Server IP Issues

[misty cedar]

I was told when you enter a dedicated server it shows your IP address in the server logs, is that actually true or not?

[summer stratus]

Yeah true

[livid field]

When connecting to any server on any game, your IP is shared with the server

So yes it is

[misty cedar]

Is there any way to hide it? I think most people arent too happy just letting their IP run around freely

[livid field]

You can use a VPN

That is how you hide your IP on the internet, since as said, you share your IP basically everywhere already

[misty cedar]

Heres the thing, i cant afford one

Is there any free VPNs or such?

Im joining a server and im just not too sure about the people and i wanna be safe

[livid field]

I am not aware of any personally, only ones with trial periods or heavy limitations

[thick yacht]

if your client didn't share your ip with the server, the server wouldn't have any way to route packets to you

it has to know where to send them

a proxy or vpn changes your ip, but to do that for free you'd need access to another IP

if your isp will give you a second IP, you could conceivably set up a proxy for free for connecting to game servers, but the only case I can think of that that would offer any sort of advantage is make it harder to DDoS you

but you can pretty easily prevent DDoS anyways just by not having any vulnerable ports open in your NAT router

[misty cedar]

Thanks for the help man, only problem is that im not that smart and that didnt make alot of sense to me.