Free VPNs usually end up selling user data or ads. So we’re on the hunt for free alternatives to VPNs.
Imagine hiding your IP address without putting your trust in the hands of a VPN provider. In hindsight, there are better ways to hide your IP address, if you do not prefer VPN. In fact, there is a similar way to hide and keep an IP address layered by anonymity, encryption, and non-tracing. One of the most popular ways to achieve this is by using Tor browser or Tor Search engines which guards your network connection using Onion layer technology. Tor is built through independent nodes that use layers of encryption, which offers anti-spy, surveillance, or government protection.
What is a Local IP address?
In short, a local IP address connects a local home web connection to the external services or websites. These IP addresses are referred to as “local addresses” and are specific to the internal network. In contrast, the IP addresses used on the Internet serve to identify domains and resources and are separate from local addresses. The router that connects a network to the Internet is given a public IP address by the Internet Service Provider (ISP). This public IP address is easily accessible and what the free tools below aim to obfuscate.
Why should I hide my IP address, and for what reason?
Believe it or not, there are several reasons why you should hide your IP addresses:
- Hiding Location – Websites tend to request your location
- Surveillance – Browsing the internet without being under unwanted surveillance
- Geoblocking – Bypassing restricted streaming content from other countries (Netflix, Youtube, etc…)
- Secure your anonymity – Keeping not just your search history, but internet activity overall
- Prevent Hackers – Keep yourself guarded from those who wish to intrude/steal your information.
Free tools for Hiding your IP address
- Tor Network
The highlighted option to hide your IP address is by using Tor browsers (Onion Router). Tor is an advanced solution for concealing your actual IP address. Unlike proxies and VPNs, Tor doesn’t use a server as an intermediary. Instead, it employs a network of computers situated between the Tor user and the destination website.
When you use Tor, your web connections are encrypted and routed through multiple servers, with each server adding a layer of encryption. At each stage, only enough data is decrypted to determine where the request should go next. As a result, no single point along the data’s path knows where the request originated, not even the first stop.
Tor is incredibly secure, which is why it’s often used by activists and journalists whose online activity could put lives in danger. However, law enforcement and other agencies have been known to use active nodes to read the exit of Tor encryptions.
When network traffic reaches an exit node, which is the last stage before reaching the destination server, the Tor encryption is removed. This must be done to allow the destination server to read the data. Although the IP address remains hidden, the unencrypted data in the request can be read.
Because Tor is often used for cybercrime, intelligence services like the FBI and NSA, as well as foreign agencies, have set up numerous Tor exit nodes, making it a prime target.
Free tools using Tor technology are TorProject and Torry
Torry uses both the Tor Network and Proxy techniques to maximize user privacy. While using Torry the highest level of IP obfuscation can be found on Torry’s Android App which has a fully Tor enabled Browser. Which allows for all mobile browsing on and off of Torry.io to be fully anonymous using Tor Network.
- Using a Proxy
Proxies are a basic and straightforward solution to conceal your IP address. There are various types of proxies, but they all operate on the same principle. Proxy servers act as intermediaries between your computer and the destination website, transmitting data as necessary, similar to how Shadowsocks works. By routing traffic through another computer before reaching the intended website, a proxy connection effectively diverts traffic.
This process masks your IP address with that of the proxy, so the website server remains unaware of your visit. However, if the IP address is traced back to a geolocation database, the proxy server’s location may be discovered, which could be far from your own device. Most proxy servers do not encrypt data while connecting to a website, making it feasible for government agencies to identify your identity and monitor your activities, though this is difficult.
Free tools using proxy technology are WebOProxy and Hide.me
If you connect to a website via WebOProxy, you’re not linking your IP address to the website you’re watching. WebOProxy will link to the website itself and forward whatever the content back to you. No matter if the destination website is secure with an SSL or not, we’ll transfer everything back to you via an encrypted SSL link. And the best part of it is that you’re linked to the Tor network run by thousands of volunteers around the world. Unlike a VPN, there is no single point of failure or centralized agency that you need to trust in order to enjoy the internet privately.
- Cell Phone Networks & Using Another’s Network/Wifi
Another alternative option to change IP addresses quickly is by using your mobile data. Since it operates on a distinct system, it will have a somewhat different IP address. However, we don’t recommend relying on this method as a substitute for your PC or laptop. Instead, it’s best to use it only in emergencies when your IP address is under imminent threat. It’s important to note, though, that depending solely on your cell phone data is not a practical or effective long-term solution.
If you prefer to avoid complicated downloads and app installations, you can use public Wi-Fi networks found in places such as airports, hotels, and cafes to browse the internet. This is another option for hiding your IP address since you’ll be using the network’s IP instead of your own. However, using public Wi-Fi also exposes your data to potential hackers.
Free ways to inspect your mobile IP are IPLocation
WebOProxy 