Internet Protocol address or IP is used to uniquely identify the computer on the network. It comprises two sections, among which first is private to the local area network of the user, whereas the next part identifies the wider network.
Usually, the IP address is generated by the router automatically. Well, users need not stick with the same IP address, they can change their IP address automatically or manually due to any reason, and there are several ways to do so as well.
Most gadgets on the web use IPv4 addresses to convey, and the world is gradually embracing IPv4's substitution, IPv6.
Each gadget associated with the web needs an IP address dedicated to themselves so as to interface and speak with different gadgets on the web.
An IPv4 address (24 bit) resembles this:
123.45.67.89
Also, an IPv6 address (128 bits) resembles this:
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
In case you're associated with Wi-Fi at this moment, you likely offer a public IP address with every other person associated with a similar Wi-Fi organization, yet every gadget has its own neighborhood IP address. In any case, in case you're on a cell phone and utilizing a portable information association, you may well have your own special public IP address.
At the point when the vast majority talks about changing their IP address, they're alluding to their public IPv4 address. This location is seen and utilized by most sites, workers, web-based games, and different gadgets on the web.
Let us check some popular ways to know the IP address:
How to Know My IP?
In case that you have no idea about your IP address exactly, then there are several ways to know the IP addresses. By knowing your IP address, you can do many things like you can set up printers and even solve many technical problems. With the help of the IP address, you can give remote control to someone at a remote location as well.
On the command prompt, you can type “ipconfig” command, and by this, all information of the IP address will be displayed on the screen. You can now change the IP address as well and perform many other operations like printer installation, technical support, and much more with the help of the IP address.
How Can I Change My IP Address?
In this article, we are going to discuss many ways to modify the address. Users can control their system fully and change its settings by viewing its network setting. Let us discuss all ways to change the IP address.
Well, as we said earlier that there are several ways to change the IP address. You can control and change your network setting, and some methods are easy while others are not. So, let us discuss both ways:
Simple (Non-Technical) Methods
Just unplug the modem for around five minutes without turning off your computer. Usually, by doing so, your IP address gets changed automatically when you will again login to the network. Secondly, you can go to any shop in the market that offers free Wi-Fi service; there your IP address will be changed automatically.
The reason is that there you will be using a different internet connection. Non-technical persons can also contact their internet service providers or ISP and ask whether they can change the IP address or not?
Methods for Technical Persons
For those who have some technical knowledge, there are many ways that they can use to change the IP address. Before diving deep into the discussion, let us first understand the types of IP addresses. Your IP address may be either static or for some lease time or dynamic.
Static IP addresses cannot be changed without contacting the internet service provider. However, most ISPs provide the static IP address to the business account. Moreover, the ISPs may assign IP addresses for a long time that may look like a static IP for the user. In any case, the user cannot change the static IP address.
Leased IP addresses are assigned for some predetermined amount of time. Here this lease time may be only a few hours in some cases, while for others it may be a week or month-long time. It is entirely up to your ISP to set up the lease time for your connection. If your system is assigned an external IP address, then you can change it, and here are some methods for that. Let us explore several ways of changing the IP address for some popular operating systems.
Manual IP Address Assignment
Well, you may try to alter or change your IP address manually, but be aware that your ISP may ban your service or internet connection. As if you will provide a new IP address and your provider has already been assigned to someone else, then you may be blocked by your provider as well.
Users can change and alter manually as well, especially if they do not have any idea about the technical details of the IP address, then by choosing the right IP address they can edit their existing address and modify it.
IP Change in Windows 10
An IP address is an address used to identify the local network of the computer that may be either of your office or your home. An IP address may look somewhat like 192.168.0.XXX and some of the last few numbers differentiate between PC, phone, and other devices connected to the network.
As specified earlier, you can identify your IP address through command prompt, just type the command “ipconfig”, and the result that will be displayed next to IPV4 will be your IP address.
Moreover, you can also reassign a new IP address to your network by restarting your router. For Windows 10 (However, for windows 8.1 and 7 same steps may work):
1. Go to Your Network Settings.
Open Control Panel (You can locate it by Windows Search Bar), then from the “Network and Internet” option select “View network status and tasks” from the left–hand side menu. Right-click on the Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet and click on “Properties” from the list of Drop-down. Now look for the IPV4 option under the “Networking”. Select this option and then its properties.
2. Change the IP Address.
Select the first option “Use the following IP address”, now you can enter the new desired IP address of your choice. Here you should stick to the given number convention (just like the original IP address of your router), you can change the number to any number from 0-255.
Now you can put in the “Subnet Mask” and “Default Gateway”. After this specify the DNS server just the same as that of the “Default Gateway” value. Now press OK and confirm the settings.
3. Check the New IP Address.
You can confirm your new IP address whether it is working or not? For this run the command “IPConfig” on command prompt. Now open your browser and enter the address of any website, if you will successfully open the site, then it does mean that your IP address is working properly. In case if you cannot open the website, then check your settings once again and input the right information.
IP Change in macOS
On macOS, this process will vary a little bit, but is not as much complicated as Windows. On macOS, if you already know what your IP address exactly is, then you can change it to the new address.
1. Find Your Current IP.
Firstly you should have control on the network settings of the system. To gain access, in the top left-hand corner, click on the Apple logo. Here you will get the option of “System Preferences”, then go to the globe icon in silver, named as “Network”. Now select your network on the left side (Either Ethernet or Wi-Fi), your IP address will be at top-right.
2. Change the IP Address of Mac.
In the bottom right, click on ‘Advanced’ and click on the TCP/IP tab from the new window. There you will see the option, named Configure IPV4 with a drop-down arrow button. Click on the box and select either manual or Using DHCP with manual.
If you choose the Manual option, then you will have to put or insert the address of your choice along with Subnet Mask and Router, while if you choose DHCP with manual, then you may have to put a new IP address manually.
Here, while changing the IP address by using DHCP with manual option stick with the default numbering convention of your router.
3. Check the New IP Address.
After changing the value of the IP address, just confirm and apply this new value. If you can connect with the network successfully and access your sites, then it means that you have successfully modified your address. If you cannot connect then return back and recheck the settings and reset the address. Moreover, if you feel like stuck at any step, then just go back and set every setting as it was initially.
IP Change in Windows 2000, XP and 2003
If you are a user of Windows 2000, XP, or 2003 then follow the below-listed steps to change your IP address:
1. Identify you’re your Current IP Address.
Just like Windows 10, your Windows XP, 2K or 2004 also has a fixed IP address that you can know through ipconfig command by command prompt. There the result of the command will be your current IP address. By this, you can know your current IP address to which you have to give new value.
2. Assigning a New Value to Existing IP Address.
Now as a fresh click on start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections. From here, find the active LAN connections for your PC and choose its properties. Now click on TCP/IP. Now you will see an IP address something like 123.123.01.01. Now press Tab and Subnet Mask section to populate the option with some default values. Now click OK to finalise the values.
3. Check Its Correctness.
Now to check whether your new IP address is working fine or not just right-click twice on the active LAN connection and double click on the TCP/IP, you can select the option with the name “Obtain an IP address automatically” and press OK. Finally you can check whether you have a new IP address or not.
IP Change in Windows 7 or Vista
Well, Windows 7 or Vista users can also check their IP address and change it as well. Let us learn how the users of Windows7 can change their IP:
1. Obtain your Current IP Address.
From the Start menu, goto App Programs and expand the Accessories menu. From here you can open “Command Prompt” and choose the option “Run as Administrator.” Here type “ipconfig” and hit enter.
2. Change IP Address.
Now again from the Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center. Choose this option by selecting the Network and Internet, the appearance of the Network and Sharing Center icon. Now, go to the Task menu (on the left), choose Manage Network Connections and select the active LAN connection and then its properties.
Here you will find TCP/IPV4, and then you can double click here and enter any false IP address value like 123.123.122.111. When you press Tab and Subnet Mask section, then it will populate the values with some default numbers. Now click OK twice, and your IP will be changed.
3. Test Your IP Address.
When you complete these steps, then can recheck the LAN properties. Now double click on TCP/IPV4. Choose to obtain the IP address automatically option and double click on OK. Finally check whether you have any new IP address or not.
MAC Cloning
Well, you can clone the MAC address. MAC address is physical hardware that is assigned to each device. It can get connected to all networks. MAC address is usually attributed to the chips of the device, and the user can change it as the device type.
If your router has the cloning capability, then only you can do its cloning. As if it is so then the router will have its software that can help in cloning. Most ISPs usually assign the IPs as per the MAC address of the equipment. The DHCP server of your net connection just records your MAC address and assigns an IP to this. By changing the MAC address of your device or router, you can get a new IP address.
Wrap Up
An IP address can be changed due to several reasons. Your IP address may be either static or dynamic. Static IPs cannot be altered, while dynamic IP is changeable and assigned to smartphones or residential gateways. There may be several reasons to change IP addresses like:
- 1Your IP is blocked for any particular site.
- 2You want to get a new IP address from any other country.
- 3With a VPN, you can surf the internet securely and anonymously.
So, for any device, you can change the IP address by any of the above ways. For any platform and operating system, you can use the methods that are described in the post. For Windows or MAC platforms, you can use these ways and change the IP of your system.
Changing IP addresses can help you in many ways; however, a permanent solution to change the IP is to use a VPN service. But through this method, you can change only your public IP address that too may be of any country of your choice.
Keep a note that these changes are not affecting the security of your system.
