Why you might need a new IP address

A new IP address becomes necessary when your current one is causing connection problems, when you want to change your location for privacy reasons, or when your internet service provider assigns you a different one automatically. Most home networks get a new IP address every few months or years without you doing anything — your router straightforward asks for a fresh one from your ISP when it restarts or when the lease expires. But if you need one right now, the method depends on whether you want to change your device's address on your local network or your public address that the rest of the internet sees.

The distinction matters because they are two different things. Your local IP address is what your device uses to talk to other devices in your home — your printer, your other computer, your smart TV. Your public IP address is what websites and services see when you connect to them. You can change the local one easily. Changing the public one requires your router or ISP to cooperate.

Key Takeaways

  • Restarting your router is the fastest way to get a new public IP address from your ISP, though it may take a few minutes to assign.
  • You can change your device's local IP address by releasing and renewing the DHCP lease in your network settings, or by assigning a static address manually.
  • On Windows, use ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew in Command Prompt; on Mac and Linux, toggle Wi-Fi off and back on or use terminal commands.
  • Some ISPs use sticky IP addresses that stay the same even after a restart, so you may need to contact them directly for a new one.
  • VPNs and proxy services can mask your public IP address without changing it, which works when you need privacy rather than a fresh address from your ISP.

Getting a new public IP address from your ISP

The simplest method is to restart your router. Unplug the power cable from the back of your router, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. As it boots up, it will contact your ISP and request a new IP address. This usually takes two to five minutes. You can check whether your address changed by visiting a site like whatismyipaddress.com before and after the restart.

If restarting does not give you a new address, your ISP may be using a sticky IP — an address tied to your account that stays the same even after a restart. In that case, you will need to contact your ISP directly and ask them to release and reassign your address. Some ISPs do this over the phone in a few minutes; others require you to request it through their website or app. A few will not do it at all without a reason they consider valid, such as a security incident.

Power cycling your modem separately from your router can sometimes help. If your setup has both a modem (the device that connects to the cable or fiber line) and a separate router (the device that broadcasts Wi-Fi), unplug the modem first, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait for it to fully boot, then do the same with the router. This forces a fresh connection to your ISP's systems.

Changing your device's local IP address on Windows

Open Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key, typing "cmd", and pressing Enter. Type ipconfig /release and press Enter. This tells your device to give up its current local IP address. Then type ipconfig /renew and press Enter. Your router will assign your device a new local address from its pool of available ones, usually within a few seconds.

If you want to assign a specific local IP address instead of letting your router choose, open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on how you are connected. Click "Edit" next to your network, scroll to IP settings, and change the dropdown from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual". Enter the IP address you want (usually something like 192.168.1.100 if your router uses 192.168.1.x), your subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0), and your gateway (usually your router's address, like 192.168.1.1). Click Save.

You can find your router's address and subnet mask by opening Command Prompt and typing ipconfig. Look for the line that says "Default Gateway" — that is your router. The "Subnet Mask" line shows the mask. If you are unsure, leaving these at their defaults usually works.

Changing your device's local IP address on Mac

The fastest way is to toggle Wi-Fi off and back on. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, select "Turn Wi-Fi Off", wait five seconds, then click it again and select your network. Your Mac will request a new local address from your router.

To renew manually, open System Preferences, go to Network, select your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, click "Advanced", then go to the TCP/IP tab. Click "Renew DHCP Lease" and confirm. Your Mac will release its current address and request a new one.

To set a static local IP address, go to the same TCP/IP tab and change the dropdown from "Using DHCP" to "Manually". Enter an IP address (like 192.168.1.100), your subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0), and your router address (usually 192.168.1.1). Click OK and then explore.

Changing your device's local IP address on Linux

If you are using a graphical interface, right-click your network icon, select "Edit Connections", choose your network, click "Edit", go to the IPv4 tab, and change the method from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual". Enter your desired IP address, netmask, and gateway, then save.

From the terminal, you can renew your DHCP lease by typing sudo dhclient -r to release your current address, then sudo dhclient to request a new one. To set a static address, edit your network configuration file (usually /etc/netplan/ on modern systems) and specify the address, netmask, and gateway manually, then explore the changes with sudo netplan explore.

When to use a VPN instead of changing your IP

If your goal is privacy rather than getting a fresh address from your ISP, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is often simpler. A VPN masks your public IP address by routing your traffic through a server operated by the VPN company. Websites see the VPN server's address instead of yours. You do not need to contact your ISP, restart anything, or wait for a new address to be assigned.

VPNs work on any device and any network — home, work, or public Wi-Fi. They also encrypt your traffic, which adds a layer of security. The trade-off is that you are trusting the VPN company to not log your activity, and some services (banks, streaming sites, certain websites) block or throttle VPN traffic. A VPN is not a replacement for changing your actual IP address when you need a fresh one from your ISP for technical reasons.

Troubleshooting when you cannot get a new address

If your device still shows the same local IP address after renewing, check that your router is actually running and connected to the internet. Restart the router and try again. If the address still does not change, your router may have assigned you a reserved address — contact your ISP or check your router's admin panel (usually accessible at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a web browser) to see if your device is listed there.

If your public IP address does not change after restarting your router and modem, your ISP may require you to contact them directly. Have your account number ready. Some ISPs will not release a sticky IP without a specific reason, so be prepared to explain why you need a new one — security concerns, privacy, or troubleshooting connection issues are usually acceptable.

If you are on a corporate or school network, you may not have permission to change your local IP address at all. Contact your IT department. If you are on a public Wi-Fi network, you cannot change the public IP address — that belongs to the network operator — but you can use a VPN to mask it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my IP address disconnect me from the internet?

Briefly, yes. When you release your local IP address or restart your router, your connection drops for a few seconds while your device requests a new address. This is normal and usually takes less than a minute. Your internet will come back on automatically once the new address is assigned.

Can I choose what my new IP address will be?

For your local IP address, yes — you can set a static address manually in your network settings. For your public IP address from your ISP, no — your ISP assigns whatever address is available in their pool. You cannot request a specific public address.

How often do IP addresses change automatically?

Most home networks get a new public IP address every few months to a few years, depending on your ISP's lease duration. Local IP addresses on your devices usually stay the same unless your router restarts or you manually change them. If you want a new public address regularly, restarting your router once a month will usually get you one.

Does changing my IP address hide my identity online?

Not completely. A new IP address makes it harder to track you, but websites can still identify you through cookies, login accounts, and browser fingerprinting. If privacy is your goal, a VPN is more effective because it masks your address and encrypts your traffic at the same time.

What if my ISP says they cannot give me a new IP address?

Some ISPs tie IP addresses to accounts and will not change them without a specific reason. If they refuse, a VPN is your best option for masking your address. Alternatively, you can ask if they offer a different service tier that includes dynamic IP addresses, though this is rare for residential customers.