Complete guide to getting and using an anonymous IP address

Lots of people have no idea what an anonymous IP address is, how to use it, and why they would want to use one in the first place.  Here's a breakdown of what anonymous surfing is and more.What is an anonymous IP?An anonymous IP refers to surfing the Internet with an IP address from another source other than your own computer or phone.  Though there are a number methods of achieving "anonymity" online, and different levels of anonymity online, the idea is that other users or organizations who want to track your online activity won't be able to if they can't find your real IP address.  This can be used to increase your privacy online, beef up your online security, help you get past firewall restrictions, and more.What do I use an anonymous IP for?If you work or school network blocks sites like Facebook, YouTube, or other sites, you can use an anonymous IP address to "disappear" from the network and open up these blocked sites.  If you live in a region where news and other foreign media or keywords are banned from the Internet, you can access banned sites and browse freely.  When you shop online, chat over VOIP, share music and movies, or do other stuff that you want to make private, this is a good way.  This is also, of course, a good way to change your identity online. Aside from the obvious naughty stuff you can accomplish by doing this, this can help you sign up for multiple accounts, bypassing bandwidth limits, or joining forums that ban your IP.How do I get an anonymous IP?One of the most popular methods of achieving anonymity online is through open proxies. These are free to the public, and by simply entering an IP address and port number into the advanced settings section of your web browser, you can use that proxy server as a "gopher", retrieving and sending information between you and the Internet.  Another way to get an anonymous IP address is through a virtual private network. A VPN uses encryption and tunneling to provide an impenetrable path for you to access the Internet.  In addition to this, a VPN fixes many of the issues with open proxies, including the problem of spam and packet sniffing, as well as the fact that proxies are easily detected and blocked.