A US IP address lets you do lots of things – unblock US-only shows and movies on streaming platforms, game on US servers with your friends and enjoy less lag and ping while doing so, and make people believe you’re actually based in the US (for whatever reason).
Like most people, you’re likely only interested in watching more US entertainment. We’re with you, but how do you actually get a US IP address to do that?
We’ll tell you which methods you can use in this article. Also, we’ll answer some questions we saw on Reddit and heard from our audience about using a US IP address.
How to Get a US IP Address
Changing your IP address to seem like it’s from the US isn’t as difficult as you might think. Don’t worry – you won’t need to run complicated commands in some programming language. You can actually get a US IP address with three online services:
1. Use a VPN
In our opinion the best method for getting a US IP address is to use a VPN service –. VPNs are online apps that hide your IP address by routing your connection through a VPN server. The server sits between you and the sites you visit. So, all websites will think the VPN server is communicating with them, not your device.
To get a US IP address, you just have to use a VPN server that’s located in the US. VPNs make it very simple to do that. Their apps have easy-to-scroll lists of VPN server locations. Just pick a US location and the app will instantly connect you to it.
And that’s all there is to it! There are many VPNs out there, so we recommend sticking to the top ones – ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN. They have hundreds if not thousands of servers in the US, so overcrowded servers that cause slow speeds won’t be a problem. They also have cross-platform compatible apps that are very simple to use.
Oh, and besides helping you get a US IP, VPNs are also really good at securing your traffic. They encrypt it end to end, so only the VPN app and server can decrypt your data. That way, hackers can’t eavesdrop on your connections anymore, and ISPs can’t throttle your speeds or sell your browsing data to advertisers.
2. Use a Proxy
Proxies are very similar to VPNs – they change your IP address by routing your traffic through a server too. So to get a US IP, you just have to browse the web while connected to a US proxy server.
Proxies are just as easy to use as VPNs, but they’re not as secure. Proxies don’t use encryption most of the time, or they just use weak encryption. That means they’re slightly faster (encrypted traffic takes more time to travel), but it also means your data is at risk while using a proxy.
So we only recommend using proxy servers if you’re 100% sure you’re not handling any sensitive information. For us, that means unblocking streaming content or sites that don’t require you to sign into an account. If they require a paid account (like Netflix), using a proxy is risky because it can’t secure your login credentials and payment information.
3. Use Tor
The Tor (The Onion Router) network is a free privacy tool you can use to hide your IP address. You just have to download the Tor browser and run it. It will send your traffic through three servers, and websites will only see the last server’s IP address.
Tor is convenient because it’s free, but it also has some annoying drawbacks.
For one, you can’t choose which server location you use. You have to keep refreshing the connection route until the exit server is from the US. To get an idea of what we mean, here’s a screenshot of a Tor connection (called Circuit). If the last server isn’t from the US, you have to keep hitting New Circuit for this Site until you get a US server.
And another problem is how slow Tor is. There aren’t enough servers for how many Tor users there are, so the bandwidth is very limited. Our original speeds usually slow down by around 80-90% with Tor. For comparison, we only experience 30-40% slowdowns with a VPN, and 20-30% slowdowns with a proxy.
FAQs
Here are the most common questions people ask about changing their IP addresses.
Is It Legal to Change Your IP Address?
Yes, it’s completely legal to this – at least in most parts of the world. There’s no specific law that says you can’t change your IP address. It would only be illegal in a country if using a VPN or proxy would be illegal.
However, changing your IP to engage in illegal activities (drug trafficking, child pornography, harassing people, etc.) is against the law, obviously.
Will a Site Ban Your Account If You Change Your IP Address?
That depends on the site. Most streaming sites don’t care if you access them with a different IP address. If they detect it belongs to a VPN or proxy, they might block it, though (but not your account).
However, some Sites have rules against changing your IP. Steam, for example, makes it clear you might get a ban if you change your IP to try and save money when buying a game.
Can You Get a US IP Address with a Virtual Private Server?
Yes, you can – as long as the virtual private server (VPS) is located in the US.
However, it’s not really worth it. Renting a VPS is more expensive than paying for a VPN or proxy. And using a VPS is pretty complicated – the setup process alone will take dozens of hours if you’re not tech-savvy.
How Do You Like to Get a US IP?
Do you also use a VPN, or do you prefer a proxy? Or maybe you’re one of the few who has more luck with Tor?
Please let us know how things went for you in the comments. And if you know other ways to get a US IP, please mention them.
