How Do I Change The Ip Address On My Router

How to change your IP address — Irresolute your IP address is piece of cake, safe and legal.
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Don't worry. Changing your IP address is like shooting fish in a barrel, even if you've never done it earlier. It's also perfectly safe and -- every bit long equally you're not using it to break other laws -- information technology's legal. Your computer and phone have several types of IP addresses (short for cyberspace protocol, a unique series of numbers that identify your specific device with your online browsing), but we'll focus on the type normally inverse to protect your privacy as you lot browse, and those which brand you announced like y'all're in a unlike country.

There are four unproblematic ways to change your IP accost in under 5 minutes. Jumping behind a proxy server or a VPN is the best way to not but temporarily change your IP accost, only also protect your privacy. If you just want to change your IP accost without the boosted privacy boost, you can either enter your preferred IP manually, or you lot can just forcefulness your device to retrieve a new one automatically.

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Keep in mind, changing your IP address volition temporarily disrupt whatever net-continued services or programs you're using on your device. There'southward no harm done, but it's going to have the same event every bit if you lot'd momentarily lost your Wi-Fi.

Your Spotify might hiccup. Media streaming services will accept a momentary brain freeze. If you're sending or receiving files, y'all may need to offset over. And you might have to log dorsum in to whatever secure site you're currently using.

If you're tooling around with IP address changes, you lot might have some other questions. Here are two of the near mutual questions I've been asked.

Editors' note, Feb. ix, 2022: The VPN manufacture has undergone significant change in the past few months, with all three of our top VPN choices announcing major changes in corporate ownership. In December, ExpressVPN announced that it had officially joined Kape Technologies, a visitor that already owns several other VPNs and has raised privacy concerns in the past. In February, NordVPN and Surfshark announced the ii companies were merging, though they'll keep to operate apart. We're in the process of reevaluating all of our peak picks in low-cal of these changes. We will update our reviews and, if necessary, our rankings to account for this new competitive landscape.

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Why should I consider irresolute my IP accost?

Routinely changing your external, or public IP address, can help you improve your overall security and browsing privacy. There are other reasons, too.

If you've just installed a new home router, you may demand to reconfigure your network with a quick IP change. One common trouble among home routers is that they sometimes give devices the wrong IP address, then changing your IP manually can solve those glitches.

If yous desire to access a country'southward catalog of streaming media services when you're outside of that country for whatever reason, changing your IP to i based in the correct state tin can go yous the catalog yous're looking for. As well, if you lot're a gamer looking to lower your lag, changing your IP via a gaming proxy server tin can assistance improve performance. I neat tech pull a fast one on for second-language learners is to apply an IP address based in some other country to generate search results and local publications written in the local language.

Is it even legal to change your IP address?

Yes, it's legal to change your IP accost in the U.s.. People change their IP addresses routinely when facing direct attacks on their online security, when testing a website before it goes live, or when they simply prefer to protect their privacy. Obviously, this FAQ is in no way offering legal communication and you should consult a licensed chaser for specific questions, but the legal boundaries on IP address changes usually beginning with what you modify your IP to, and what you lot do with that new IP address.

If yous've changed your IP to impersonate an private or a business -- frequently called IP spoofing -- you could be running afoul of the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. You lot might besides run into trouble if you're changing your IP accost to access a website you've been banned from. IP spoofing is also a tool used by some cybercriminals to perform a scattering of well-known attacks, most commonly those related to identity theft and those aimed at crippling websites with organized distributed denial of service bombardment.

Pick i: Change your IP address with a VPN or proxy server

You lot tin use a VPN to change your IP address.

Sarah Tew/CNET

When you use any of the virtual private networks we've reviewed in our directory, the service volition automatically make you appear as though you have a different IP address originating from whatever country y'all select. Literally just open your VPN app and connect to whatsoever city other than your current i -- in less than 30 seconds, you've changed your IP so it appears to exist from wherever y'all chose.

Browser-based VPNs and proxies are much more lightweight than standalone VPN apps. There are some key privacy differences that I've detailed elsewhere, but when yous utilise a proxy, it also changes your visible IP accost. Chrome, Firefox and Brave Browser all have their own versions of proxies and browser-based VPNs that you can attempt for yourself.

Setting up a VPN on your iPhone or Android device is as easy every bit installing any other app on your phone, and I've got a footstep-by-step guide in case y'all'd like to see how to practise it. If you're gaming from a console, I've also got a quick walkthrough for you on setting upwards a VPN on an Xbox along with a listing of the ones that performed best in my tests.

If you've never toyed with VPNs just are considering 1, I've got the Cliff's Notes version of how to pick the right 1, which you might find helpful. Any y'all do, just avoid free VPNs. Seriously non worth the malware gamble. Instead, pin to the cheapest ones that I've test-driven for you.

Choice ii: Alter your IP address by unplugging the router

Changing your IP address is every bit easy every bit unplugging your router.
Ry Crist/CNET

The easiest and quickest fashion to get a new IP accost is to run into what your IP address is via an IP-checking site, then walk over to your router and unplug it for at least five minutes. It may take several minutes longer, depending on how long your ISP normally takes to renew IP addresses in general. Once you plug it back in, refresh the website to make sure your IP address has changed.

Substantially, what you're trying to do is brand the IP-assigning part of your router "forget" your device and so that it treats your device like a newcomer and gives it a new accost. This isn't foolproof, however. Sometimes it takes multiple tries, and in some cases you may have to leave the router off overnight. If you have a router that's separate from your modem (most are a combination device these days) you lot may need to unplug the modem and router, leave them off for v minutes or so, then first power the modem on, followed by the router.

But getting off the burrow is overrated.

Choice three: Automatically update your IP accost on Mac, iOS, Windows and Android

90-iphone-12-pro-max — Irresolute your IP address will better protect your browsing.
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Hither's how to practice this on Mac, iOS, Windows and Android:

MacOS: Click your Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen, and click Arrangement Preferences then Network then Advanced. At the top of the next screen, click TCP/IP, then click the Renew DHCP Lease button on the right side of the window.

iOS: Go to Settings, tap Network and choose the wireless network you're currently on. Under the IPv4 accost department, tap Configure IP then Automatic.

Windows x: Press the Win+R keys at the aforementioned fourth dimension. This opens the Run box dialog. Blazon cmd, then striking Enter on your keyboard. This opens the control prompt.

For those who've never seen a Windows control prompt before: This is the part where you volition either be immediately terrified something is about to get broken, or yous volition suddenly feel like you're near to do something extremely cool. Practise not panic; neither of those things is going to happen. The magic black box has that effect on everyone their commencement fourth dimension.

Type ipconfig /release (including the space) into the command prompt and hitting Enter. Some text will zoom past. When it stops, type ipconfig /renew and hit Enter again. And so close your command prompt. You're done.

Android: Go to Settings, tap Connections then tap Wi-Fi. From hither, tap on the network you're currently connected to. Tap the gear-shaped icon to the right of the network. Your IP address will be displayed hither, but become to the bottom of the screen and -- afterwards making sure you've got your Wi-Fi password handy -- tap Forget (it's the trash icon in the bottom-right corner). Your phone will forget the Wi-Fi network and exist disconnected. Just reconnect to your network, and you should be issued a new IP address.

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Option four: Manually change your IP address

Here'south what to do if y'all've already got a new IP address that y'all know y'all desire to use.

MacOS: Become to Organisation Preferences and click Network. Click Network Connection, so click Configure IPv4. Select Manually and blazon in any IP you've chosen.

iOS: Go to Settings, tap Wi-Fi, so Network. Under the IPv4 address section, tap Configure IP. Manually blazon in whatsoever IP address yous're trying to utilize.

Windows: Make sure you're working from your Administrator account and click Start, so get to Command Panel. From hither, click Network Connexion, and then click on your local area connexion. Next, click Properties, then click TCP/IP. From here, you can type your new IP address in manually.

Android: Go to Settings, tap Connections then tap Wi-Fi. From here, tap on the network y'all're currently continued to. Tap the gear-shaped icon to the correct of the network. Your IP address volition exist displayed hither, but go to the bottom of the screen and tap Avant-garde, and then tap IP Settings. Select Static. The next screen volition let you lot manually type in any IP address you've chosen.

For more, check out everything to know about the Tor browser, three browser-based VPNs to attempt, and the browser privacy settings you lot should change right away.