You can change your public IP without a VPN by reconnecting your router, requesting a change from your ISP, or switching to mobile data. The new address depends on your operator's rules: a quick reboot often returns the previous one, while a static address stays the same. Start by checking your IP before and after the action. These methods do not let you choose a different country.
A VPN, or virtual private network, routes your connection through a separate server. You can compare this approach with reconnecting in the overview of all ways to change your IP.
Which IP needs changing for websites to see a new address?
An IP address is a network address used for data exchange. At home, your computer receives an address from the router, and the router connects to the ISP's network. These are two levels of addressing.
Which IP needs changing for websites to see a new address?
These are two levels of addressing.
With CGNAT, the router may receive a new address inside the operator's network, while websites continue to see the same shared exit address.
| Address | Who issues it | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Local, e.g. 192.168.1.20 or 10.0.0.5 | Usually the home router | For communication between devices within the home network |
| Public, or external | The internet service provider | Websites see it when you connect through this network |
We are checking the public address. Manually editing the local IP in your computer's settings does not replace it. A mistake in such configuration can break your connection.
Why does rebooting the router often return the previous IP?
An ISP may issue a dynamic IP via DHCP, the protocol for automatic network configuration. It assigns the address for a lease period. Dynamic means the address may change, but it does not have to change every time the router is switched on.
According to the DHCP description in RFC 2131, the server tries to return the previous address to the client. On reboot, the client itself requests the previously issued IP. Even after the lease is released, the server may offer it again.
That is why switching the power off for a few seconds often ends with the same address. Everything is working as intended. Resetting the internet session sometimes yields a new external IP, but I would not recommend relying on it as a dependable method.
A static IP is fixed to the connection. Changing it requires contacting your operator.
Which method should you try first?
For a quick address change, start with mobile data. To change your home network's address, try a router restart, then a request to your ISP.
| Method | What happens | What the new public IP depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Rebooting the router | The connection to the ISP is re-established | On the address type and allocation rules; the previous IP is often retained |
| A longer power-off | The router stays disconnected for a while | On the lease and the ISP's policy; there is no universal timing |
| A request to the ISP | The operator checks the address assignment | On whether a replacement is available for your connection |
| Switching to mobile data | Traffic goes through the mobile operator's network | On its addressing; the result is checked separately |
| Reconnecting mobile data | The phone reconnects to the operator's network | On address allocation, including the shared exit for subscribers |
| Renewing the local lease | The computer receives settings from the router | The public IP of the home connection does not change |
How to restart the router and check the result
- Open a public IP checking service and note the address, recording its internet protocol version: IPv4 consists of four numbers separated by dots, IPv6 of groups of characters separated by colons.
- Restart the router and wait for the internet to come back. Choose a moment when the connection drop will not interrupt a call or a file transfer.
- Open the same service and compare addresses of the same version, IPv4 with IPv4 and IPv6 with IPv6, to see whether the address changed.
- Switch the router off for a longer period if the address stayed the same and an outage is acceptable. I would first check with your ISP whether powering off helps on your particular line: no one can promise a specific number of minutes. After switching it back on, repeat the check.
A restart and a factory reset are different actions. A factory reset erases the router's settings and does not guarantee a new external IP. I would not recommend pressing the recessed reset button for this task.
An example scenario: after a restart, the computer received a different local address, but the checking service shows the previous public one. For websites, the connection address has remained the same.
What to ask your ISP
There is no universal router power-off time for changing your IP. Ask your ISP about the terms of your connection: whether an address replacement is possible, whether powering off helps, and whether a fee applies.
Ask support to replace the public IP and clarify the terms:
- Address type: whether it is dynamic or static. The same IP persisting for a long time does not by itself prove it is static.
- Shared exit: whether CGNAT is used — carrier-grade address translation in which several subscribers share one public IPv4.
- Replacement terms: whether support can change the address and whether switching the router off affects this.
- Cost: whether a fee or a change of plan applies. Find this out before ordering.
With CGNAT, the router may receive a new address inside the operator's network, while websites continue to see the same shared exit address. The subscriber has almost no control over this allocation: this model is described in RFC 6888.
How to get a different IP via the mobile network
Switching from home internet to mobile changes the exit network. To check on a phone, a few steps are enough:
- Note the public IP while connected to your home Wi-Fi — this is the address you will compare against.
- Turn off Wi-Fi, turn on mobile data and open a page in the browser, so that traffic goes through the mobile operator.
- Check the address on the same service. To try again within the mobile network, turn mobile data off and on again; the result is visible in the address after reconnection.
A mobile operator may also use CGNAT and return the same shared IPv4 after reconnection. Check with your operator whether CGNAT is used.
Platform specifics are covered in the guide on how to change your IP on iPhone and Android.
What does a change of the temporary IPv6 address mean?
With IPv6, a device can create temporary addresses on its own. In them, the device identifier changes, while the network prefix, i.e. the shared initial part of the address, is retained when it is renewed.
In RFC 8981, the preferred lifetime of a temporary address by default is one day, with a random adjustment. So a new IPv6 roughly once a day may be normal system behaviour; the exact rhythm depends on the implementation and settings.
Renewing the temporary IPv6 does not change the public IPv4. The shared prefix makes it possible to link temporary addresses to the same network.
Which questions remain after checking?
Will Windows address renewal commands change my IP for websites?
No, if the computer is connected through a home router. The /release and /renew parameters of the ipconfig command release and renew the DHCP configuration of the adapter, usually at the router. This is described in the Microsoft documentation. Even the local address may stay the same after renewal.
Why does my IP change on its own when I do nothing?
Because of automatic address assignment. The ISP may issue a different dynamic IP at the next lease renewal, and temporary IPv6 addresses are renewed on the device. The expiry of a DHCP lease by itself does not oblige the server to change the address.
Can you get an IP from another country without a VPN?
Yes, via a suitable overseas intermediary; changing the address at your home ISP does not provide this. A proxy forwards requests through another server, while Tor routes the connection through a chain of nodes. Private Relay does not offer a country choice.
What should you do if you need a new public IP?
Compare the public IP before and after reconnection, always using the same version. A router restart often returns the previous address via DHCP. If there is no change, ask your ISP about the IP type and whether a replacement is possible. A static address requires your operator; for a quick switch to another network, mobile data will do. With CGNAT, the external address may remain the same.
These methods do not choose the country of connection. For a foreign address, you could consider CitadelVPN, having first checked that the location you need is available; the procedure is described in the guide on how to get an IP from another country via a VPN server there.