How to Hide IP Address (Internet Explorer)

Here's a quick way to hide your IP address in Internet Explorer:

1. Open a new Internet Explorer window (so you can keep this one in view).
2. Click the Internet Explorer menu for "Tools" and select "Internet Options".
3. Go to the "Connections" tab, then click "LAN settings"
4. Check the box for "Use a proxy server for your LAN".
5. For "Address" and "Port", enter some settings from options #1-3 (see below). For initial testing, try "relay.testproxy.org" for the Address, and 8231 for the Port.
6. Check the box for "Bypass proxy server for local addresses".
7. Click "OK" twice to exit the dialog boxes.
8. Surf to an IP-checking website to confirm the IP address change.

The outline above is derived, with permission, from the instructions to hide IP address in Internet Explorer (images have been removed).

Option #1 for settings to hide IP address in Internet Explorer

Here are some testing settings that you can use to make sure that you're performing the setup properly. If successful, the proxy below will swap your IP, and allow you to confirm via various websites.

Address: relay.testproxy.org
Port: 8231

After entering those settings, open a new browser window and try surfing. It will inform you of what sites are authorized for checking your new IP. Unfortunately, the options are limited and you cannot surf normally with this setup, but you will at least confirm that you know how to correctly configure a relay to hide your IP address.

Option #2 for settings

There are numerous websites that list "free" or "public" settings that you can enter into Internet Explorer as described. One example is PublicProxyServers.com, but a little Googling around will reveal many, many more.

However, there are a few issues you should be aware of with these free option. First and foremost, security and privacy may not be very good on these servers. For example, they may not work with SSL connections, which means you cannot safely login to email or any password protected site. That issue is exacerbated by the fact that it is nearly impossible to know who is operating these resources, whether they intended them for public use, and whether or not they might be monitoring the traffic flow. I personally would not feel safe exchanging personal information, and especially financial information, via such relays.

If you do choose to explore these free options, I highly recommend that you keep your virus definitions up-to-date, and limit your surfing and communication to non-secure matters while using them.

Option #3 for settings to hide your IP address in Internet Explorer

The third option is to use what are known as "private proxies". These work just like the resources mentioned above, relaying your traffic through a remote server, but they are typically password protected, SSL-compatible, and much more stable. That means you can feel safe while logging into https:// pages, including webmail and other personal accounts.

There are two sub-options available here: using a 3rd party service and/or setting up your own server. For convenience, most people will probably be better off leaving the technical issues to the experts. A service like iPrivacyTools includes a software to hide your IP address via private servers without any manual configuration at all.

On the other hand, if you prefer to have full control over the relay, and you don't mind some technical challenge, you might try your hand at setting up your own private relay. That's a little beyond the scope of this article, but there is certainly plenty of material already out there for do-it-yourselfers. If you need assistance with your first installation, you might hire a Linux consultant, or try the folks at Private-Proxy-Servers.com.

UN-HIDING YOUR IP ADDRESS

When you want to get your regular IP address back, simply follow the initial instructions again, but UNcheck the box for "Use a proxy server for your LAN".