IP address?

[LeadFarmer]

We are switching from BT to Vodafone broadband. Will this mean we now have a new IP address?

Can I still be identified (as the old me) by websites when I’m visiting their site, or does changing provider give a new identity? Or doesn’t it work like that?

Yes, there’s a good reason why I’m asking, which I may reveal

[Cupramax]

Yes you’ll get a new IP address and no most sites identify you by cookies so they’ll still know you’re you if you’ve visited them before. The only way to prevent that is delete browser cache and clear cookies.

[randlemarcus]

And you wont know until you start the service what your IP will be, and you can't request a static until the service starts.

So if your subscription to Big n' Bouncy relies on a whitelisted IP...

[rfisher]

Some sites (including PH) use 'other identifying data' to track users.

Anyone know what those data may be?

IMEI?

Phone serial number / phone number etc.?

Computer identifying stuff?

When I wer a lad you could actually be totally anonymous on 't web.

Not anymore.

[megaphone]

AS above, it will change. Anyway, most ISPs provide a dynamic IP that can change. Try rebooting your modem/router, you may find your public IP will change.

You can request and pay for a static IP.

[LeadFarmer]

I guess a VPN would help. I used to subscribe to IPVanish back in the days when I would download films, but found it expensive.

Anyway, I recently got banned from a forum for alerting members of a manufacturer that was turning out a faulty product that many were spending over £1k on. Thought I was helping members, which I was, but it turns out that manufacturer was an advertiser on the forum, so they banned me.

It was a useful forum, and now I know not to mention that particular brand again I wouldn't mind rejoining, but when I created a new account using new details they soon banned me again, so I assume they recognised an IP address that I used to access their site?

So having recently had to switch broadband suppliers I'm wondering if its safe to try again if I now have a new IP?

[Mr Pointy]

LeadFarmer said:

I guess a VPN would help. I used to subscribe to IPVanish back in the days when I would download films, but found it expensive.

Anyway, I recently got banned from a forum for alerting members of a manufacturer that was turning out a faulty product that many were spending over £1k on. Thought I was helping members, which I was, but it turns out that manufacturer was an advertiser on the forum, so they banned me.

It was a useful forum, and now I know not to mention that particular brand again I wouldn't mind rejoining, but when I created a new account using new details they soon banned me again, so I assume they recognised an IP address that I used to access their site?

So having recently had to switch broadband suppliers I'm wondering if its safe to try again if I now have a new IP?

There are many ways of identifying you so you'll need more than just a new IP address. Connecting via a VPN (I use NordVPN) may take care of the IP issue although some forums don't allow connections via VPN. You'll need a new signup email address & may well need to use a different browser as well.

[megaphone]

Make sure you delete all the cookies in your browser.

[nyt]

Download Tor if you want a half decent chance of being anonymous. Even then you may be tracked. Seemingly innocent things like your screen resolution, installed fonts etc provide a surprisingly unique identity for each device.

Your IP address may well change daily anyway, unless you pay for a static address so sites are well used to ignoring changes.