Many users are already familiar with how to create a static IP address, especially if they are on DSL and their ISP enables DHCP. However, some ISPs assign an IP address to your device based on another parameter: your MAC address. This guide aims to help those who have struggled to change their IP addresses despite following various instructions.

Benefits of Changing Your IP

Your IP address functions as your computer’s address on the internet. Websites track you based on this address, which is particularly relevant for online games like Neopets. If you log into multiple accounts without changing your IP, the site’s administrators can detect that the same user is operating several accounts, which can lead to account freezes. Thus, changing your IP address can facilitate safer transactions between different accounts.

What is a MAC Address?

If your IP address is your computer’s address, then your Media Access Control (MAC) address is akin to your social security number. Each piece of hardware that connects to the internet has a unique MAC address, but this guide will primarily focus on your computer’s network card.

Manufacturers assign unique MAC addresses to their devices, which can be viewed as identifying the brand of a car from its emblem. Your MAC address typically looks like this: 01:23:45:67:89:AB.

By changing your MAC address, your ISP will perceive it as a new device on the network and provide it with a new IP address.

So How Do I Do It?

There are various ways to change a computer’s MAC address depending on the operating system. For this guide, we will use a simple program called SMAC MAC.

Download: SMAC MAC

Before we start, let’s go to www.whatismyip.com and log our current IP address.

Here is the interface you will see when you get in the program:

Of course, I’ve grayed out my personal details, and your “Spoofed” status will say No when you first load the program.

The first thing you need to do is select a manufacturer from the drop down menu. I use Microsoft Corporation by default, but many of them should work for you.

The second thing you need to do is click Random a couple of times to randomize your generated MAC address.

The third thing you need to do is click Update MAC. This will cause your network adapter to reset, and your Active MAC should change.

Sometimes I like to restart my network adapter manually by clicking on the fourth button.

Allow your network adapter to reestablish a connection to the internet and attempt to go to www.whatismyip.com to see if your IP address has changed.

Conclusion

If it has changed, congratulations. TNT will now see you as a different beast.

If your IP has not changed, there are many reasons as to why this may be so. I will attempt to help anyone with any problems they have, but I am no tech guru. Please read the disclaimer.