What Is a Residential IP Address? Explained Simply

What Is a Residential IP?

Whenever someone establishes a new internet connection in their home, their Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns them a residential IP address. The string of numbers that is a residential IP is then tied to a particular location that a consumer ISP covers, which is usually a residential area.

Residential IPs are also associated with residential devices that use such connections. Whether it's a laptop, TV, or a router delivering the connection to other devices, there's always a physical device in the home network that uses the residential IP address.

So, a residential IP is one assigned by a residential ISP to a home internet connection associated with a physical residential location and the device using it. Besides ordinary use cases, residential IP addresses can also be used to run various services, including residential proxies and VPNs.

The legitimacy of residential IPs allows users of such services to blend in better with ordinary internet traffic and remain undetected. Compared to non-residential IP addresses, the IP source and devices used raise fewer suspicions.

For example, datacenter IPs are often run using virtual machines and commercial internet connections. The latter are most frequently used when creating VPN services, but residential IPs have quite a few advantages over them.

Residential IPs vs Datacenter IPs

Unlike residential IPs, datacenter ones are created in large quantities on data center servers, making them relatively inexpensive to acquire and well-performing. However, websites are more likely to notice a datacenter IP proxy server or VPN.

That's why datacenter IPs are better for bandwidth-intensive tasks, such as downloading large files, streaming, gaming, or automation. While they still change your IP address for everyday use cases, the highest level of anonymity isn't the strong suit of datacenter IPs.

Residential proxies and VPNs, on the other hand, employ residential IPs for increased access and anonymity. They are superior for privacy-focused tasks, like anonymous browsing and social media management, as well as for cases of accurate location targeting.

Benefits of Residential IPs with VPNs

With a residential IP address VPN, you'll appear as a trusted, local visitor while concealing your identity and encrypting data. You gain the best of both worlds – a residential IP, traditionally associated with residential proxies, while also gaining the benefits of a VPN.

• Bypassing geo-blocks. A residential VPN will change your IP address to access content otherwise unavailable at your location. Additionally, the location targeting is often more accurate than with traditional VPNs.
• Fewer web restrictions. Since residential IP addresses seem more legitimate, web admins are more reluctant to restrict with CAPTCHAs or ban visitors with residential VPNs.
• Enhancing privacy and security. Blending in with the crowd of real household users makes it much more difficult to track your online activities or target you with hacks and cyberattacks.
• Higher success rates. High privacy tasks, such as sneaker copping, bulk purchasing, or various automation tasks, can attract negative attention. With a residential IP address, you are more likely to blend in with the rest of the traffic.

Compared to residential proxies, a residential VPN brings more convenience and out-of-the-box encryption. It takes a couple of clicks to encrypt all of your traffic with a residential VPN, while a residential proxy will require a more complicated setup.

Use cases often reserved for residential proxies, like web scraping, ad verification, social media management, or web automation, can be completed with a residential VPN as well. Depending on your use case, you might also need static residential proxies to retain the same residential IP address for longer.

They are more costly, and many providers sell rotating residential proxies as the default option instead. Switching a residential IP address location with a VPN software is often more convenient, and you can still retain the same IP if you choose a dedicated IP VPN feature.

CometVPN’s Residential IP Features

Many users have already turned to CometVPN from residential proxies or other residential IP address providers. Tasks like e-commerce intelligence, sneaker copping, or even bandwidth-intensive streaming and gaming work well with CometVPN residential IPs.

• Ethically sourced residential IP addresses that will work fast, protect your privacy, and continue to do so reliably.
• Wide geographic coverage with residential IP locations in all major regions of the world, and is quickly growing.
• Unlimited bandwidth goes with all our VPN plans, so you can use our service for as much as you need for as long as you need without any restrictions.
• Affordable pricing for all VPN plans, including residential IP VPNs. Starts from a couple of dollars per month.
• A privacy-first approach to VPN services is our priority. We encrypt all traffic in our VPN servers, never keep any logs, and operate outside the 14 Eyes Alliance countries.
• Dedicated and rotating IP options are available for different use cases. Reserve one IP address just for yourself or rotate residential IPs for needed periods.

How to Set Up and Use Residential IPs

Forget about complicated setups you're used to with residential proxies. CometVPN or any other credible VPN provider, for that matter, can supply you with the needed residential IP addresses in a couple of clicks.

1. Sign up and install

Create your VPN account by using an email address or Facebook, Google, or Apple logins. Then, download the CometVPN app for your Apple, Windows, or Android device and install it.

2. Choose a residential IP option

In the CometVPN dashboard, select a suitable plan and choose Residential IP options under Additional services. If needed, you can choose a dedicated IP option as well.

3. Select region and rotation settings

Log in to your CometVPN account on your device, and a residential IP option will be available. You'll be able to choose a needed location and rotation settings.

4. Connect and browse

Finally, click on the large Tap to connect button on your VPN app. Encryption will be enabled, and your IP location will be changed instantly.

Additionally, it's recommended to use a private DNS server with a VPN, as the default one from your ISP might be a security hazard. In short, DNS leaks may still show your activity to your internet provider.

Depending on your use case, you might also want to look into VPN kill switches and binding your VPN client with the software you'll use, such as torrent clients, for similar reasons.

Final Thoughts

Residential IPs are superior tools for concealing your online presence because of their legitimacy. Residential proxies are far from the only way to acquire them, as residential VPNs are proving to be a more user-friendly solution to ensure your anonymity for various tasks.