Why we can change our IP address?

Question

I came across some websites that offer to change our IP addresses. One says we can surf the net anonymously, including changing our IP address and location. Most of the software packages are not free, so I have not tried it out yet. But my question is, so, will IP addresses no longer be unique or valid for identifying which computers were sending/requesting the information?

I thought only the ISP can determine our IP, so is it true we can change our IP via some commercial software?

Case:

If I change my IP address, then go to a website which is supposed to be banned by my country, will the ISP let me pass the check and I will be able to browse the website which should be blocked?

Another question:

From what I know, if we want to go to a certain website, here is the flow:

My Computer => ISP => Website => ISP => My computer

I am not sure if that's the correct flow, but I am sure that, whichever website I want to visit, I need to go through my ISP, don't I?. So if we change our IP, will our ISP record our new IP or the original (assigned-by-ISP) IP?

Answer 1

You can hide, but not change your IP address through anonymous proxy server. I.e. your real IP from ISP will be used only for communication with proxy server and the proxy's IP - for website browsing.

Answer 2

Computer => ISP => Proxy Server => Website and back.

The Website sees the Proxy Server's IP, not yours. Sometimes people chain proxies, then delete logs on the first one to ensure anonymity.

Answer 3

As the name suggests, Anonymous Proxy Servers will make requests to websites on your behalf, and then pass the results of that request on to you. As far as the website is concerned, the request came from the IP address of the proxy, and it would have no idea that the results will be passed along to another (your) IP address.

There are problems with using Proxy Servers, primarily security concerns - you will have to trust it completely as it will have access to all your internet traffic, possibly in an unencrypted state. A lesser issue is that you may not be able to access certain websites if they ban the IP addresses that the Proxy Server uses.

Answer 4

You usually do not have any control over the IP address assigned by your ISP. Furthermore, they can (and likely do) log everything that you access, and can easily tie your IP to your account and identity. Any website you visit can see your IP address, in fact, it is usually recorded by server logs. Rarely is it traced back to you as an individual, unless you commit a crime and they subpoena your ISP to get your identity.

The sites which offer to change your IP cannot change the IP from which you connect to the internet. Instead, they serve as an intermediary - you access only their server, and their server then retrieves other pages on the web and returns them to you. This means that to the other pages you are retrieving, only the proxy service's IP is recorded, making it difficult to track back to you. They can't really circumvent it in any way. However, the proxy service will know your IP address, and your ISP will know that you are connecting to the proxy.

Proxies are one common method of circumventing regional restrictions for content. Because you aren't making a direct connection to the server, it won't always work, particularly for sites which stream media, such as internet radio and streaming TV, which are often the types of sites restricted.

You can't expect that your IP will not ever be seen, because your ISP will always see it, and will always know where you are connecting to. However, by using anonymysing services, you can drastically decrease the number of sites which obtain your IP.

Answer 5

you are correct at your understanding that ISP will be determinign your IP, all these IP changers/hiding services do nothing but simply act as a mediator for Internet Applications you use... they will know your ISP allocated IP and all your Web request will go to them actually, then they will forward those request to actual Service Providers with their IP as source and receive the result on your behalf and forward back the result to you.

Now, though they hide your real IP from other Web Services, but are not always secure... actually picking secure service is real necessary... otherwise they may leak all you passwords,etc.

Answer 6

Some corporations, ISPs provide anonym packages. Its a private VPN with the bandwidth you want. This way you can hide all your traffic, use everything encrypted. Best deal for paranoid people (or for those who live in such country).