ISP address

[Grandpappy]

Is it possible to 'hide' your ISP address and subsequently provide a greater degree of safety ( I think) when 'surfing' the web?
Thank you

[ChuckFickens]

you ISP address will be something like :

TalkTalk Correspondence Dept.
PO Box 360,
Southampton
SO30 2LY

Think you might mean your IP address, which is your computers unique address on the internet.

It is not possible to hide totally, there are services that offer anonymous browsing by basically directing all traffic through their computers so it looks like you are located where ever their computer is. But, these services keep records so you could still ultimately be traced back.

to be honest, I can see very little benefit for most people wanting to be anonymous on the internet unless they are up to something underhand, in which case I have no interest in helping.

[Aquariel]

In addition to Chuck's answer, there are also websites that offer (or restrict) services based on your location, obtained from your IP address.

For example, you need to have a "UK" IP address in order to use such services as the BBC IPlayer. Some sites also refuse to work at all if you go through an anonymous proxy server.

Any malware on websites could still get through to your PC regardless of whether you are "anonymising" your IP address.

It's best to just have a decent firewall and an up to date virus checker if you want to be safe online, and be careful which websites you visit and/or buy from.

[rov1200]

Some interesting sites

http://www.google.com...id=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLL_en

[Grandpappy]

Thanks for your replies. I can assure you all that I have no intention of anything underhand or subversive. My interest was aroused simply after running a programme on the " GRC ShieldsUp!" site, which showed my computer 'failed' a ping test and that it would be 'visible' to the web' rogues?' After running the test for the second time , my computer 'passed' and was running in 'stealth' mode and I was informed that 'firewalls' can be configured to ignore so called'ping'tests???
I assumed (foolishly) that if I could hide my IP address that I would be safer.
I shall just stick to using AVG and also the security built in to Firefox and Thunderbird.
But, many thanks to you all and I wish you all a very merry Christmas
Cheers