How To Change Your IP Address

How do I change my IP? There are MANY methods to change your IP. Some methods will work for you but may not work for someone else and vice versa.
If your IP is static, then you CAN’T change it without contacting your ISP.
If you have a long lease time (explained in this article) on your IP then you won’t be able to change your IP without cloning your MAC address, which I’ll explain later in this article.
It definitely helps if you know how the IP is being assigned to you.
What is an IP lease time? IP lease time is the amount of time your ISP determines you’ll be assigned a particular IP. Some IP lease times are just a few days and other IP lease times could be set for a year or more. This setting is completely up to your ISP.
METHOD ONE
One of the easier methods to change your IP is to turn off your modem/router/computer overnight. Then turn it back on the following morning. This method WILL NOT work if your ISP has a long lease time set for your IP.
METHOD TWO
The following method will ONLY work if your computer is being assigned your external IP and not a router.
How to determine if your computer is being assigned the external IP
If your connection is direct to your computer and your computer gets the public IP and not a router, you can try this:For Windows 2000, XP, and 20031. Click Start2. Click Run3. Type in cmd and hit ok (this opens a Command Prompt)4. Type ipconfig /release and hit enter5. Click Start, Control Panel, and open Network Connections6. Find and Right click on the active Local Area Connection and choose Properties7. Double-click on the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)8. Click on Use the following IP address9. Enter a false IP like 123.123.123.12310. Press Tab and the Subnet Mask section will populate with default numbers11. Hit OK twice12. Right click the active Local Area Connection again and choose Properties13. Double-click on the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)14. Choose Obtain an IP address automatically15. Hit OK twice16. Go to What Is My IP to see if you have a new IP addressFor Vista1. Click Start2. Click All Programs expand the Accessories menu3. In the Accessories menu, Right Click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator4. Type ipconfig /release and hit enter5. Click Start, Control Panel, and open Network and Sharing Center. Depending on your view, you may have to click Network and Internet before you see the Network and Sharing Center icon6. From the Tasks menu on the left, choose Manage Network Connections7. Find and Right click on the active Local Area Connection and choose Properties (If you’re hit with a UAC prompt, choose Continue)8. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)9. Click on Use the following IP address10. Enter a false IP like 123.123.123.12311. Press Tab and the Subnet Mask section will populate with default numbers12. Hit OK twice13. Right click the active Local Area Connection again and choose Properties14. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)15. Choose Obtain an IP address automatically16. Hit OK twice17. Go to What Is My IP to see if you have a new IP address
Some people have inquired about manually assigning their IP address. This is possible, but you run a very high risk of your ISP banning you from connecting to the internet. To manually change your IP, follow the steps above for your Operating System. In step 9 or 10, depending on your O/S, enter an IP similar to the one displayed in the command prompt window. For example, if the IP displayed in the command prompt window is 75.1.2.3, change yours to 75.1.2.4. You’ll also need to manually enter the Subnet, Gateway and DNS Server IP addresses as well. If the new IP you give your computer doesn’t work, chances are someone else on the ISP network has already been assigned that IP. You’ll need to move on to the next one and keep trying until you find an open one. However, some ISPs match up your MAC or modem data to the IP that’s been assigned. If those 2 things don’t match up, you won’t be able to connect no matter what. If your router gets the IP and not your computer, you’ll need to http in to your routers interface and manually assign the IP there. It’s pretty much the same method as assigning the IP to your computer. The method that varies is in how you reach your routers interface. You can get the instructions from your manufacturer’s website.
MAC Cloning. What is a MAC address? A MAC address is a physical hardware address assigned to each device that has the capability of connecting to a network. The internet is nothing more than a large network. The MAC address is something that is assigned in the chip on the device and is not something the user can change. MAC cloning can only be done at your router providing it has those capabilities. Most ISPs assign their IPs based on the MAC address in your equipment. If the MAC address of your router is 00-11-22-33-44-55 and you connect to your ISP, the DHCP server records your MAC and assigns an IP. If you disconnect from the ISP, you lose your IP address. The next time you connect, the DHCP server sees your MAC, looks to see if it has assigned an IP address to you before. If it has and the lease time has not expired, it will most likely give you the same IP address you had before disconnecting. Why clone a MAC address? New MAC address most likely equals new IP. How to clone your MAC and if your router has this feature is dependent on the router itself. You’ll need to find the instructions on the manufacturer’s website.
Please post any questions or comments in the Change My IP Address thread.