Did you know that your IP address is being tracked and recorded when you surf the Internet? Every Web site you visit can see your IP address and record your every move. Someone can even find your exact location (your ISP protects your private details). This is also how  spyware and cookies are sent to your computer. And it’s even worse if your ISP provides a static IP address, which never changes. If you want to hide your IP address so you can surf the Internet anonymously, there is an easy way to achieve this.

First, to view your current IP address go to whatismyIP.com and write down the 4 numbers separated by dots. If you want to change this IP address, you can download a program that lets you change or mask the address or simply configure your Web browser to use a public proxy server. This is a free service that allows your PC to connect and hide your real IP address (and location) before you start viewing any Web pages. It acts as a buffer between your PC and the Internet resources you access. This prevents unauthorised access to your computer and sites spying upon you, collecting information about you and your surfing preferences, installing cookies and bombard you with spam and junk mail.

Go to publicproxyservers.com and select any of the proxy lists on the left side. Next, write down the IP address of any anonymous server and its port number. In Internet Explorer, select Tools, Internet Options and Connections. Click on LAN Settings and under Proxy Server, tick the box Use a Proxy Server for your LAN. In the Address box, enter the IP address of the anonymous server you recorded earlier and the port number in the Port field. Click OK and close all windows. Restart Internet Explorer. When you test the new settings, go to whatismyIP.com and see if the address has changed. If you cannot open any sites or the address is the same, undo all changes and try another anonymous server from the list. Sometimes you have to try several times until you find the right one.