IP Spoofing Explained

IP spoofing is a technique through which you can conceal your identity on the internet. Identity here refers to your IP address which more than reveals just your public address; it reveals your ISP and geo-location. The IP address is a fundamental part of the internet that makes communication possible between different networks.

What Does an IP Address Do?

It’s your digital identity. On a technical level, it is required to communicate with other devices on local and public networks.

A local network is the group of devices connected to your router(s) and the users spanning across the ISP’s network. Due to a finite number of IP addresses available, these local networks connect to a single IP address to the internet via the ISP.

The ISP will return webpages to the correct user on the network when you initiate a request to open a website.

VPN for Online Privacy

VPN connects you to a remote server before accessing the internet. It acts as an intermediary for every request that you make. The web server connects to the VPN – to its IP address – which is why checking your IP address online will bring up the VPN server’s IP address, thus ‘spoofing’ your IP address.

VPN is a quintessential tool for online privacy. It not only hides your IP address but adds a layer of security in the form of encryption. Encryption is ubiquitous in the modern world when protecting user data is concerned. Most of the web today uses HTTPS – a form of encryption that protects data while in transit and verifies the web server’s authenticity.

But the encryption employed by VPN works on a lower-level and can encompass every type of traffic leaving your device.

How Does IP Spoofing Help?

Spoofing the IP address can open up new possibilities, from protecting online privacy to accessing the internet with more freedom. Here’s what you can expect:

• Anonymous Web Browsing

VPN encrypts your network traffic so that only the VPN server can decrypt it and send it to its appropriate destination. It protects data in transit. Not even the ISP can see your activities because the VPN server uses its own DNS server to look up the addresses that you request. A DNS server is like a phonebook that keeps a list of the IP address and the corresponding domain names.

Normally, the ISP looks up the domain name from its DNS server. But that changes when you connect to the VPN server.

Your ISP may be logging your every activity. It is true for internet service providers in the United States where the NSA keeps tabs on the internet and telephonic communication of the citizens. VPN spoofs your IP address and protects you against prying eyes.

• Bypass Censorship

Governments often tackle freedom of speech by restricting what websites or services can be accessed in the country. It could also be due to political or religious differences.

If you find yourself shackled by the country’s imposition of dictating what you can and cannot access on the internet, use a VPN.

• Access Streaming Websites

Disney+ and HBO Max are the hot new digital streaming services thanks to exclusive content. The problem? Both of these services are unavailable worldwide. So if you want to watch exclusives like The Mandalorian or Zack Snyder’s Justice League, then you would need to log in from the United States or any other region where the service exists.

Unfornatutely, much of the population is locked out. But a VPN spoofs your IP address to overcome the geo-restriction barrier. You could be in Singapore but connect to a VPN server in the USA to access such services.

• Find Cheaper Fares

Did you know that a VPN can help you save money? Ecommerce stores and services often offer cheaper prices for emerging markets. You can tap into these discounts by connecting to a VPN, spoofing your IP address, and checkout using regional prices.

Airfares are one such area where prices tend to differ in some regions.

iProVPN’s VPN Network

Spanning 15+ countries, iProVPN’s VPN network lets you go global from anywhere in the world. The iProVPN app gives convenient access to all the VPN servers with just a tap. There are no restrictions, no limit to the number of servers you can jump to while browsing the web.

You can connect to the USA server to stream Netflix with its complete library and then connect to the UK server to watch British content on the BBC iPlayer.

It is just one of the many things a VPN makes possible for you. Security is paramount for a safe experience, and iProVPN regards that by safeguarding your communication using AES 256-bit encryption.

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