{"id":124973,"date":"2021-07-27T05:23:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T12:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/?p=124973"},"modified":"2025-04-22T19:35:59","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T02:35:59","slug":"what-is-a-vpn-and-can-it-hide-my-ip-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/what-is-a-vpn-and-can-it-hide-my-ip-address\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a VPN and Can it Hide My IP Address?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s a lot of misinformation about Virtual Private Networks,\u00a0what they do,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0security benefits they offer.\u00a0For this article, I\u2019d like to do some myth-busting about\u00a0how\u00a0a\u00a0VPN\u00a0actually works<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0why\u00a0you should use one.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a VPN and how does it protect me?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A\u00a0<\/span>VPN<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is an\u00a0app that you install on\u00a0your\u00a0device\u00a0to help keep your personal data safe as you browse\u00a0the internet\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You may have heard that VPN apps live on your device and allow you to connect to the internet securely. What that means is,\u00a0when you turn your VPN app\u00a0on, your device\u00a0makes a secure\u00a0connection\u00a0to\u00a0a specialized computer that routes internet traffic,\u00a0called a VPN server.\u00a0You also may have heard that your connection is \u201cwrapped in an encrypted tunnel\u201d which means your device and the server\u00a0share a\u00a0secure\u00a0connection\u00a0so\u00a0only you\u00a0can see what you\u2019re doing on the internet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does a VPN change my IP address?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every internet connection (like your cable modem) is assigned a unique set of numbers called an IP address, which is tied to information such as geographic location, ISP, etc.\u00a0A\u00a0VPN\u00a0replaces\u00a0your\u00a0actual\u00a0IP address\u00a0to make it look like you’ve connected to the internet\u00a0from a different location: the physical location of the VPN server, rather than your\u00a0real\u00a0location.\u00a0This is just one reason why so many people use VPNs.\u00a0This can be handy when you want to hide from advertising trackers or protect your search history.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to use a VPN to change my IP address<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

To change your IP address, you simply open your VPN app,\u00a0select\u00a0the server location you\u2019d like to connect to, and\u00a0you\u2019re done. You\u2019re now browsing with a new IP address. If you\u2019d like\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0sure your\u00a0IP has changed,\u00a0open up\u00a0a browser and search for \u201cWhat\u2019s my IP address\u201d and click on one of the results.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When should I use a VPN?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When to use a VPN really depends on what you want it for. For example,\u00a0<\/span>39% of users understand public Wi-Fi is unsafe<\/span><\/a>\u00a0but\u00a0still do\u00a0sensitive\u00a0things, like banking or shopping\u00a0on public\u00a0WiFi, so using a VPN<\/a> when you\u2019re at\u00a0the airport, or a caf\u00e9\u00a0is a great use case.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I mentioned before, a lot of people use\u00a0a\u00a0VPN for privacy reasons, like stopping advertisers from tracking them.\u00a0Searches you perform, or websites you visit won’t be trackable, which means you’ll be able to surprise your spouse with a vacation you researched and planned on a computer you both\u00a0use.\u00a0Targeted\u00a0ads could spoil\u00a0things\u00a0if\u00a0your spouse\u00a0is\u00a0bombarded with ads for plane tickets and hotels\u00a0while they browse.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can a VPN protect my search history?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A\u00a0VPN protects\u00a0your search history through the secure connection\u00a0you share.\u00a0When you search for a website, or type a\u00a0URL\u00a0into your navigation bar, your device sends something called a DNS\u00a0request, which translates the website into\u00a0the IP address of the web server;\u00a0this is how your browser can\u00a0find\u00a0the website and serve its content to you.\u00a0By encrypting\u00a0your\u00a0DNS requests,\u00a0a\u00a0VPN\u00a0can\u00a0hide your\u00a0search habits and history\u00a0from\u00a0those that might use that info as part of building a profile of you. This type of\u00a0info\u00a0could be used in a wide variety of ways, from\u00a0legitimately\u00a0serving targeted ads to\u00a0nefarious\u00a0social engineering.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can a VPN protect my identity?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

A\u00a0VPN can protect your identity by blocking online trackers\u00a0from following you around the internet.\u00a0With your VPN on,\u00a0trackers will\u00a0think\u00a0all of\u00a0your browsing is coming from a different device in a different location.\u00a0This throws off the profile advertisers try to build because they think you\u2019re someone else.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another way\u00a0a\u00a0VPN can protect your identity is by preventing some types of hacking.\u00a0Stopping attacks\u00a0on\u00a0public\u00a0WiFi\u00a0where\u00a0a bad actor\u00a0tries to get between you and the website you\u2019re visiting, is just\u00a0one way\u00a0VPNs\u00a0can help. It\u2019s called a Man-in-the-Middle attack, but that\u2019s a subject for another article.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does a VPN make me anonymous?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

No,\u00a0a\u00a0VPN cannot make you anonymous. They help\u00a0secure\u00a0what you\u2019re doing, but your\u00a0ISP still knows when you\u2019re using the internet. They just can\u2019t see what you\u2019re doing, what sites you visit, or how long you\u2019ve been on a site.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do I need a VPN if I use Incognito mode?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Private browsing modes can help protect your privacy, but they\u2019re useful if you share a device with other people and you don\u2019t want them to see your search history. You can\u00a0<\/span>read\u00a0all\u00a0about the differences<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in the article I wrote a little while ago.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Apple Private Relay?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Apple\u2019s Private Relay is currently in Beta and will be available\u00a0with an iCloud+ subscription\u00a0for\u00a0Safari\u00a0users on\u00a0iOS and macOS soon. Private\u00a0Relay is\u00a0similar to\u00a0a VPN in that it changes your IP address so websites you visit can\u2019t\u00a0tell exactly where you are.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does Apple Private Relay do?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you turn Private Relay on, your device connects to\u00a0a\u00a0server\u00a0that sends your browsing data to a second server, before it travels through the internet. The reason for the double hop is that first server gives you a new IP address, to\u00a0make you harder to track, while the second server hides that information from the website you\u2019re browsing. The first server only knows your original IP address, while the second server only knows what you\u2019re browsing, but not\u00a0your\u00a0IP.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to turn on Apple Private Relay on iPhone<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Tap the iCloud tab\u00a0in Settings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Tap Private Relay to turn it On<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Scroll down and tap on Turn\u00a0On\u00a0for Safari<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Tap IP Address Location\u00a0to change Approximate or Broader Location<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How to turn on Apple Private Relay on Mac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Click on iCloud\u00a0in the System\u00a0Preferences menu<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Click on the Private Relay box<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Click on the Options button<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Click\u00a0on Private Relay for Safari<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Choose\u00a0your IP Address Location to\u00a0change\u00a0Approximate or Broader Location<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Do I need a VPN if I have Apple Private Relay?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Private Relay only works with Safari on iOS\u00a0and\u00a0macOS.\u00a0Even if you are using an Apple device,\u00a0a VPN is still a good idea because\u00a0it will protect the information that your device sends\u00a0outside of Safari.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      How to get your own VPN<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

      If you\u2019re already a McAfee Total Protection subscriber, you have access to\u00a0<\/span>unlimited VPN usage<\/span><\/a>. Protect your personal information, like your banking information and credit cards, from prying eyes with McAfee Total Protection\u2019s Secure VPN. If you haven\u2019t already signed up,\u00a0<\/span>now\u2019s the perfect time. McAfee Total Protection<\/span><\/a>\u00a0provides security for all your devices, giving you peace of mind while you shop, bank,\u00a0and browse online.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"What<\/a><\/p>\n

      \"What<\/a><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      There’s a lot of misinformation about Virtual Private Networks,\u00a0what they do,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0security benefits they offer.\u00a0For this article, I\u2019d like to do…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":148097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10661,13],"tags":[10409,5471,10412],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-124973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection","tag-how-to-use-vpn","tag-vpn","tag-what-is-a-vpn"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a VPN and Can it Hide My IP Address? | McAfee Blog What is a VPN and Can it Hide My IP Address?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There's a lot of misinformation about Virtual Private Networks,\u00a0what they do,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0security benefits they offer.\u00a0For this article, I\u2019d like to do some There's a lot of misinformation about Virtual Private Networks, what they do, and the security benefits they offer. 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