How to change your IP address on any device [It’s Not Hard]
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There are many reasons why you might want to change your IP address. Whether you want to protect your security, keep your browsing activity private, change your location on the Internet, or avoid restrictions and bans, changing your IP address is a relatively straightforward process. While you can do this manually, the best way is to use a VPN.
This article will show you the different ways to change your IP address across different devices. We will also answer some common questions about changing your IP address, such as its legality.
The most common way to change an IP address
There are several ways to change your IP address, depending on whether you want to change your local or public IP address. Your device’s local or internal IP address is assigned by your router, and is only used within your own network. On the other hand, your device’s public or external IP address is assigned by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and you cannot change it yourself.
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If you are wondering which IP address to change, local or public, it depends on what you want to do. Your local IP address can be changed manually, and you only need to do this if you are going to troubleshoot your Internet connection issues.
However, if you want to access geo-blocked content on the streaming service, hide your online location, or protect your online activity, you must change your public IP address. You can do this by using a proxy server, restarting your modem, unplugging your router, or by using a VPN.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is the best and safest way to change your public IP address. Although there are many VPN apps on the market, ExpressVPN is one of the most popular options. We will be using it for its entire life during this tutorial as we have found it to be very reliable and safe. Technically, a VPN “hide” your IP address by creating an encrypted connection. This type of connection acts as a tunnel between your device and the Internet.
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While you can’t choose your new IP address, with ExpressVPN you can select the geographical region that will be associated with your device. Choosing another geographic region is especially useful when you want to access websites, apps, and streaming services that are not available in your country.
ExpressVPN is compatible with many devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook, Linux, and more. You can even use it for smart TV systems and game consoles.
How to change your IP address on a Mac
The first step to changing your IP address on a Mac is to sign up for ExpressVPN on their website. Once you choose a plan (one month, six months, or 15 months) and a payment method, you’ll need to create an account. Here’s what you need to do next:
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- Go to the “My Account” tab in the top menu.
- Type your username and password to log in. You will automatically be taken to the setup page.
- Select “Download for Mac”.
- Copy the activation code.
- Follow the instructions inside the app to complete the installation process.
- Enter your Mac username and password.
- Choose “Install Software”.
- Paste the activation code into the ExpressVPN window.
- Select “Login”.
Now that you’ve installed ExpressVPN, let’s see how you’ll use it to change your IP address:
- In the ExpressVPN window, click the Connect button.
- Go to the three dots next to “Selected location”.
- Choose one of 160 server locations in 94 countries.
When you start using ExpressVPN, your public IP address will be changed or “hidden”, making you an anonymous Internet user. You can use this method with MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, and Mac mini.
How to change your IP address on Windows PC
The process for installing ExpressVPN on a Windows PC is similar to installing ExpressVPN on a Mac. Here’s what you need to do:
- After creating an account on ExpressVPN, go to the My Account tab.
- Log in to your account.
- Click the Download for Windows button.
- Copy the activation code that you will need later.
- Click Download again.
- Allow ExpressVPN to make changes to your device.
- Select “Continue” in the ExpressVPN window.
- Proceed to “Set up ExpressVPN”.
- Paste the activation code in the field and log in.
- Click the Connect button.
- Express VPN presets the optimal location for your device by default. If you want to change it, click on the three dots next to “Selected location”.
- Choose the server location.
This is. If you want to stop using ExpressVPN, click the Connect button again. Doing so will disconnect ExpressVPN until you want to use it again.
How to change your IP address on a Chromebook
To install ExpressVPN on your Chromebook, you’ll need to download it from the Play Store. Once you have it installed on your Chromebook, here’s what you need to do next:
- Open ExpressVPN and sign in.
- Click OK to allow ExpressVPN to set up a VPN connection on your device.
- Select the Connect button to activate ExpressVPN.
- Click on the three dots next to “Selected location”.
- Choose your preferred server location.
Keep in mind that you can only use ExpressVPN with apps from Google Play if you have a Chrome OS version lower than v64.
How to change your IP address on an Android device
Here’s how to use ExpressVPN to change your IP address on your Android device:
- Go to the ExpressVPN website on your Android device.
- Go to “My Account” in the upper-right corner.
- sign in.
- Click on the “Set Up ExpressVPN” option.
- Select the “Get it from Google Play” button.
- Press “Install” and open the application.
- Sign in to the app.
- Choose OK to allow a permission app to set up a VPN connection.
- Select OK again.
- Press the “Connect” button.
- Go to “More options” to switch to another site.
How to change your IP address on iPhone
The following method can be applied to all versions of iPhone and iPad. Follow the steps below to set up ExpressVPN on your iPhone:
- Visit the ExpressVPN website on your iPhone.
- Go to “My Account” and log in.
- Select “Download ExpressVPN for iOS”.
- Open the app.
- Click the “Connect” button to activate ExpressVPN.
- Go to “More Options” to change the server location.
How to change IP address on PS4
Setting ExpressVPN on your PS4 is a little more complicated than on other devices. You’ll need to create a DDNS hostname, register your hostname with ExpressVPN, and then configure DNS on your PS4.
You will need to use a third-party DDNS service provider to set up a DDNS hostname. We’ll explain how to do the rest in the next two sections:
Step 1 – Register the hostname with ExpressVPN
- Visit the ExpressVPN website and log into your account.
- Go to “DNS Settings” in the top menu.
- Under “Dynamic DNS Registration”, type in the hostname you created with your third-party service provider.
- Click the “Save hostname” button.
- Go to the “My Subscriptions” page on the ExpressVPN website.
- Click the “Set Up ExpressVPN” button.
- Choose “PlayStation”.
- Type the IP address of the DNS server.
Step Two – Set Up DNS on Your PS4
- Turn on your PS4.
- Go to the “Settings” tab.
- Find “Network” in the list, then “Set up an Internet connection.”
- Choose “Custom” and then “Auto”.
- Select “Do not select”.
- Go to “Manual”.
- Proceed to “Basic DNS”.
- Enter the IP address of the DNS server.
- Go to Done, then Next.
- Under “MTU Settings” choose “Auto”.
- Choose Do Not Use.
Restart the PS4, and the process is complete. Your IP address will be hidden, so you can play any games you want.
How to change your IP address on Xbox
To set up ExpressVPN on your Xbox, you can view our detailed post on how to connect to a vpn on Xbox One, or follow the instructions below. You will also need to create a DDNS hostname and register the hostname with ExpressVPN. To create a DDNS hostname, you will have to use a third-party service provider. Here’s what you need to do next:
Step 1 – Register the hostname with ExpressVPN
- Log into your ExpressVPN account on your browser.
- Find “DNS Settings” at the top of the page.
- Enter your hostname under “Dynamic DNS Registration”.
- Go to “Save hostname”.
- Go to “My Subscriptions” and then to “Set Up ExpressVPN”.
- Scroll down and select “Xbox”.
- Type the DNS code.
Step Two – Set up DNS on your Xbox
To configure DNS on your Xbox, the language must be set to English, and the location must be the United States. Here’s what you need to do next:
- Turn on your Xbox and go to Settings.
- Go to “Network” followed by “Network Settings”.
- Proceed to “Advanced Settings”.
- Choose “DNS Settings” and then “Manual”.
- Enter the primary DNS from the Express VP website.
- Enter the same code for “Secondary DNS”.
- Press “B” on your console to save the settings.
How to change your IP address on the router
To change your IP address on the router, follow these steps:
- Open your browser and enter the IP address of your router.
- Log in to the router as an administrator.
- Go to “Settings” and then “Network Settings”.
- Go to “Router Settings”.
- Enter the new IP address.
- Select “Save settings”.
You can also restart your router. After unplugging it, leave it on for a few minutes. When you plug it back in, the IP address changes automatically.
How to change your IP address without a VPN
If you don’t want to use a VPN, you can change your IP address manually. This process is different for each device. For example, if you are using Windows, you can configure your IP address in Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter setting. For a Mac, you will need to go to System Preferences > Network > Advanced, etc.
You can also update your IP address automatically on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices.
Additional questions and answers
Does changing my IP address change my location?
Technically, changing your IP address changes your location on the Internet. You can change your IP address using a VPN or a proxy server. If you use a VPN, you will get a unique IP address almost anywhere in the world. Although you may not be able to choose your exact IP address, you can usually choose a geographic region.
Is changing your IP address legal?
Changing your IP address is completely legal. People change their IP addresses regularly to improve their online security, access geo-restricted streaming services, and avoid bans and bans. Furthermore, if you are using a VPN, there is no way of knowing that you have changed your IP address.
Explore the internet with a new IP
No matter how you choose to change your IP address, it will add an extra layer of protection to your online identity. There are many reasons why you might want to change your IP address, and it only takes a few clicks.
Have you ever changed your IP address before? Have you used a VPN or another way to do this? Let us know in the comments section below.
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