When it comes to internet security, one of the questions we are regularly asked is how to hide your IP address. Your IP address is what links you to any activity that you do online, think of it as your own personal internet home address. It is this address that is logged everything you click to a website, watch a video or use social media. For this reason, people want to hide it. Not only to protect their privacy, but to also stop businesses and marketers tracking their activity online and creating ads based off their browsing history. When it comes to hiding your IP address on a Mac, it is easy to do. Here are our best tips.
Use a VPN
A VPN is a virtual private network. These are more often than not paid for services, but they are an excellent way to keep your browsing private online. Think of a VPN as an intermediary. Instead of your ISP accessing websites, that will then record your activity, the VPN will act as the access to the server. It is this acting as an intermediary that makes sure your details aren’t recorded, such as your IP address.
VPN’s will also encrypt your data end to end, so even if your internet history is hacked into, no one will be able to decipher what has been done, as the commands will be coded. You don’t need to think about turning on your VPN, most boot up as soon as you turn on your Mac, unless you tell it otherwise.
There are an array of VPN’s on the market at different prices, so have a look at which one suits your needs. More often than not, purchasing a VPN will give you multiple devices that you can have on there. So not only can you protect your Mac, you will also be able to protect your phone and other devices, the blog VSS Monitoring suggests.
Proxy Servers
Proxy servers are like VPN’s in that they both keep your data safe when they are browsing online, but they operate slightly differently. A proxy server will allow you to browse websites and social media platforms from the comfort of your Mac whilst the details that it gives the website are that of their own. Proxy servers essentially act like a cloak and will keep your details away from the prying eyes of businesses and marketeers.
One of the draw backs of proxy servers is remembering to use it prior to starting your browsing. They are nowhere near as convenient as VPNs and they can also slow your browsing speed down. Furthermore, proxy servers don’t offer you the same level of security as VPN’s. They don’t encrypt your data; they will only hide your IP address. So, if your privacy concerns extend past this point, then a proxy server may not be the best option for you.
Use Tor
Tor has had a bad rap of late, given that it is the way to access what is known as the dark web, however, Tor is exceptional at hiding your data. It does this by using nodes, these nodes are almost proxy servers. The reason it works is that your signal is bounced around different nodes until it reaches the final one in the sequence.
Every time you click a webpage, the sequence changes, making it impossible for your activity to be tracked. Tor is run by volunteers across the globe who believe in anonymity whilst online. It is easy to install and download on to your Mac. From here you can access search engines such as Duckduckgo, which don’t record your data. Don’t expect the same level of speed as a provider such as google, and Tor isn’t good when it comes to loading images and videos.
However, it will keep your data hidden and stop anyone from trying to track and trace you. Tor is built around making sure that your activity online remains private, so if you want to hide your IP address and make sure your searches stay private, utilise Tor and Duckduck go.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to hiding your IP address on your Mac, there is no single solution. Rather, there are a few things that you can do to increase your anonymity online and keep your IP address private. It is worth noting that your internet service provider will always know what your IP address is, as without it, you won’t be able to get online at all. However, by hiding your IP address, you reduce the chances of your activity being tracked and reduce the infringement of businesses and advertising. Use a combination of the above suggestions to make sure that you keep your IP address safe and protected, as internet security is not something that should be taken lightly.
