Ok...I've been wanting to ask this question since a long time..so here it goes...

Suppose I have a public IP address 60.10.100.1. Now my question is, If I configure my box as a Proxy server, will I be able to hide my real IP address??

One very important point to note here is - that I want to implement this on my standalone home computer. So that means there is no router/gateway, which can be used as a Proxy server to shield my real IP address...

So, can I have my actual IP hidden from public view ( web sites and hackers) and give them the impression that I have an IP of 50.1.1.1 when in reality I have an IP of 60.10.100.1

Is this possible? If yes, then how? pls suggest...

Regards,

amit

you could use a proxy or a NAT.
NAT is like a router, but done by a computer.

Illustration :
----------------
| INTERNET |
----------------
|
|
|
Proxy / Nat ( 60.1.1.1)
|
|
|
Workstation (50.1.1.1)

When Workstation try to reach internet, the "Proxy / Nat" translates his ip address in packet to 60.1.1.1, so everyone on the internet will talk to "60.1.1.1" instead of "50.1.1.1". Only the "proxy / nat" will know the real destination of the packets.

Now the only difference between Proxy and Nat is that Proxy cache requested site (mean save in memory), so site you often use will load faster. Proxy allow you to log trafic going outside your network (could be done with Nat too, but it is somehow harder). Proxy is used for http trafic, mostly.
However Nat is a bit easier to set up, and it will Nat every connection by default (not only Http one). Plus, Nat is transparent, mean you don't have to change (most) applications configuration.

no that is not possible, because eventually the data needs to return back to your computer. the only way this is possible is with what is called ip spoofing, where you change you ip to be incorrect. this means all response to your requests go somewhere else. This is the technique used for DOS attacks.


BUT what you can do is find a publically accessible proxy server. Then configure your browser to use that. This will mean all web pages you view will appear to have come from the public proxy instead of you.

Thanx leckie..But do u know of any such proxy server? Will it be safe to use a public proxy server to access the internet? What do u feel ?

Regards,

amit

Is it safe? Well, that is a judgement only you can make. Do you trust the owner of a public proxy to not capture all of your data and look for sensitive data? I personally want as few things as possible between me and the websites that I browse. Fewer eyeballs that could see me.

If you don't use a proxy, then other sites can get your IP address. My feeling is "so what?", but that only applies to me. Again, it is your call.

If you really want safety, buy a big safe. Put your computer in it with the power off. Hire some security guards to protect it. Your computer and everything on it are safe. Useless? yes, but very safe. As soon as you put it on the internet, you add risk because you have added accessibility. The line between risk and safety is one that only you can draw. It all depends on what you want to protect yourself from.

You may want to look at using privoxy. It won't mask your address, but it will protect you against popups, cookies, and many other bad things on the web.

If you want to hide your IP from "hackers", then what you're really asking is how do you secure your box from being compromised. What you want in that case is a good firewall, host-IDS, disable all unsafe services, etc...

If you want to hide your IP from the websites you visit, then you want an anonymizer, which like leckie said you could do via public proxies, but then the proxy knows not only your IP, but all the data you're sending, so potentially that could be a real problem (third party viewing your transactions). I personally would not just use a random open proxy I found on a list.

Unless you're doing something illegal, it generally isn't worth the hassle to use open proxies. If you are doing something illegal, well if you aren't bright enough to know how to cover your tracks, then it's already too late and you're going to get nailed--not that I encourage illegal activities when you think you can get away with it, it's always wrong, but if you're going to get caught it doesn't even benefit you.

Chill out guys...When I asked that question, I didnt have any malicious ideas in mind. For that matter, I feel if one's got to get involved into such illegal activities, then may be LQ is the wrong place for that person...

Let me tell u why i asked that question...I am trying to set up web server using apache, but I am not too much into iptables...and moreover I only have a standalone PC to play with...no LANs or dummy networks here!...so that means that I dont have much scope to experiment with my setup...Now since, DNS resolution also shows the IP address of the server in the status bar of the browser, I dont wish the public accessing my server to know the real IP address...(which is not in my hand), unless I use another machine as a Proxy!....So thats why i wanted to know if I can mask my real IP so that people can access my site hosted on my server using the domain-name rather than the IP address....

cetialphav, chort .. Thanks for alerting me on the security aspect of this, but I am aware of the security implications of logging on to the Internet....

I agree chort, a strong firewall setup and an IDS will be necessary, so I'll be dwelving into those sometime later...

Anyways, everyone, thanx for the suggestions...

Regards,

amit

Well, DNS is only for humans. Computers use IP for addressing together with MAC address in the end.
Hiding the IP of your server is like inviting people to a party without giving the address it will be held. How to find your server if you hide?
Tell people where to find you but put locks in your doors.