is it possible to change my ip address by unpluging my modem and router and everything else. from the wall?

Question

a gf said if i unplug everything and then plug it back in it will change my ip address i say she is full of beans . she said comcast told her thats how to change it. can any one tell us what an ip address is and how we get it? how do i change it is it even possible?

Answer 1

you are both right, and both wrong.



Your ISP (Comcast) assigns an IP address to your router, potentially a new address every time you reboot or turn on/off your router. This is your router's IP address. Your router assigns your PC an IP Address, probably something like 192.168.x.x. We call this a NAT (Network Address Translation) address.



Basically, it works like this. Comcast assigns you an IP address, let's say, 204.97.64.1 (just a number I made up). On your router you have a wireless laptop hooked in, your IPhone, your PS3, and a desktop PC. Your router will assign each of those individual devices it's own IP address...the laptop maybe 192.168.1.2, the IPhone 192.168.1.3, the PS3 192.168.1.4, and the desktop 192.168.1.5.





Each time one of those devices reaches out to the internet, through your router then through the Comcast connection, your router sends the information to Comcast as 204.97.64.1...and anything coming back from the internet to your devices sends that information to 204.97.64.1 (your router), which then figures out which device(s) it needs to go to, and sends it to the correct IP address(es).



So if you unplug the cable modem that attaches to your router, will that change the IP Address you're using on your PC? Probably not...that address is assigned by the router. However, the IP Address of the router *MAY* change, since the connection to Comcast was lost.





So, will rebooting your router and everything change your IP address on your PC? Maybe, maybe not, depending on how you have your router setup to give out IP addresses.



Will rebooting your router and everything change the IP address Comcast assigns to your router? Probably.



Hope this wasn't to complicated for you :)



Best Wishes,



Jeff

Answer 2

It depends on how your ISP assigned IP addresses. Obviously, if your IP address is static, you'll get the same IP address every time no matter what. And, equally obviously, if your IP address is dynamic, and someone else is using the IP address you were using before, you will definitely get a new IP address.



In the middle, it depends on the ISP and your modem/router. Some ISPs keep track of the IP you had last and if it's still available, they give you back that IP address. Some modems/router store the last IP address you had, even if their power is removed, and ask for that same IP address. Some ISPs never honor the IP request for customers with dynamic IP addresses, some do if the IP address is available.



Depending on how long the modem is off, the ISP may never realize you're gone. Typical dynamic IP address assignments are for at least an hour. When you turn your modem off, the IP address assignment equipment typically has no idea that you're gone. It won't release your IP address for reuse until your assignment expires (your router or modem would normally renew it). When you reconnect, it just give you back the IP address it already thought you had.



So it may work, it may not. The longer you wait, the better chance you'll get a different address.

Answer 3

There are 2 capacity IP addresses you may desire to "exchange" a million) The IP handle of your laptop on your community community. that's replaced by capacity of updating your IP settings on your community administration panel. while you're making use of DHCP, you could merely ask to refresh the IP (or restart your computer). 2) The IP handle of your internet router/your IP on the internet. that's probably what's being observed. reckoning on your connection, this might the two be a dynamic IP assigned by capacity of your internet provider provider (Comcast, AT&T, etc.) or a fixed IP. If dynamic, you could exchange your IP by capacity of restarting you DSL or cable modem. If fixed IP, you may might desire to touch your provider provider to alter. using this could be to re-classify your self with appreciate to internet web pages that use IP handle to hint your habit, block you, etc.

Answer 4

yup i turned off my router overnight and got a new ip in the mornin