Skip to contentHow to change your IP address
Your public IP is the address every website you visit can see. Here are the reliable ways to change it — with a VPN, a proxy, or a quick local reset — and how to confirm the change actually worked.
The ways to change your public IP
Your public IP address is what remote servers log the moment you connect — it can reveal your approximate location and which network you're on. Swapping it out is the core reason people reach for a VPN or a proxy: both replace your real origin IP with one of ours before your traffic reaches its destination. That is the whole point — hide your real IP from the sites and services you talk to.
Which method fits depends on what you are trying to do:
- Every app on the device: use the VPN — the WireGuard tunnel routes all traffic.
- One app or script: use a proxy — point only that client at it and leave everything else untouched.
- A free local reset: restart your router or switch to mobile data — no cost, but unreliable (details below).
| Method | Scope | New IP | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard VPN | Whole device | s4m datacenter (or dedicated) | Full-device privacy |
| SOCKS5 / HTTP proxy | Per app or script | s4m datacenter (or dedicated) | Scraping, testing, one app |
| Restart router | Home network | New ISP IP (sometimes) | Free reset, dynamic ISPs |
| Mobile data | Your phone | Carrier IP (often CGNAT) | On the go |
For throwaway checks you can also browse our free public proxy list — third-party proxies we harvest and continuously validate by country, protocol, and anonymity level. They are separate from our paid network, so use them at your own risk. When you need something dependable, compare the VPN and proxy options or read the rest of our guides.
Change your IP with the s4m WireGuard VPN
Best when you want your whole device — every app and background service — to use a new IP.
Create an account
Sign up at s4m.online; anonymous accounts are supported. Activate a paid VPN plan by card or crypto before downloading a configuration or connecting. See pricing for plan details.
Get the app or a config
Download the s4m app for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS — or import a WireGuard config on a supported router. OpenVPN is available too.
Connect the tunnel
Toggle the VPN on. Your device now exits through an s4m IP instead of your own. Paid plans are a flat monthly rate.
Optional: pin a static IP
Add a dedicated personal IP if you want the same address every session — static, bindable to the VPN, and associated with your s4m account.
Verify the change
Confirm your new public IP with api.ipify.org, shown in the code block below.
Change your IP with an s4m proxy
Best when only one app, browser profile, or script should use a different IP while the rest of your traffic stays on your real connection.
Get your proxy credentials
On a metered, pay-as-you-go proxy plan you receive a USER:PASS for our authenticated datacenter pool.
Point your client at the proxy
Use host proxy.s4m.online — port 1080 for SOCKS5 or 3128 for HTTP — with your USER:PASS.
Route only what you want
Configure a single app, browser profile, or script. Everything else keeps using your real IP.
Verify through the proxy
Send a request via the proxy and check the IP it reports, as shown below.
Free local ways to change your IP
These cost nothing but are hit-or-miss — your ISP or carrier controls the result.
Restart your router
Power it off for 5–15 minutes. If your ISP assigns dynamic IPs, the DHCP lease may renew to a new address. Static plans won't change.
Switch to mobile data
Turn off Wi-Fi and use cellular to get your carrier's IP — often shared behind CGNAT, so you don't control which one you get.
Renew your DHCP lease
Releasing and renewing (ipconfig /release + /renew, or dhclient) changes your local LAN IP, not your public one — a common mix-up.
Use a VPN or proxy
When you need the public IP to change on demand, every time, a VPN or proxy is the dependable route.
Verify your new IP with api.ipify.org
# Your real public IP (VPN and proxy off) curl https://api.ipify.org # Connect the s4m WireGuard VPN, then run it again. # A different address means your public IP changed: curl https://api.ipify.org # Check the IP seen through an s4m SOCKS5 proxy: curl --socks5-hostname USER:[email protected]:1080 https://api.ipify.org # Or through the HTTP proxy on port 3128: curl -x http://USER:[email protected]:3128 https://api.ipify.org
Questions, answered
Does changing my IP make me anonymous?
No. Changing your IP hides your real origin IP from the sites you visit, which is the main privacy win — but it isn't total anonymity. Browser fingerprints, cookies, and logins can still identify you. s4m is no-logs by design on RAM-first infrastructure, but no service can honestly promise you're untraceable.
Will restarting my router give me a new IP?
Sometimes. It depends on your ISP. If they assign dynamic IPs, a long enough power-off may renew your DHCP lease to a different address. Static or CGNAT setups often won't change at all. A VPN or proxy is the reliable option.
VPN or proxy — which should I use to change my IP?
Use the VPN to change the IP for your whole device and every app at once. Use a proxy when you only want one app, browser profile, or script to use a different IP. See our /compare/ page for a side-by-side.
Can I keep the same IP every time?
Yes — add a dedicated personal IP. It's static, can be bound to either the VPN or a proxy, and stays associated with your s4m account.
How do I check that my IP actually changed?
Request https://api.ipify.org before and after connecting. If the returned address differs, your public IP changed. Run it through your proxy to confirm the proxy path specifically.
Change your IP in minutes
Spin up a WireGuard tunnel or an authenticated SOCKS5 proxy, then confirm the new address with a single curl to api.ipify.org. Anonymous sign-up available; pay by card or crypto.
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