For many users, the major selling point of a virtual private network is online privacy and anonymity.
High among these is the ability to mask one's IP address and appear in another country. This can be to avoid being blocked from using services like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram at work or in one's country of residence. Or streaming international sports and other countries’ Netflix.
This tactic is known as “geo-spoofing” in internet jargon, but it's really rather simple. Using a virtual private network, we'll show you in this guide how simple it is to temporarily change your location.
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Change IP and Location: Using a VPN to Change Your Geolocation 🛰️
How exactly does a VPN alter your Internet Protocol and location?
By connecting to a virtual server in another country, you may mask your true location online. If you use a VPN programme from a reputable provider, you may choose your preferred location from among several possibilities. Your IP address also gets replaced with that of the VPN server you choose.
Getting a British IP address, for instance, is as simple as connecting to a server in the UK. The websites you visit will detect your location as being in the United States. This is an excellent method for bypassing region locks and accessing premium content.
Importantly, VPNs that use AES-256 cyphers to encrypt all traffic will make your online activity unreadable to your ISP. Having strong encryption is crucial to protecting your privacy and personal safety when using the internet.
It's no surprise that having your traffic redirected and encrypted will reduce your upload and download speeds. After all, more distance must be covered by the data packets that make up your internet traffic. The best VPNs, thankfully, don't skimp on security while maintaining blazing-fast speeds.
Tip ⭐: Try one of our top VPN providers.
How to Change Location & IP With a VPN: Masking Your Address 🌐
Although each VPN has its own unique interface, they are all essentially the same. To illustrate, let's look at how NordVPN works. Changing your IP address is a breeze if you already have a subscription to a service.
- ✔️ Launch NordVPN.
- ✔️ To choose your location from the drop-down menu, please click here.
- ✔️ Pick any place you like.
- ✔️ Watch for the link.
Step 1: Install Your VPN
When using a virtual private network on a desktop or laptop, switching servers is simple. Start by downloading the Windows app for NordVPN and running it. Using your service, there is a wide variety of options for switching servers.
You'll need to download the NordVPN app for Android or iOS before you can switch servers on the go using it. Launch the client. This can be done on any device with an active NordVPN subscription and the software installed (computer, mobile phone, tablet).
To get started, launch the client by clicking its icon.
Step 2: Pick Location on Map
Once the app has been installed successfully, a list of available servers will appear on the map. You may easily relocate servers by dragging the map to the desired position and clicking on the desired server. The server in that country will then be linked to you.
To choose your location from the drop-down menu, click here. In the top left corner of the Windows app, there is a text box. To proceed, look for the little arrow next to the row of flags and press it.
Step 3: Using a Servers' List
The list of available servers may also be used. You may access a list of available servers by simply dragging the screen upwards.
To link to a certain location, just click the flag of that country. After that, NordVPN will automatically link you to a server in that region.
Pick the place that best suits you. The list of supported countries for your VPN connection will appear as a pull-down menu. Navigate to the desired place by scrolling the list or typing its name into the search field.
Step 4: Using Auto/Quick Connect to Switch Servers
Auto-connect is another method for connecting to a server while using NordVPN.
The 'Auto connect' button in NordVPN is used when you don't want to manually choose a server. The optimal server for your needs will be connected immediately. Stay patient while we establish a connection.
After selecting your desired location, please wait for the link to stabilise. Then you can securely access the internet wherever you happen to be.
Using Special Servers 🌐
Dedicated IP servers, P2P (peer-to-peer) servers, Onion Over VPN capabilities, and Double VPN (for greater protection) are just some of the specialised server options available to NordVPN customers.
You may choose any server you choose. After that, you'll be presented with a list of available servers of that sort, from which you may pick an allocated server or browse the list until you find one that meets your needs.
Conclusion: How to Change Location & IP Address with a VPN
To hide your true location and IP address, a VPN is essential.
Changing your IP address is often done so that you may see material that is restricted to a certain location. Some of the top series on Netflix US are unavailable to Netflix users in other countries, while access to BBC iPlayer is restricted to residents of the United Kingdom.
Furthermore, there might be desired athletic events that aren't being shown in your area. Find the best VPN for Netflix and other streaming services if that's your major concern.
You can further protect your privacy and security when surfing the web by hiding your real IP address. Simply said, they hide your online actions from your ISP and any other parties who could try to monitor your online behaviour. Of course, it helps that they use VPN connections that are encrypted all the way through.
Changing various device's location
Believe it or not, this is actually the easy bit. Simply scroll below and follow the easy steps to change location with a VPN:
- ✅ Get your chosen VPN and set it up on your computer.
- ✅ After signing in, a selection of servers should become available.
- ✅ Select the desired country and then click the corresponding button.
- ✅ A new IP address will then be assigned to you by your selected VPN's servers; this process may take a few seconds.
Although these instructions were written with a macOS machine in mind, they should translate fairly well to other desktop OSes, plus there are VPN applications for both Android and iOS.
The best apps will make this process simple and straightforward, which is why we recommend services from companies like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Adding a virtual private network plugin to your Chrome browser is a great way to simplify matters even more.
FAQs: Understanding Changing IPs With VPNs 📚
In what ways is a VPN useful?
Accessing material that is restricted to a certain location is the primary motivation for changing your IP address. For example, Netflix customers in other countries can't watch some of the service's most popular US series, and viewers from outside the UK can't access BBC iPlayer.
And then there are the sports games you want to see but can't because they aren't aired in your area. You should search for the top VPN service providers for streaming content like Netflix.
One of the best ways to protect your privacy and safety online is to hide your real IP address. In a nutshell, they hide your online activity from your ISP and any snooping governments. It doesn't hurt that the VPN tunnels they employ are encrypted all the way through.
Is it possible to choose a certain IP address?
While it's possible to set a general region for your new IP address in most VPN software, pinpoint accuracy is rare. This is because, despite VPNs' possession of a large number of IP addresses, users are allocated IPs at random when they join.
A dedicated IP is a feature provided by certain VPN services. A dedicated IP address is a static IP address that no one else can use. Consumer VPNs like NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, and PureVPN may give one for a modest charge, but they are considerably more popular in corporate services that are meant to enable capabilities like remotely accessing data that is IP-blocked.
However, a dedicated IP is usually unnecessary for the average user. Since you're the only one who can connect to a dedicated IP, marketers and other data analysers will have an easier time monitoring your online behaviour, which defeats the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.
Changing my IP using a VPN isn’t working, what do I do?
How can I stop location lockouts (websites that detect VPNs)?
Some websites, such as Netflix, use sophisticated ways to determine whether your connection is encrypted by a virtual private network. If this is discovered, you may be prevented from accessing some materials or restricted to the same information as previously.
If you use a shared IP address, it's possible that other individuals may attempt to “geo-spoof” their location at the same time you do. If you're ready to spend a little extra each month, VPN services like NordVPN will provide you with a unique IP address. There are, however, some easy solutions you may try before forking out any further cash.
Try seeing whether it's possible to change servers as a first step. There are a variety of VPN service providers with global server availability. For example, ExpressVPN's huge network of more than 3,000 servers in 90 countries makes it simple to test out many options in the nation of your choosing.
If that doesn't work, it's likely that your location has been exposed due to cookies or other browsing data that was kept on your device. If you want to prevent this from happening, clearing your browser's cache is your best bet. However, doing so will delete all of your browser history, including any bookmarks or cookies you may have found helpful. You might also try utilising a virtual private network and browsing the web in private mode.
If you're using Chrome on a desktop computer, all you have to do is…
- ✔️ Go to Google and do a search.
- ✔️ Select the lock icon to the left of the URL to verify its authenticity.
- ✔️ Choose Location Access Permissions.
- ✔️ Either switch to a different search engine or switch to private browsing mode.
