A very frequently asked question on the internet these days is, "How can I hide my IP address" or, "How do I become anonymous while I surf"? The answer to this question is, "Yes, with a proxy or VPN". While using the internet and browsing different websites, we come across problems related to IP addresses all the time. Some websites like Netflix and Hulu do not allow users outside The USA to access their content. BBC iPlayer doesn't allow users outside The UK. They identify the location the user is accessing their content from by the IP address of the computer or smart phone.
Governments also block sites based on their content. Even countries like Australia, The US, and The US "watch" the internet – looking for kiddie-porn, terrorist organization, and all those "bad guys". But countries like China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Vietnam, and Ukraine take it overboard. They block things like personal blogs, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and generally harmless stuff in protect their own interests.
So there are people in all corners of the world that need to hide their IP address. Maybe Joe wants to watch porn at work. Maybe Wang Qing Yuan wants to keep in touch with his buddies overseas through Facebook. Maybe Boris Ivanchuck wants to organize protests and over through his government. They can all be done when you hide your IP address.
Methods I use to hide my IP address:
It is not a difficult thing to hide your IP address. You can easily hide your IP address and mask it with a temporary IP address. To deceive web sites and your ISP there are proxies and virtual private networks. What you need to hide your IP address for will decide which service you're going to need.
Proxies:
Proxies act as a middle man between you and the site. To hide your real IP, you first send your traffic to the proxy server. The proxy server strips your IP off of your traffic, and makes the site request for you. So when you access Facebook from Iran, it looks like someone outside of Iran is connecting to the site, not you. Depending on the location of the server, it may look like you're in The US or The UK.
Web based proxies are good because they leave no trace of you actually using the secure browser. There's nothing to install, and you can access the secure proxy browser from your inbox, with the link they provide to you. Proxies are good users looking only to hide IP for general browsing and video streaming. You can use one license on your phone and laptop, and even access it at public computers, which makes a web based proxy a very versatile solution the hide your IP and surf anonymously anywhere.
Sound like a web based proxy is what you need? I hide my IP address with Securitales.
Virtual Private Networks
VPNs are like a proxy upgrade. Now they offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages, so it's not fair to say that they're "better". So remember the middle man idea from the proxies? It's the same as with a VPN. Except this time, they encrypt and tunnel your information before and after reaching the middle man server. So imagine you have a package you want to send someone. You wrap it up in black duct-tape to make it anonymous. The you put it in a black van to make the anonymous package more anonymous. And the van has a bunch of locks on it. So even if someone discovers the van, they probably won't be able to open it. And even if they open it, we all know how sticky duct-tape is.
The point is that it doesn't just hide your IP address, it makes it impossible to see what's going on with your newly assigned iP.
The advantage of this is of course, the increased security. If you're dealing with sensitive information, online banking, or afraid that your government may be spying on you, a VPN is the way to go. Because it must be installed on your computer or phone, you are normally limited to one license per device, but it means that it encrypts your ENTIRE device, including software and other applications. Remember that web based proxies only change the IP of your browser. This is also a good solution for those looking to send and receive sensitive emails, or transfer large files like with P2P.
Which should I get?
If you think a web based proxy is what you need, Securitales is the way to go. At 6 USD a month, it's one of the cheapest out there. But I think the most important thing is that they're professional. Visit their site, and you will immediately see the difference from some other proxy services out there. Most of them look like a three-year-old designed their site. They're difficult to navigate, hard to find understand, and make you question the quality of their service.
Don't believe me? Take a look at iPrivacy Tools
Then take a look at Securitales and see the difference. Plus, there's a FREE TRIAL, and if you sign up after the free trial, you get a 25% discount, which means you'll pay only $4.5 USD a month. And there's a 30 day money back guarantee.
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No you understand why I chose Securitales
Recommended VPN Services
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When I use a VPN to hide my IP address, I use 12VPN. It's cheap, and fast, and they've got a great support team. There's also a seven day money back guarantee. This is not a sales-pitch. I really do use their service, and I'm in China, one of the most heavily censored areas of the world. The US IP only is only $79, which is peanuts – only $6.5 USD a month. It means you get ten different server locations, all in the US. This will normally suffice. If you want more options, you can upgrade to the World VPN option, and get servers in Japan, Germany, Holland, The UK, and more. It's $119 USD a year, which is pretty standard for a year a VPN service. They have PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, SSL/OpenVPN, IKEv2, and more VPN protocols than you can shake a stick at.
Other than 12VPN, I can recommend VyprVPN. I have tried it, and love it. I actually found it to be much faster than other VPN service I've tried, and living in China, I've tried more than my share. The advantage here, is that there's a kind of "no strings attached" feel to VyprVPN. There are no "year contracts" that you've got to sign your name it blood for. And their VPN packages are very simple. You order month by month, ($16 USD for PPTP and $20 USD for SSL/OpenVPN). They really do kick the competitions ass as far as connection speed goes. I don't use it because the price is a bit steep for me, but If I had the extra cash to spend, this is the service I would use.
And, no VPN reviews would be complete without StrongVPN. They've been in business forever, and know what they're doing. If you need it, they've got it. They've got package deals for different periods of time, different .jpg)
locations around the world, and different internet connection devices. Live support and color-picture tutorials make it easy to get set up. This is a very safe choice, because you can't go wrong with their VPN service. It may be a bit confusing for newbies, because their site it so huge, so enter with caution!
