There are several types of IP address changing programs on the Internet. Though in general, they can all be used for “anonymous surfing”, “privacy online”, and “unblock sites”, not all of these programs work in the same way, and there are some situations where one might work, but another one wouldn’t. Here are some tips to help you understand.
Virtual Private Networks for Privacy and Security
VPNs are a great way to hide your IP. Several levels of protection, lack of user logs, and locations all around the world mean that you can basically get an IP address from any country in the world and access the Internet as if you really were there. VPNs are super secret, and super secure. Without boring you with the technical details, they’re the best choice for privacy and security online. They’re a bit more expensive than other programs in most cases, but not always, and there are discount and free versions available. Virtual private networks work on your phone and computer, and in 99% of countries (even ones that try to block them, ie China and Iran). They’ll also unblock more sites that proxies.
Web based proxies for unblocking sites
Web based proxies are not actually a program that you have to download. Its a website that provides a portal to a proxy server. Proxies are like computers that store information from the web. When you access the Internet through a proxy, you’re actually seeing what the proxy has stored (can be instantly updated if necessary), and not what’s on the website’s server that you want to see. This helps you get around firewalls (on your network) that block you from visiting sites, or firewalls set up by the website to block specific users IP addresses (getting banned form forums, blocking IP’s from one country, etc) Because they’re accessible from the web and require no download or installation, these are a great way to unblock sites when you find the firewall at work and school is blocking Facebook.
Premium Proxy Services for Anonymity
If being anonymous online is your thing, a paid proxy service is a good choice. These proxies, sometimes called “elite proxies” among other names, give you access to faster servers, with better bandwidth, and more choice as to location of servers. They’re usually not as expensive as VPN services, but do require a monthly fee in most cases. The amount of IPs available, quality of servers that are accessible, and kind of support will vary, and often reflect the price. One time fee services are available, but don’t expect too much from them. Some can even get you access to Hulu and Netflix, which most web based proxies won’t be able to. Consider this a middle ground between totally free web based proxies and totally secure/private virtual private networks.
Conclusion
In most cases, price will reflect quality of product and service, so don’t be fooled by a service that claim to provide everything for nothing – its just not going to happen. As a blogger in China, I know that having a good IP address changing program can save you time and energy when you have to unblock sites or be anonymous on the Internet.