VPN
A VPN tunnels traffic to a VPN server. The destination normally sees the server address. This can change apparent network location and ISP/ASN information.
Proxy
A proxy relays certain application traffic. Its privacy and encryption properties depend on the proxy type and configuration; it should not automatically be treated as equivalent to a full-device VPN.
Tor
Tor routes traffic through multiple relays, with ordinary destination websites seeing the exit relay address. Tor has a different privacy model from commercial VPN services.
Switching networks
Moving from home broadband to mobile data or another provider changes the network and usually the public address, but it is not an anonymity system.
What IP masking does not solve
- Logged-in accounts can identify you.
- Cookies can persist.
- Malware or compromised devices remain compromised.
- Phishing still works.
- Browser and account telemetry can exist independently of IP.
“Hide” usually means replace the public endpoint
A VPN, proxy or Tor route does not remove IP addressing from the connection. Instead, the destination normally sees an intermediary's public IP. The original ISP address is therefore masked from that destination, while the intermediary itself still participates in the network path.
Choose the method based on the threat model
A VPN is convenient for broad device traffic, a proxy may be application-specific, and Tor is designed around a multi-relay anonymity network. None automatically protects against logged-in accounts, cookies, browser fingerprinting or information you voluntarily submit.