File sharing takes place all day every day from many computers worldwide. It seems you need to skip around between the file-sharing services as they impose restrictions such as a download and a time limit. All is well if you can find the file you need from a different website, but what if you’ve already downloaded one file, and you need another from the same site but you’ve reached your download limit? How does one bypass these restrictions imposed by the file-sharing sites?
Bypassing download limits could be as simple as getting a new IP address. Websites look at your IP address as a name. You’re known by your name on the Internet, and sometimes you can only show up once or twice at certain websites.
However, you can assume a brand new identity by obtaining a new address (a new name) and return to the sites you’ve been restricted from accessing. We’ll be looking at how quick and effective this nifty technique really is.
Bypass the Download Limit on the Fly
Identifying the Restrictions
Uploaded.net is one such site where the Premium account is the necessary route to having no download restrictions. The free account only allows a file download once every three hours.
Attempting to download a file before the restriction has been lifted will result in the following message, indicating “you have reached the max. number of possible free downloads this hour.”
Is there a way around this? Well, there always seems to be! The way Uploaded.net monitors multiple downloads within a specific time frame is using your IP address. If the address you use to download one file is “11.22.333.44” then attempting another download from the same IP will obviously raise a red flag.
If, however, you were to download from the same site with your neighbors connection (given they haven’t downloaded from the same site as well), and thusa different IP, the website will look upon that download as a fresh one for the time restriction to then begin after the file. The same concept applies when you get a new address for your own connection.
How to Get a New IP Address
Before obtaining a new IP, it’s important to note that some of you may have a static IP with your service provider. This means your IP is always the same, as it’s been dedicated to your subscription with them. This means no matter how many times you attempt a refresh of the address, it won’t change and therefore won’t be reflected with the file sharing site. For the rest of us, however, how have dynamic (changing) addresses, the following will work.
If you’ve ever released and renewed your private IP address from within your network, you’ll understand the external IP acts in a similar manner. If you have a router plugged in between your computer and the Internet, the following will apply.
Open the routers configuration page and then find an administrative or similar section. In our WRT150N router, the page is called “Status > Router.”
Under the “Internet Connection” section is where the IP address info and release and renew buttons are. Notice our IP address is currently ending in “211.33.” This is the address Uploaded.net views us at. They know we downloaded a file from this address and that’s why the limit has been initiated.
To get a new IP address, click “IP Address Release.”
The page will refresh and show no IP address. No connections can be made when in this mode, as no address is available for which to communicate on.
You can then press “IP Address Renew” to get a brand new address, like shown below where number has changed from “211.33” to “211.42.”
The address is brand new, so the file sharing website looks at any new download as if it were coming from a fresh location, regardless of your previous download on a very similar address.
Depending upon the make and model of your router, the method to access its admin page may vary. If you are not aware about the access IP, just search for it on Google. For Eg. If you use a Belkin router, search “How to acess Belkin Router admin page”. Follow the instructions and access the page. Once there, follow the above mentioned process to change your IP address.
For those who have a static IP (which isn’t very common), you can use a Proxy server to bypass download restrictions. Read our guide about setting up a Proxy server in Windows 8. Once you set up the Proxy you can change your IP as often as needed.
Conclusion
Don’t mask your IP address with slow proxies just to download multiple files from a file sharing site. Simply get a new IP address and you’ll be acting as a brand new visitor. It’s free, easy, and rightfully effective.
