GymTanAndLaundry
20.04.11, 18:33
Hello there, this here is my first tutorial - so be nice :biggrin:
1.) F.A.Q
2.) Changing Your IP
If you want to understand all the technical information to how this works then keep reading, if you have no time to read the "why's and how's" and just want to get your IP changed A.S.A.P then skip to the next section by holding ctrl+f and typing in "Changing Your IP" (without the quotes) to see step-by-step instructions with pictures.
1.) F.A.Q
Q: Why is it that some people can turn off their modem/router and get a new IP address, but when I do it my IP address always stays the same?
A: The reason some people get a new IP address from rebooting their modems and others do not is dependent on which company you get your internet from, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) - it is your ISP who designate whether your IP address is Static (never changing) or Dynamic (changes when connection to the ISPs network is lost and re-established eg: when they do maintenance work or when you reboot your hardware at home). You cannot determine whether you are static or dynamic, this is not something you can change - however you are able to trick an ISP that assigns static IP addresses into giving you a new IP address - which we cover with a "How to" in the "Changing your IP" section.
Q: Okay I understand the whole static and dynamic thing, so why isn't everybody dynamic as I'm sure lots of people get banned from websites for varying reasons, not just because of torrenting and I'm sure that most people would appreciate a dynamic IP?
A: Not true, the conception that a dynamic IP is better only rings true with those who wish to "get away" with things on the internet - such as a scrupulous and looked down upon activity as bit-torrent cheating. Static IP's are very useful for who users who run private webservers or FTP servers who would find it bothersome to keep re-assigning their domain name a new IP address, and hence prefer the suitability of a static IP. Aside from web geeks however, your average user has no idea what an IP even is let alone whether their IP is static or dynamic and hence they don't care.
If anymore questions are asked in regard to this tutorial... I will add them to the F.A.Q part of the tutorial.
2.) Changing Your IP
** You need access to the modem, so you can turn it off and back on - if you don't have access to the modem that provides your internet you are screwed - as you need to reboot your connection after following all the steps to get your new IP address. **
1. - Head over to google and search "download TMAC" or, just click this link and head over directly to their page: Technitium MAC Address Changer v5 Release 3 (FREEWARE) (http://www.technitium.com/tmac/index.html).
2. - Once you have the software downloaded to your computer be sure to install it. Once you have the software installed, open a new tab in your browser to the following website so that you can see if your IP changes later on when you have completed this tutorial: What Is My IP Address - Shows Your IP Address (http://whatismyip.com/).
3. - ** This step is for Windows 7 users only, skip to step 4 if you are not using Windows 7 ** The software changes a value in your registry in order to trick your ISP into giving you a new IP address so it needs full administrative access, you can do this by right clicking the program and clicking "Run as Administrator" or if you don't want to have to do this everytime you run the program and want to change your IP then go to the compatibility tab of the program by right clicking the TMAC icon, going to properties and then clicking the compatibility tab and you should see a secluded section at the bottom that says "Privilege Level" tick the box here that says "Run this program as an Administrator" and then click "Apply" and finally "OK". - Image below:
http://i55.tinypic.com/2q39fet.png
4. - NOTE: to protect myself, I have removed all details of my own MAC address and IP from all pictures of the software posted here Okay, so launch the program and you should see the following interface:
http://i56.tinypic.com/2akdav4.png
Explanation of Illustration: Okay, now in my illustration there are two available networks, Wired and Wireless. The MAC address in your picture should be different to mine, in fact as if you couldn't tell that is not my real MAC Address, for illustration purposes I have put a fake MAC address there. Now the number of available network connections you see may not match mine, obviously it will vary from user to user and those without wireless capability will only see Wired for instance and other people may have a variety of different networks available for them to choose from. Anyhow - you can determine which connection is the one you're currently using by looking under the "Link Status" sub-heading. If it says "Up, Operational" then that is the connection that you are currently using and subsequently, is the connection you need to modify to get a new IP address. To make things even clearer, you know when a network is not in use because it will say "Up, Non Operational". "Up" means the hardware is working correctly and is enabled as a device. "Operational" means it is in use. "Non-Operational" consequently means it is not in use.
5 - Choose the Network Connection that is "Up and Operational" from the list of Network Connections in the software, if you only see one network then obviously that must be the one that is in use, so select it from the network connections you see by clicking on it (which should highlight the field, making it turn dark blue) and then click the Change MAC button.
Ilustration:
http://i51.tinypic.com/2mgp66u.png
6 - When you click "Change MAC" you should see the following:
http://i52.tinypic.com/2e1zz1u.png
Now this bit is very important, so make sure you read carefully and understand what you are doing before you continue. To get a new IP address you need to put in a valid MAC address. The easiest way to do this is to put in your current mac address, and then changing the last 2 digits.
Here's an example of me changing my dummy MAC address, notice I only changed the last 2 digits - this way I guarantee my MAC address is a valid one and ensure I've done everything correctly.
http://i52.tinypic.com/2pzabtj.png
7 - Now.. click the "Change Now!" button below the fields where you have just entered your new MAC address. It is next to the "Original MAC" button and very easy to see. Ignore every other button including Release and Renew IP - these won't do what you want if you have a static IP - keep on track with me here for results.
Now be WARNED: When you change your MAC YOU WILL LOSE CONNECTIVITY. You should see it say "Disabling Connection".. flash for a few seconds and then "Re-enabling Connection" followed by something along the lines of "Network Connected". Now when it has done this, despite saying network connected you won't have any internet connection at all. Don't worry, this is normal. Now what you need to do is turn off your modem, and turn it back on again. Most modems have a button on them for turning them on and off, if your does not simply cut the power to it and then reconnect the power.
8. Now you're playing a bit of a waiting game, it's dependent on your hardware but you're waiting for your modem to cycle, my modem personally will flash the green RDY light for about 20 seconds, flash the green SYNC light a few times and then connect to my ISP. Open up the tab in your browser with the webpage What Is My IP Address - Shows Your IP Address (http://whatismyip.com/) in it which you should of loaded up earlier on at the beginning of this tutorial. Refresh the page, and the IP address displayed on there should have changed from before, confirming you have successfully obtained a new IP address.
If you still don't have connectivity or a different IP.... have followed all of these steps and have rebooted your modem then try changing the last 2 digits of your MAC address to something else, it seems for whatever reason your ISP does not like the MAC address you have chosen to spoof. Sometimes if the MAC address your using is already in use on your ISP by somebody else then they wont assign you a new IP address and you will have no working connection at all to the internet (only to the ISPs network) so you will need to keep fiddling with the last 2 digits until you have a working connection) - if you cannot find a working mac address then change it back to your original address by clicking the "Original Mac" button to at least getting a working internet connection again.
Good luck! And if you have any questions/criticism whatsoever or any suggestions as to how I can improve this tutorial then do not hesitate to post them here. :biggrin:
1.) F.A.Q
2.) Changing Your IP
If you want to understand all the technical information to how this works then keep reading, if you have no time to read the "why's and how's" and just want to get your IP changed A.S.A.P then skip to the next section by holding ctrl+f and typing in "Changing Your IP" (without the quotes) to see step-by-step instructions with pictures.
1.) F.A.Q
Q: Why is it that some people can turn off their modem/router and get a new IP address, but when I do it my IP address always stays the same?
A: The reason some people get a new IP address from rebooting their modems and others do not is dependent on which company you get your internet from, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) - it is your ISP who designate whether your IP address is Static (never changing) or Dynamic (changes when connection to the ISPs network is lost and re-established eg: when they do maintenance work or when you reboot your hardware at home). You cannot determine whether you are static or dynamic, this is not something you can change - however you are able to trick an ISP that assigns static IP addresses into giving you a new IP address - which we cover with a "How to" in the "Changing your IP" section.
Q: Okay I understand the whole static and dynamic thing, so why isn't everybody dynamic as I'm sure lots of people get banned from websites for varying reasons, not just because of torrenting and I'm sure that most people would appreciate a dynamic IP?
A: Not true, the conception that a dynamic IP is better only rings true with those who wish to "get away" with things on the internet - such as a scrupulous and looked down upon activity as bit-torrent cheating. Static IP's are very useful for who users who run private webservers or FTP servers who would find it bothersome to keep re-assigning their domain name a new IP address, and hence prefer the suitability of a static IP. Aside from web geeks however, your average user has no idea what an IP even is let alone whether their IP is static or dynamic and hence they don't care.
If anymore questions are asked in regard to this tutorial... I will add them to the F.A.Q part of the tutorial.
2.) Changing Your IP
** You need access to the modem, so you can turn it off and back on - if you don't have access to the modem that provides your internet you are screwed - as you need to reboot your connection after following all the steps to get your new IP address. **
1. - Head over to google and search "download TMAC" or, just click this link and head over directly to their page: Technitium MAC Address Changer v5 Release 3 (FREEWARE) (http://www.technitium.com/tmac/index.html).
2. - Once you have the software downloaded to your computer be sure to install it. Once you have the software installed, open a new tab in your browser to the following website so that you can see if your IP changes later on when you have completed this tutorial: What Is My IP Address - Shows Your IP Address (http://whatismyip.com/).
3. - ** This step is for Windows 7 users only, skip to step 4 if you are not using Windows 7 ** The software changes a value in your registry in order to trick your ISP into giving you a new IP address so it needs full administrative access, you can do this by right clicking the program and clicking "Run as Administrator" or if you don't want to have to do this everytime you run the program and want to change your IP then go to the compatibility tab of the program by right clicking the TMAC icon, going to properties and then clicking the compatibility tab and you should see a secluded section at the bottom that says "Privilege Level" tick the box here that says "Run this program as an Administrator" and then click "Apply" and finally "OK". - Image below:
http://i55.tinypic.com/2q39fet.png
4. - NOTE: to protect myself, I have removed all details of my own MAC address and IP from all pictures of the software posted here Okay, so launch the program and you should see the following interface:
http://i56.tinypic.com/2akdav4.png
Explanation of Illustration: Okay, now in my illustration there are two available networks, Wired and Wireless. The MAC address in your picture should be different to mine, in fact as if you couldn't tell that is not my real MAC Address, for illustration purposes I have put a fake MAC address there. Now the number of available network connections you see may not match mine, obviously it will vary from user to user and those without wireless capability will only see Wired for instance and other people may have a variety of different networks available for them to choose from. Anyhow - you can determine which connection is the one you're currently using by looking under the "Link Status" sub-heading. If it says "Up, Operational" then that is the connection that you are currently using and subsequently, is the connection you need to modify to get a new IP address. To make things even clearer, you know when a network is not in use because it will say "Up, Non Operational". "Up" means the hardware is working correctly and is enabled as a device. "Operational" means it is in use. "Non-Operational" consequently means it is not in use.
5 - Choose the Network Connection that is "Up and Operational" from the list of Network Connections in the software, if you only see one network then obviously that must be the one that is in use, so select it from the network connections you see by clicking on it (which should highlight the field, making it turn dark blue) and then click the Change MAC button.
Ilustration:
http://i51.tinypic.com/2mgp66u.png
6 - When you click "Change MAC" you should see the following:
http://i52.tinypic.com/2e1zz1u.png
Now this bit is very important, so make sure you read carefully and understand what you are doing before you continue. To get a new IP address you need to put in a valid MAC address. The easiest way to do this is to put in your current mac address, and then changing the last 2 digits.
Here's an example of me changing my dummy MAC address, notice I only changed the last 2 digits - this way I guarantee my MAC address is a valid one and ensure I've done everything correctly.
http://i52.tinypic.com/2pzabtj.png
7 - Now.. click the "Change Now!" button below the fields where you have just entered your new MAC address. It is next to the "Original MAC" button and very easy to see. Ignore every other button including Release and Renew IP - these won't do what you want if you have a static IP - keep on track with me here for results.
Now be WARNED: When you change your MAC YOU WILL LOSE CONNECTIVITY. You should see it say "Disabling Connection".. flash for a few seconds and then "Re-enabling Connection" followed by something along the lines of "Network Connected". Now when it has done this, despite saying network connected you won't have any internet connection at all. Don't worry, this is normal. Now what you need to do is turn off your modem, and turn it back on again. Most modems have a button on them for turning them on and off, if your does not simply cut the power to it and then reconnect the power.
8. Now you're playing a bit of a waiting game, it's dependent on your hardware but you're waiting for your modem to cycle, my modem personally will flash the green RDY light for about 20 seconds, flash the green SYNC light a few times and then connect to my ISP. Open up the tab in your browser with the webpage What Is My IP Address - Shows Your IP Address (http://whatismyip.com/) in it which you should of loaded up earlier on at the beginning of this tutorial. Refresh the page, and the IP address displayed on there should have changed from before, confirming you have successfully obtained a new IP address.
If you still don't have connectivity or a different IP.... have followed all of these steps and have rebooted your modem then try changing the last 2 digits of your MAC address to something else, it seems for whatever reason your ISP does not like the MAC address you have chosen to spoof. Sometimes if the MAC address your using is already in use on your ISP by somebody else then they wont assign you a new IP address and you will have no working connection at all to the internet (only to the ISPs network) so you will need to keep fiddling with the last 2 digits until you have a working connection) - if you cannot find a working mac address then change it back to your original address by clicking the "Original Mac" button to at least getting a working internet connection again.
Good luck! And if you have any questions/criticism whatsoever or any suggestions as to how I can improve this tutorial then do not hesitate to post them here. :biggrin: