Click: How to Change the IP Address on a Mac

This updated guide examines Click: How to Change the IP Address on a Mac and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1of 3:

Changing the IP Address

1. Click on the Apple logo. You'll see this in the top left corner of your screen. A menu will dropdown.
2. ClickSystem Preferences. You'll see this under "About This Mac."
3. ClickNetwork. You'll see this in the third organized row next to "iCloud."
4. Click on the network you're using in the left sidebar. For example, if you're using a Wi-Fi connection, click on 'Wi-Fi.'
5. ClickAdvanced. You'll find this at the bottom right corner of the window.
6. Click theTCP / IPtab. You'll see this along the top of the window with tabs for DNS , WINS , 802.1X , Proxies , and Hardware .
7. Click the dropdown menu next to 'Configure IPv4,' and select 'Manually.'
   • Alternately, you can click on 'Renew DHCP Lease' to have your computer automatically generate a new IP address for you.^[1]
8. Enter your desired IP address into the field labeled 'IPv4 Address.' You can take your current IP address and change the last part of the number. For example, your current IP address is "10.0.1.8," so your new IP address can be something like "10.0.1.129."
9. ClickOK, thenApply. Your IP address will now be changed.

Method 2of 3:

Using a Proxy Server

1. Click on the Apple logo. You'll see this in the top left corner of your screen. A menu will dropdown.
   • Use this method if your current network isn't doing the trick, as a proxy server is another, but temporary, network you'll use to connect to the internet.
2. ClickSystem Preferences. You'll see this under "About This Mac."
3. ClickNetwork. You'll see this in the third organized row next to "iCloud."
4. Click on the network you're using in the left sidebar. For example, if you're using a Wi-Fi connection, click on 'Wi-Fi.'
5. ClickAdvanced. You'll find this at the bottom right corner of the window.
6. Click theProxiestab. You'll see this along the top of the window with tabs for DNS , WINS , 802.1X , TCP/IP , and Hardware .
7. Click to select a protocol under the header 'Select a protocol to configure.'
   • Select 'SOCKS Proxy' if you are unsure about which protocol to choose. The 'SOCKS Proxy' protocol is often used to route network packets between clients and servers through a proxy and is effective at boosting general security and hiding the client address of applications.
   • Web Proxy (HTTP) and Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS) are also commonly used but are less protected than a SOCKS Proxy.^[2]
8. Enter the IP address of the desired proxy server into the blank field.
   • If using a SOCKS proxy, navigate to the SOCKS proxy list at http://sockslist.net/ to select a type 4 or type 5 IP address.
9. ClickOK, then clickApply. You will now be connected to the proxy server indicated.

Method 3of 3:

Unplugging Your Router/Modem

1. Unplug your router or modem. Sometimes the router and modem are in the same unit so you can unplug them both from one plug. If the router and modem are separate, you can unplug either to reset your IP address.
   • Wait a couple of seconds or minutes. Most residential connections have what is called a Dynamic IP Address. This means that your Internet Service Provider gives you a new IP address each time your router or modem connects to their network.^[3]
2. Plug the router back in. Wait for the router to reconnect to the internet.
3. Check the new IP address. You can find this in the "Network" section of "System Preferences."
   • If that didn't work, unplug your modem again and wait a few hours before plugging it back in.^[4]