What is IP Masking & How Does It Work – Updated June 2022

What is IP Masking 

IP masking is the process of hiding your real IP address with a fake one. Through this process you conceal your IP address. If you want to learn how to mask your IP address, you may use the same methods explained in this article. After all, the only way to use the internet while hiding your IP address is to disguise it behind another one.

All website traffic must always need an Internet address, as that is how sites and apps identify who’s sending queries and where to send responses. An IP address is used by clients to contact servers, while servers use IP addresses to return requested data to the relevant client.

The TCP/IP paradigm, which controls how devices on the internet interact with one another, includes the request-and-response mechanism. IP addresses are divided into several categories: IPv4 vs. IPv6, public vs. private, static vs. dynamic. 


How Can I Mask My IP Address?

Because your Internet protocol is a unique identification that informs sites and services where you would be on, it’s understandable that you’d want to disguise it from period to period. Discover how to conceal your IP address using three personal privacy instruments: Proxy Servers, VPN Services, and The Onion Router (TOR).

Three Methods to Mask Your IP Address

Now, let’s look at three tools that might help you mask your IP address. Each provides its unique combination of privacy, security, and functionality.

1 . Use of Virtual Private Network (VPNs)

A VPN is an intermediary service that protects your connection to the internet whilst effectively masking your IP address. A VPN protects the whole of your information, maybe not in your browser as well as in other applications, and then passes it to its desired target. 

There is a ubiquitous anonymity solution, so VPN companies have a strong incentive to provide services that are as simple to use since they are secure.

Obtain a VPN as recommended in the article, sign in, and turn it on to protect either your computer IP address or your online communications.

How can a VPN masks the IP address?

Your Internet address is masked when you’re using a VPN on Windows, Mac Os, Android, or iPhone since your information is rerouted through a VPN server. When your traffic hits its target — sites visited, digital applications accessed, uploading, downloading, and so forth — which it does have used a “pseudo” IP address provided by the VPN.

Your VPN provider is the only one who will be able to see your true IP address. As a result, you must select a trustworthy VPN service that does not maintain records of your internet activities.

Recommended VPN Services For IP Masking

Here we have enlisted a few VPN services which are dependable and affordable at the same time. Have a look :

ExpressVPN

The company has been in operation since 2009, which now has 3,000 workstations in 160+ locations across the world. They have facilities in thirteen US regions, including Chicago, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, Los Angeles, Florida, Nj, and others. These cities provide outstanding service to their residents. The smallest plan costs only $6.67 per month.

ExpressVPN is a powerful VPN service that retains no records and promises to “secure users by just not storing user activities.” ExpressVPN’s website contains both installation instructions and training for quickly resolving any concerns.

If VoIP goes down, ExpressVPN’s “Kill Switch” guarantees that no information escapes to the public over VPN connections. When it relates to ExpressVPN, performance is essential, and its dependability has increased with time as compared to other services.

ExpressVPN is the very first VPN service to allow Types of payment mechanism, providing their consumers with even another easy way of paying. Because it is a very appropriate application.

Pros

  • The best possible efficiency on the Windows operating system
  • It enables users to view social media sites.
  • Data acquisition policies that are stringent.
  • Essential to receive such a variety of important features.

Cons

  • On the Mac, it is leggy.
  • There is no system set up for filing a complaint about the phone right away.
  • Internet Explorer is not accepted.

Nord VPN

NordVPN is such a well VPN company for its capabilities supplies faster and more reliable internet connections with up to 06 concurrent connections. It has over 5500 servers distributed over 80 service centers in 62 countries. 

Georgia, Chicago, Carolina, Chicago, Texas, Denver, Los Angeles, Manassas, Orlando, New York, Arizona, Salt Lake, San Fran, Washington, and Missouri are also among the cities where the organization operates servers. 

Customers of NordVPN also can approach them to ask about specialized VPN’s Private IP addresses package. It converts into TOR in a single tap. It has an automatic Kill Switch available . Even though NordVPN’s speeds were decreased, it showed to be the quickest and most stable VPN of those evaluated.

The two different packages from NordVPN costs $90 in all or $3.75 each month with an annual membership. Month programs are offered at a slightly premium cost per month for the same length of time, and one year of subscription is equivalent to 4 payments or $59 total. 

NordVPN has a 30-day cash guarantee. We propose that users choose this service as it has been rigorously checked and has achieved the highest results about masking IP addresses.

Pros

  • Consistent Zero-Log Strategy
  • Economical Application
  • Netflix Availability

Cons

  • Uses a static Ip
  • Bad customer support
  • Kill switch doesn’t proper work with Mac OS.

SurfShark

Surfshark, as just a little firm, is providing its suffering competitor a tough time. However, one option is limitless device support, which allows users to easily endorse your entire office or household. They offer ad-blocking, anti-tracking, and anti-malware technology, among other capabilities.

Out of the entire servers deployed, the server runs with 3,200 machines in 65 locales. Austin, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Colorado, and Michigan are among the cities where the company operates.  

Even during the most demanding speed tests, advancements in diagnostic tools have enabled  infrastructure to remain fast and reliable.

Surfsharks’ extension, which is suggested by German Cyber Security Firm Cure 53, has recomended Firefox and Chrome among some of the browsers it has evaluated for flexible working.

They provide high-quality software for Windows, Android, Mac OSX, and other platforms. DNS could also be used to link to gaming systems. It’s a wonderful solution for functioning with all kind of devices 

The free version comes with several improved securities. Camo Mode, Multihop Mode, and NoBorders Mobility are amongst them.

Pros

  • Virgin Island region
  • Unlimited connectivity
  • Monthly and annual packages at affordable prices
  • A quarter service trial term.

Cons

  • Insufficient Client Service
  • Fixed IP address;
  • Reduced bandwidth


2. Make Use of Onion Browser (TOR)

Tor is a decentralized system composed of thousands of voluntary work system nodes which utilize multiple degrees of cryptography to hide your face online. When you are using Tor, your activity is forwarded and anonymized through a sequence of three relays, each of which divulges one security layer to confirm the origin of another node. 

Your information is completely decoded and sent to its recipient when it exits the terminal node. The equivalent circuit covers your internet address, but it comes at a cost, since Tor’s encryption algorithm is so comprehensive, your information requires considerable time to finish its route. You’ll be going to give up surfing performance in trade for Tor’s invisibility.

When it concerns the greatest, such as for spies and subversives, this is a fair compromise. When comparing Tor with a VPN for merely masking your IP address, you’ll discover a VPN to be a significantly better comfortable, and quicker alternative.

How Tor Browser Secures Your Real IP Address

When you are using Tor, each relaying station all along the channel of your communication over the Tor browser only sees the IP address of the node directly in between. Even if an intruder hijacks your transmission as it passes from the terminal router to your server-side, parsing your unique IP address would indeed be impossible at that point.


3. Using Proxy Server

A proxy acts as a mediator between such a user and a system of clients, relaying queries and accepting and sending responses via servers. If you use another proxy, you may have to manually adjust your computer’s settings.

Typically, proxies, without VPNs, would not protect your information or obscure your Internet address from anybody who can collect it on its route between your device to the gateway.

VPNs are more trustworthy than proxies, especially free internet proxies. As a reason, proxies are best used as a quick remedy instead of a long-term security approach.

Technique by which a proxy server masks the IP address.

Certain proxy servers can swap a fake IP address with yours. You’ll pretend to also be situated in the very same region as the remote server. When you’re using a gateway to mask your IP address, please remember not all proxies are treated equally.

  • The transparent proxy doesn’t change the Ip address or the information that you used as a proxy.
  • Anonymous proxies are real IP Addresses but just not the information that you’re using.
  • Proxies with high obscurity (or premium) obfuscate either your IP address or your proxy’s utilization.

To Surf Incognito, Anonymize Your IP Address

Advertising companies can track you around the web and evaluate your browsing habits to successfully advertise to you. Simply masking your Internet protocol didn’t deter them since monitoring cookies often transmit that information — hence why you should wipe cookies from the browsers on a constant schedule.

Imagine using a unique role browser to enhance your internet surfing anonymity to another level. It has a lot of technological generally pro features that allow you to use the web without generating any evidence that organizations and individuals could use to monitor your whereabouts.


Masking IP Address to Conceal Location

That nobody will understand where you have been if you disguise your IP address behind the next IP address in a distant part of the globe. This includes spatial information sites and apps. 

For instance, if you’re vacationing outside of your native country and would like to watch tv or Movies that are only accessible in your homeland, you should use a VPN or proxy to access that webpage using a fictitious IP address in the correct location.

Several IP addresses are correlated with such a specific address or at the very minimum a geographical region. No one would be capable of figuring out where you are if you use false IP addresses to modify your universal service frequently.


Is It Possible to Truly Hide My IP Address?

Although you probably wouldn’t be able to block malicious from everyone, you would be able to acquire a reasonable level of privacy for everyday needs. Your VPN service seems to be the only entity that really can relate your online activity to your IP address when you are using one. 

This is why it’s essential to select a VPN connection that has a solid track record for confidentiality but does not collect archives of user activity.

Your ISP would be able to watch the style, location, and volume of traffic you transfer to the VPN server, but just not the contents. Tor is from the same boat. Because so many ports do not even encode your information, your ISP will be able and see what you’re doing if you’re using one. 

As stated previously, all web pages and applications you browse when linked to a VPN would see the VPN’s Internet address against yours.

The key objective of masking your IP address is to prevent third-party spectators through your internet activities and position, such as companies, advertisers who deploy data tracking tactics, and crooks. It’s vital to be proactive when your protection and security are at hazard.


Frequently Asked Questions

A virtual private network (VPN) or a proxy server are the two most common techniques to mask your IP address. Consumers’ most frequent tool for masking their IP addresses is a virtual private network (VPN).  A proxy server is unique in that it functions as a go-between for your device and the server you’re struggling to link to.


For a variety of reasons, you might want to mask your IP address. Anonymize anytime you go internet get around this approach. Fighting against cybercriminals — Hackers could use your IP address in much the same way that your ISP, search sites, and authorities can.

 


There’s simply no way of finding out who has used your IP address using an IP lookup service. Your banker, real estate broker, or an innovative youngster who is also a scammer could all be participating. Somebody can hunt you down utilizing your IP address, whether it’s a friend, an attorney, or even a crook.

 



Conclusion

The purpose of this post is to explain our readers to IP masking and how it works. We’ve included all of the relevant content so that our users may understand every approach and tool related to the subject.