Hide IP Address and Stay Anonymous Online

Online users prefer to keep their anonymity intact and browse through the internet without any threat of surveillance. However, the situation sounds very ideal as the lack of online security is becoming prevalent. It can hamper numerous activities like web-scraping and can potentially stall your day-to-day communication and business activities.

The use of residential proxies is one way to protect your online presence. You can check out these location proxies that belong to actual electronic devices that are present in a specific location. Such proxies allow you to share your IP with the devices of another user within a conventional or anonymous shared network, called a Peer-to-Peer or P2P Communication system. In this article, we will discuss how users can maintain online privacy through different paid and unpaid security tools.

Safeguarding Your Identity Through P2P IP Networks

An IP address or Internal Protocol Address is a unique identifier of devices on the local network or internet. When an online user requests to access a certain website, it is identified through its IP address. This exposes the user’s identity and its privacy is compromised.

To ensure anonymity, many users tend to share their devices’ IP addresses through residential proxies. Their electronic devices work like proxy servers which mask users’ identities highly efficiently. Such a phenomenon is called peer-to-peer or P2P IP sharing.

Within this anonymous P2P distribution system, various resources and information is shared between specific nodes. Nodes are participants within the network and they can stay anonymous or pseudonymous. A set of routing overlay networks conceal the physical location of participants and ensure privacy.

Within an anonymous P2P system, nodes do not have any specific identifier. However, in the case of pseudonymous networks, nodes are identified by cryptographic keys instead of IP addresses. It is an overlay address that originates from the user’s public key. This way, P2P IP sharing makes it impossible for website security algorithms to track your IP address and mark your location until you are logged in somewhere.

Advantages of using P2P IP Networks

Following are the reasons which lead to an increased focus on anonymous P2P systems over the period of time.

• To protect from mass surveillance
• To access geo-restricted information or overcome data detention
• To keep away from risking litigation
• To conduct anonymous blogging
• To steer clear of lawsuits against bloggers
• To ensure freedom of speech
• To avoid censorship through Internet domain names

P2P Network Providers

There are several businesses that are offering anonymous P2P network services. They provide an anonymous decentralized application where clients become a part of the network and access public information without infringing their privacy. Packetstream is an example of one Peer-to-Peer proxy network where clients or packeters can access online content through a secure network. But it comes at the expense of sharing your bandwidth. Such companies attract participants by compensating them with money.

These tactics lure many users who intend to hide their online presence and also want to make a few bucks along the way. But it does not sound like a reliable solution when keeping online privacy intact is your right. There are better and far more secure open-source security solutions available that you can opt for online activities to ensure your privacy.

A Solution Hidden in Plain Sight: The Tor Browser

Tor Browser is an internet security tool that anonymizes your connection and encrypts your identity. The Tor developers, founders, researchers, and users believe that they should have private access to uncensored information. Tor browser was particularly developed to assist less tech-savvy and everyday internet users to access online information without the threat of tracking and surveillance.

It works on the principle of “onion routing” where users’ IP address passes through multiple security layers before it finally reaches the target site. For the general populace, it is an instrumental tool for accessing geo-restricted information, social media accounts, and critical information resources. Moreover, it is an open-source browser that is run by volunteers.

This means you don’t need to compromise your bandwidth or convince another individual in order to use it. A browser run by decentralized entities with diverse interests is a better option to safeguard your online presence in contrast to other Peer-to-Peer Proxy networks. Tor Browser is not just an online tool but a product of a highly committed international community that believes in online security and transparency as a basic human right.

Conclusion

Protecting your IP address while accessing online information or sharing files between different sources is becoming very common. Users prefer to stay anonymous and mask their identity by joining different anonymous P2P networks. You have the option to choose other technologies just to earn some money. But, an optimal open security tool to safeguard your identity sounds like a better choice. If you believe that accessing open-source information anonymously is your right then you must opt for Tor Browser.