Looking to hide your IP address and want to learn how to hide your IP address on your mac? Although you can never fully hide it, you can take precautions to change or disguise it using a variety of techniques. This article will be covering a lot of methods to cover your IP address on your Mac, and also give you the pros and cons of each method.
How-To APPL with a tutorial on how to change the IP address on a Mac running OS X. Welcome to the How-To APPL Youtube Channel! Focused on helping you learn. So when you change your IP address, the MAC address is not affected at all. An IP address is required when you have to connect your computer to a certain network, and for the purposes of connecting to the Internet while MAC addresses are used to uniquely identify each.
But this doesn’t exist. Any method of hiding IP addresses is not ‘Mac-exclusive’, rather, these methods have universal application.
Make sure to read till the end because that’s where we put the easiest choice!
What is an IP address?
Now before we start to cover up IPs, what are they? IP addresses are, as they say, addresses, but for each of your devices which can connect to the internet. It basically differentiates between devices across the internet, and I guess you do not be muddled and be confused for some other device or for someone else.
This is what an IP address looks like:
Now this IP address is what the server recognizes your device by. This is an IPv4, meaning it has 4 parts to it. But there are IPv6 versions, which have 6 parts to their IP address, and are intended for high personnel and made public when we run out of v4 versions.
Now, hiding your IP address provides you defense against all kinds of attacks, ranging from man-in-the-middle attacks, to also bouncing off signals to prevent you from being detected. But for the general public, it’s nothing more but a privacy measure to prevent attacks. Now, let’s do some hiding.
Fair warning: Some of these methods are dangerous and are not the best thing to do to your internet connection, I will mention the ones that are dangerous.
Method One: Use a VPN
This is by far the most useful and safest of all the ways to hide IPs.
A VPN or a Virtual Private Network is an exclusive network with added protection which can also allow you to go across countries and act as a device from your desired location by using proxies.
Does work for all computers which have access to that VPN. Not only are you changing IP addresses, but you may also change your apparent location, giving you access to content that is banned or not available in your country. The most recommended VPN for the job would be ExpressVPN, but there are other VPNs that can do the same thing. Some VPNs come with antivirus packages which also include convenient features like Mac adware removal.
Now how you change it depends on the VPN you’re using. A VPN will automatically change your IP address as soon as you use it, and proxies can get your location masked. The only downside to this method is the fact that you need to pay for these VPNs on a monthly basis, and they might weigh down on your pocket and are mostly unnecessary for people who rarely surf the web, and are meant for those who really want to watch content from other countries and want some extra security.
The best free VPN for Mac use should be chosen accordingly with the right type of program in mind. You have many choices to use when getting a VPN ready, but you need to look at how you’re going to make the most out of your content. The best VPN for Mac will be something that protects you while online and ensures you don’t have your data stolen. You should have a solution that keeps your content secure, so nothing wrong develops on your computer. Be aware of what’s around, but don’t forget to see the terms of the free VPN options out there. You might find that there’s plenty of things to like about the VPN world, especially if you want to take advantage of what your Mojave-powered Apple computer can handle for your desires.
Some best VPNs are Tunnel Bear (free and paid), ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Hotspot Shield (free and paid) etc. according to Upside Down Blogger.
Method 2: Use a Proxy
Change Mac Address Mac
Now if you are not that concerned about your security and want some basic protection for your IP address, you could use some proxies. VPNs too are technically proxies, but here they mean an SSL or SSH proxy. They are able to protect your IP address, but they also do not provide the additional security provided by VPNs. They also are not able to protect you from some higher-security DNS servers, which can still have access to your real IP address. They are still prone to some man-in-the-middle attacks.
But they are free, so you still save money for a little less protection. There are also browser extensions that can act and give you the power of proxies, and they perform decently but are still not going to protect you from all attacks.
Enter proxy server settings on Mac
If your computer is connected to a local network that’s protected from the internet by a firewall, you may need to specify proxy servers or use the FTP passive mode (PASV) to access some internet sites. A proxy server is a computer on a local network that acts as an intermediary between a single computer user and the internet so that the network can ensure security, administrative control, and caching service.
How enter proxy server settings on Mac:
Change Mac Address
- On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Network.
- Select the network service you use in the list — for example, Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
- Click Advanced, then click Proxies.
- If you configure your proxy server settings automatically, select Auto Proxy Discovery to automatically discover proxy servers, or select Automatic Proxy Configuration if you’re using a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file. If you select Automatic Proxy Configuration, enter the address of the PAC file in the URL field. Check with your network administrator if you need more information.
- If you configure your proxy settings manually, do the following:
- Select a proxy server, such as FTP Proxy, then type its address and port number in the fields on the right.
- Select the “Proxy server requires password” tickbox if the proxy server is protected by a password. Enter your account name and password in the Username and Password fields.
Some proxies are paid, but there are also relatively safe free ones.
Method 3: Change your network
I think I do not need to explain this, but I will anyway. Your network determines the IP address of your computer or device, and changing the network router can help you for some time when your IP is compromised. You could probably run a hotspot on your mobile, and it will cover your internet needs for some time. The downside of this method is that we cannot use this for heavy use, and it too can only help you for some time until this too is compromised.
This method of hiding your IP address is also very easy, but probably not one of the options with the current situations in the world. It’s just a valid method and is great for overall internet security.
Method 4: Use Tor (A web browser )
Tor is a web browser which is the most secure ones out there. Originally designed for the US military and intelligence services, it has now been passed onto the public for more anonymity for the government. You could trust the US military to keep your privacy safe, at least for themselves, but you could stumble upon the dark web, which is accessed via .onion sites, which house all sorts of illegal activities, from drug trafficking to hitmen hiring services. So be careful while roaming around Tor.
Method 5: Ask your ISP (Internet Service Provider ) to change it for You
If you have a friendly ISP then this is probably the best way, just ask them to do it for you! sit back and relax!
You can do this on your Mac itself, by going to your TCP/IP settings and asking for a new DHCP lease, which will give you a new IP address which is private. Or to change the IP of your entire network, you can ask your ISP to change your ISP for you if your current IP is compromised.
But remember one thing, you cannot hide your IP from your ISP. So if that’s your aim, you could stop trying.
Anyways, I hope you found this article helpful. Thank you for sticking around until the end of the post.
Although most surveillance equipment configuration tools tend to be Windows based, we are proud to introduce two IP configuration tools that allow you to find our IP cameras, NVRs, and DVRs on your local network, and change their IP address at the click of a button. These 'IP Config Tools' make it easier to deploy multiple cameras, and recorders for the advanced user. Please watch the videos below to use each of these programs. Depending on your version of Mac OS, one of these tools will work better than the other.
Where to Download?
You can download the different versions from the following locations:
IP Config Tool for Mac v3
IP Config Tool for Mac v4
How to Use the IP Config Tool v3 on OSX