If you have a computer, laptop or other device that connects to the internet, you use an IP address. This is a unique code that identifies both your device and your geographic location. You can also change your IP address.
Is it wise to change your IP address? Yes, that can be quite handy every now and then. By changing your IP address once in a while, you slightly increase your privacy level online. The address can tell you exactly where you are at that moment.
If someone is intent on being angry and has been watching you for a while, then they can misuse such info (this doesn’t happen often at all, by the way). Changing your IP address can put someone on the wrong track.
In addition, it can help solve connection problems. It also allows you to bypass geoblocks, giving you access to the foreign offerings of various streaming services.
By changing your current IP address to one in America, just to give an example, you can view the content that Netflix or Disney+ offer there.
How do you change your IP address in Windows 10?
Since Windows 10 is still the most popular version of Windows at the time of writing, we’ll explain how to change your IP address in that version of the system (but the steps largely correspond to Windows 11, so don’t worry).
We start by opening the Settings (Start > gear icon) and to Network and Internet to go. In this window you select the option Network Center (it’s near the bottom of the page).
On the left of the new window you will see Change adapter settings stand. Click on that and then right-click the network you are currently using. Now press PropertiesSearch Internet Protocol Version 4 from the list and select it, then press . again Properties.
If it’s good Automatically assign an IP address now in the picture, with a black dot next to it. That ball has to go there; you do that by placing it next to Using the following IP address (you just have to click on the white circle).
Make sure you know what to fill in for the three parts mentioned, namely IP address, subnet mask and default gateway. You should already have that information at hand; it just depends on why you want to change the address.
If you want access to the foreign range of streaming services, you have undoubtedly found a website that provides more information about this.
Change address via Command Prompt
You can also change the IP address via Command Prompt. Open Start and type cmd in. Now select Command Prompt with your right mouse button and choose the option Run as administrator.
Now type in the following: ipconfig/release. The internet connection is lost for a while, but that’s okay. You will also see a few lines of code appear on the screen, but that is also part of it.
Once all the code is in view, type at the bottom, next to the last line, the text: ipconfig/renew. For example, Windows 10 automatically adjusts the IP address, without you having to set it manually.
With a VPN
A VPN also measures you a different IP address. You don’t have to do anything yourself for that, that’s just how the software works. A reliable VPN service generally costs money. Read more about the benefits of a VPN here.
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