to hide your IP address and still use the internet is to mask it behind another one.
Your traffic is always going to need an IP address online, since that’s how websites and services know who’s making the requests and where to send the replies. Clients use IP addresses to reach servers, and servers use IP addresses to send requested data back to the correct client.
That request-and-response system is part of the TCP/IP model, which governs how devices on the internet communicate with one each another. IP addresses are classified in a variety of ways: IPv4 vs. IPv6, public vs. local, and static vs. dynamic IP addresses. Read more about IP addresses here.
Hide your IP the easy way with a VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN lets you hide your IP address by choosing from any one of our blazing-fast servers located in dozens of countries all over the world. With your online activity securely encrypted and our no-logging policy, you’ll be able to easily access blocked content, disrupt tracking techniques, and browse the internet freely, with complete confidence in your online privacy.

Hide My IP Address: 4 Easy Ways [UPDATED]

Borrow a different IP address to go anywhere online and stay hidden.
The reasons why you might want to mask your IP address may include: Hiding your geographical location, preventing Web tracking, avoiding a digital footprint, or bypassing any content filters, bans, or blacklisting.
There are a few ways to hide your IP address…that unique number assigned to the network connection on the computer.
Four ways to hide your IP address:
OPTION 1 – Use a VPN Service – The Best Way
Sign up with these services and when you go online, you’ll be showing the world a different IP address…one that’s on loan from the service you’re using.
There are many more advantages to using a personal VPN service over a proxy such as high-speed bandwidth, usability, a secure connection, private access to blocked sites, and the ability to choose the country and city where you appear to be.
There are hundreds of VPN companies you could choose from…many of them shady or poor quality.
Guess what?
Don’t know which VPN is right for you? Try our new VPN Simplifier!
OPTION 2 – Use the Tor Browser – The Slowest Choice
People from all over the world use Tor to search and buy products and communicate with others with restricted Internet access, such as what exists in some foreign countries.
The Tor Browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) is a free software program that you download onto your computer that conceals your IP address every time you go online anonymously. This free process is layered with heavy-duty encryption, which means your data is layered with security and privacy protection.
OPTION 3 – Use a Proxy Server – The Riskiest Method
A proxy server (sometimes called an “open proxy” or just “proxies”) can be used to re-route your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, or Edge) around a company or school content filters.
There are risks involved in using free proxies to mask your IP address: Many will slow down your internet connection, some are run on compromised machines, and may not be legal in some countries.
A safer solution is to use proxies managed by a company such as Smartproxy.
OPTION 4 – Use Public WiFi – The Long Distance Way
An IP address doesn’t travel with you. So if you simply go to a coffee shop, bookstore, or hotel lobby and tap into their Wi-Fi, you will temporarily hide your usual IP address. How so? You’ll be using their network’s IP address for as long as you’re online.
Try it out. First, click show my ip to see your current IP address, and then visit any place with free Wi-Fi, log in to their Internet and check it again.
However, if you don’t use a VPN, your Internet activity is at risk of being spied on or intercepted by a bad guy without your knowing it.
How likely is that?
Who knows! But don’t make online purchases or check your bank account while drinking your Grande Espresso.
In conclusion…
Use a VPN service for high-speed bandwidth, usability, a secure connection, private access to blocked sites, and the ability to choose the country and city where you appear to be.
CyberGhost
NordVPN
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Don’t know which VPN is right for you? Try our VPN Simplifier or compare VPNs.

How to Browse the Web Anonymously – Avast

What is anonymous browsing?
Anonymous browsing means browsing the web while hiding your personally identifiable information, so you can’t be tracked by advertisers, websites, your ISP, the government, or hackers. While anonymous browsing traditionally refers to hiding your IP address, you should also block tracking cookies and browser fingerprinting to get real online privacy.
Is anonymous browsing the same as private browsing?
No, anonymous browsing and private browsing are not the same. Private browsing refers to using a browser’s private mode, such as Google Chrome’s Incognito mode or Firefox’s private windows. While using these modes, your browser won’t store your search history and will clear your cookies and other temporary browsing data once you close the window — but you can still be tracked, and you are not at all anonymous online.
How to browse the web anonymously
To prevent online tracking and stay anonymous online, you’ll need to move beyond a browser’s private mode. Here’s how to protect your anonymity online:
Define your desired level of anonymity
First, let’s define your desired privacy level. Are you a whistleblower working to expose confidential government secrets? Or are you just trying to see fewer targeted ads? Consider the level of anonymity you need.
Low: I don’t want my partner, kids, or roommates to see what I search for or look at online when they borrow my computer.
Medium: I don’t want advertisers, my ISP (internet service provider), the government, my school, or my employer to see what I’m doing or track me.
High: I need to block advertisers, my ISP, the government, and everyone else. My identity must stay completely hidden.
If you’re looking for the lowest level — meaning just hiding your session cookies and search history from anyone else who might use your computer — then you’ll be fine with private browsing. Here’s how to use it in various browsers:
How to go Incognito in Chrome
How to use private mode in Firefox
How to start private browsing in Safari
For a medium or high level of anonymity, you’ll need to learn a bit about how web tracking works.
Learn how web tracking works
You can assume that nearly every site you visit uses web tracking to collect data about you. And while regulations like Europe’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or California’s CCPA (the California Consumer Privacy Act) seek to improve data privacy by requiring consent for cookies, they’ve effectively pushed advertisers and corporations into using sneakier forms of tracking.
The main types of web tracking are:
Cookies. Cookies are tiny bits of code stored on your computer by your web browser, and they contain information about your web activity. First-party cookies help websites work properly — they remember your login info, language settings, or the items you add to your shopping cart.
But many websites also contain third-party cookies planted by companies or organizations who want to understand your behavior and preferences to serve you targeted ads. These cookies track you from one website to the next, and they’re the reason you see the same ads for the same products on multiple websites.
IP address tracking. Your IP address identifies you online. It’s how the data you request, such as your internet searches and emails, reaches you. Every device on the internet has an IP address, which also indicates your general physical location.
Websites use your IP address to identify your preferred language and currency. By tracking where you’re from, when you visit, and what you’re doing while there, websites can attempt to predict your future behavior.
Pixel tracking. Pixels are tiny images that are invisible to the human eye, but can track and record what you’re doing. Pixels in emails are used to track whether you open the email and click on any links inside. Pixels on websites, such as the Facebook pixel, let website owners track how you navigate their site, what you buy, how often you visit, and even if you visit the advertiser’s website on different devices.
Device fingerprinting. Originally invented by banks as a fraud prevention technique, device fingerprinting allows companies to track you while circumventing GDPR and similar regulations. This technique runs invisible scripts in your browser to obtain all sorts of data about the device you’re using. That data is then assembled into your device fingerprint. Your fingerprint can identify you out of a crowd with a high level of accuracy — and without needing your IP address or cookies.
All of this information gets compiled into a profile about your interests, demographic categories, predicted buying behavior, and related data. If that weren’t bad enough, data brokers then buy and sell your data — and any time your info gets exposed in a data breach, people can trade your data on the dark web.
Get the tools to browse anonymously
Considering what you’re up against, you should understand why it’s not so easy to become anonymous online. But with a few tools, tips, and tricks, you can get a considerable level of anonymity. Here’s how to surf anonymously with various tools:
Get a VPN, a proxy server, or Tor
First, hide your IP address and physical location. You can do this using Tor, a proxy server, or VPN. You’ll also want to encrypt your data with a VPN to prevent anyone from seeing what you’re doing online.
Avast SecureLine VPN creates your own personal virtual private network, which fully encrypts your connection and hides all your internet traffic. A VPN can instantly encrypt any network, making it an essential tool for protecting your sensitive personal data on public Wi-Fi.
Use a private email service
Are you worried about your communications being intercepted or read? Use anonymous email to encrypt your communications from end-to-end. A privacy-focused email provider like Protonmail won’t ask for personal information when you sign up. You can also choose an anonymous texting service for your mobile device.
Employ specialized anti-tracking software
Now, let’s hide from advertisers. Avast AntiTrack protects your online identity by identifying and exposing trackers, then feeding them fake data to mask your activity and obscure your digital fingerprint. Plus, all your purchases stay hidden, so advertisers can’t target you for personalized ads.
Use a more private search engine
Avoid Google and Bing, which are huge players in tracking and advertising. Try DuckDuckGo or another private search engine instead.
Get a secure browser
Incognito mode on a normal browser isn’t enough, but a dedicated secure browser offers all kinds of privacy benefits. Block online tracking and mask your digital identity with the built-in anti-fingerprinting technology in Avast Secure Browser. Plus, block ads, prevent phishing attacks, and get lightning-fast browsing.
Avast Secure Browser even comes with a free unlimited VPN on mobile, so you can hide your IP address and encrypt your browsing data with just a single tap. And on Windows, you can conduct extra-sensitive activity in the ultra-secure Bank Mode, which prevents trackers or hackers from seeing any traces of what you’re doing.
By combining the tools mentioned above, you’ll easily achieve a moderate level of online privacy. In the market for true anonymity or 100% invisibility online? Keep reading.
Consider security, too
The whole point of special browsers and VPNs is to keep your private information private, right? So while you’re at it, let’s block hackers, too. Cybercriminals are always on the hunt for your personal data, since it can help them unlock your accounts.
Make sure you’re using the best antivirus software to prevent spyware and keyloggers from stealing your usernames, passwords, bank details, and more.
Avoid social media. If you can’t pry yourself away from the hot takes and cat videos, at least make sure you’re not leaking personal info. Tighten up your Facebook privacy settings and reign in your oversharing on Instagram.
Make sure you know the common signs of phishing so you don’t get tricked into sending your personal data to a scammer.
Is true anonymity possible online?
Sadly, no. Though the tools mentioned above will keep you far more hidden than you are now, it’s not possible to be 100% anonymous online. Think about it: At one point, you signed up for your internet service, so they have your name, contact info, and billing info.
The same goes for most of the services mentioned here. To sign up for a VPN anonymously, you could create an email account with fake personal information, and then use that to sign up for a payment service like PayPal that protects your private information somewhat — and then use those to sign up for a VPN. But there’s still a data trail.
True privacy freaks and anonymity-philes can take things to an extreme level, though. To become untraceable, you could try the following:
To use the internet without registering with an ISP, buy an internet hotspot. To prevent any record of you buying it, get a friend to buy it for you, in cash.
As soon as you get online, connect to the Tor network.
From there, create an email account with an encrypted email service using fake personal information.
Then, find a VPN service that accepts payment in cryptocurrency, and sign up for that with your fake email and anonymous payment. Connect to the VPN.
Now you can use Tor browser or a secure browser in private mode to surf anonymously. Even with all of these precautions, a dedicated sleuth (or NSA agent) could still find a way to identify you.
Pretty extreme, right? The above process would also make for an extremely slow browsing experience. It’s what some whistleblowers, journalists, or those living under oppressive regimes have to do.
But for most of us, that type of anonymity is inconvenient and unnecessary. For the best balance of anonymity and convenience, use a secure browser that blocks web tracking while you surf and add a VPN to hide your IP address. You’ll have plenty of internet privacy — but with an internet that’s still usable and fun.
Easily browse securely and privately
While complete anonymity isn’t possible online, you can still take some quick and easy steps to strengthen your online privacy. Not ready to learn how Tor works or buy an anti-tracking tool? Our free Avast Secure Browser is the best way to dip your toes into the online privacy pool.
Get anti-tracking, anti-fingerprinting, automatic ad-blocking, plus security protection against malicious websites and downloads. And with the free mobile VPN, you can hide your IP address and encrypt your connection. Download it today for free — no personal information required.

Frequently Asked Questions about anonymous ip browsing

How do I hide my IP address and browse the Internet anonymously?

The Tor Browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) is a free software program that you download onto your computer that conceals your IP address every time you go online anonymously. This free process is layered with heavy-duty encryption, which means your data is layered with security and privacy protection.

Is Anonymous Browsing really anonymous?

Anonymous browsing means browsing the web while hiding your personally identifiable information, so you can’t be tracked by advertisers, websites, your ISP, the government, or hackers.Feb 18, 2021

How do I browse the web anonymously?

Use incognito mode Click the three dots on the top right of your browser. Choose “New Incognito window.” Begin browsing. To exit incognito mode, close the open window.Mar 23, 2018