Changing the IP address on one’s device isn’t that much of a hassle. It can be done without much effort in more than one way. This action has its uses, although it’s not seen as really necessary most of the time. It’s not like you’ll always need a switch to turn your address to another one right at hand.
There are several reasons why you might want to do that. You can learn how to change IP address on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and a variety of other systems, and that might very well help you out in the future. IP-changing measures include VPN, proxies, device switches, and others.
Why Change IP on Your Device
Circumvent a Ban
A platform or a website can issue you a ban for one reason or another based on your past behavior or simply on a whim. These blocks are typically aimed at one’s IP. Some platforms ban by IP to deter people from creating additional accounts to circumvent bans, others only ban accounts. A combinatory approach deals with accounts and IPs.
In short, if a streaming service, gaming platform, or simply a website that you use has blocked you, you can likely circumvent the ban by using a proxy or activating your VPN connection. It’s especially crucial to deal with websites that don’t have many or any accounts in the network.
In some cases, you would need to change your IP to continue playing an online game. IP bans are common, for instance, in League of Legends, and you can an IP ban in addition to an account ban. That will mean you’ll have to create a new account and use a proxy to play.
Also read: Are VPNs and Private Browsing Really Safe?
Raise less Suspicion
For some hobs, such as HTML scanning or controlling bots, you’ll have to visit the same site a lot, over and over again.
These less-than-savory activities are often disliked by website owners, and if the same person (deduced from their IP address) keeps visiting the same website over and over again without seemingly doing anything of substance, the owners might just ban them without much deliberation.
These jobs aren’t illegal or ‘bad’ really. They are just under-the-radar and often rule-breaking. In some cases, the results of such jobs are a blessing. For instance, HTML scans allow people to view news on news outlets without having to go through paywalls, which are currently everywhere.
In short, if you plan on doing that for any reason, you’ll have to change your IP very often.
Improved Security
If you plan on visiting a shady website that you can’t trust entirely or at all, changing your IP through the use of a Linux VPN or something similar as well as activating your antivirus would be very wise. This accomplishes two things.
Firstly, most IP-changing measures create an additional layer of connection between you and the final destination, such as a website or a videogame. This in itself makes it harder for hackers to get into your device or steal your data, and special measures like VPN are even more effective in this.
Secondly, by changing your IP you’ll change some other details of your device. It means it’s somewhat harder to crack the security, but only for some types of hacking. You don’t want it as your only defense measure, but using both a proxy (or better yet, VPN) and an antivirus seems like a very good approach to security.
Changed Geolocation
Geolocation determines a wide array of factors related to your user experience across the Internet. What products you’re shown, what search results first appear and even the prices of goods and services are all determined by where you are. And that is determined by your IP.
You can switch your IP to a German, French, Swiss, or any other address to make the whole Web think you’re from there. Some services, such as VPNs are better at this, while others, such as proxies, are worse. Both of them are reliable enough to fill most platforms and websites, usually.
There are multiple reasons to change your perceived location. For instance, you can access content or media banned in your country, save money on goods that are cheaper in some countries, or simply watch movies and shows that are otherwise not allowed in your current location.
VPN services are most commonly used for this purpose. They are often marketed with this feature in mind, and this function is actually a lot more useful than some people think. For some, it’s just a neat way of entertaining yourself. However, it can be terribly useful, as mentioned above.
