How to Change the IP Address: on Android, iPhone and PC

This article made for people who don’t know enough about IP address. Here we will briefly explain what it is, where it used and why you need to know how to operate with it and how to change IP address. Let’s find out answers.

What is your IP address?

IP address is your unique identifier in Global Network. It is Internet protocol that made to specify any user of Web.

IP usually consists of 4 8-bit digits divided by dot. For example, 255.255.255.0 – valid address. In any of four places you can put number from 0 to 255. But it works only for IPv4 addresses. Let’s go deeper

Some terminology

• Local IP – address that you have in your local network. For example, your office or multiflat house.
• Private and Public IP – 2 types of identifiers which differ with area of use. Public IP made to communicate in different networks. When you need to connect Google or any other web-site, your computer will send public IP to server. Private IP used only on your network. If you want to use printer or scanner by Wi-Fi, your PC and printer will send each other private IPs to understand who is who.
• Dynamic and Static IP – If you know maths, you can understand that 256^4 is not enough to cover all users in the world. That’s why people can’t use only static IP. It should be changed dynamically. That’s why DHCP was made. It allows any server to change IP of your device if you reconnect for example
• IPv4 and IPv6 – 2 basic versions of IP address in meaning how it looks. IPv6 was made when community understood that even dynamic IPv4 is not enough. IPv6 consists of 6 numbers in 16-based numeric system, f.e. 2ab5:3e5f:4563:2aaa:bcd3:0a44.

Now we understand basics, let’s go further

How to check your IP?

To check your private IP, there are different ways involved:

Windows users:

1. Click Start, then Run.
2. Type cmd.
3. Press Enter.
4. Write ipconfig and tap “Enter”
5. Your private IP address will be revealed.

Mac users:

1. Go to System Preferences.
2. Click Network.
3. Your private IP address will display like the screenshot below; for this example, the private IP address is 10.0.0.9.
4. You can also click on the connected devices to the left to find out their private IP addresses.

iPhone users:

1. Go to Network settings.
2. Connect your Wi-Fi network.
3. Click blue Info button right to network.
4. Swipe down to check IP

Android users:

1. Go to Network settings.
2. Connect network.
3. Go in Info about Net.
4. Swipe below and check your IP.

What for change IP?

There may be some troubles where it is suitable to change IP. The reasons include:

• Access content restricted online in your location (for example, accessing Google if you are in China)
• You can’t connect to Wi-Fi
• Prevent tracking your traffic
• Avoid throttling from your ISP
• Encrypt data for increased security and data protection
• Fix an incorrectly configured IP address
• Bypass firewalls

5 ways to change your IP address

I know 5 simple ways to change your IP address, which we’ll go over first. Then we will dive into specific options.

Switch networks. The simplest way to change the IP address of your device is to switch to a different network. For example, if you’re browsing on your home Wi-F, you can turn the Wi-Fi off and use mobile data. This will change the IP.

Reset your modem. When you reset your modem, this will also reset the IP address. Simply turn off the router for at least 30 seconds, pull it back on, and connect as you normally do.

Connect via Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN will keep your public IP address private and signal to the network that you’re connecting via a different location, thus changing your IP address. This happens through an encrypted tunnel, and your ISP won’t even be able to see your activity. Check out options like TunnelBear, ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Use a proxy server. Change the proxy settings in your web browser settings so that it automatically configures. The Web Proxy (HTTP) setting is good for basic web browsing, though you might need more specific settings depending on your needs.

Contact your ISP. Your ISP should be able to change your IP for you.

How to change a local IP address

Windows users:

1. Find Control Panel.
2. Network and Sharing Center, then Change Adapter Settings, then Network Connections.
3. You’ll see a list of Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections. Right-click the one you want to change and select Properties.
4. Go to This connection uses the following items > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP / IPv4).
5. Tap Properties.
6. Choose “Use the following IP address”.
7. Write the IP address what you want.
8. Tap OK.

Mac users:

1. Go to System Preferences.
2. Click Network.
3. Find the device/IP address in the list on the left that you want to change, go Advanced.
4. Navigate to TCP/IP.
5. Update your IP address and settings according to your desired configuration.
6. Click OK.

How to change a router IP address

You can change the IP address on a router by logging in to the router as an administrator account holder. The exact steps vary depending on the router you’re using. Once you log in as an admin, you have the permissions to change the IP address.

How to change a phone IP address

On your phone, you’ll navigate to the Wi-Fi settings. This varies depending on the type of phone and operating system you have. Tap on the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to and go to the advanced settings. From there, you should be able to find IP settings which you can use to configure a new IP address.