Can I configure the VPN connection to always use the same IP address?

Dedicated IPs

As of December 15, you can purchase a dedicated IP from Private Internet Access (PIA). PIA assigns this address exclusively to you; no other users or staff members can access it to ensure your security and anonymity. You can purchase dedicated IPs through the Client Control Panel for active accounts or via the purchase page as a combined subscription.

Dedicated IPs are currently only available for users who purchased an account through the join now page. They are not available for iOS or Android subscriptions due to platform billing limitations. For more information, review the feature announcement or our guide on the purchase and use of dedicated IPs.

If you want to connect using the same IP address without purchasing a dedicated IP, you must use the OpenVPN application instead of the PIA app. Gateway connections normally rotate through IP addresses to provide the best connection with low ping times.

Windows:  

For instructions on installing OpenVPN, review the Windows guide here. 

  1. Right-click the OpenVPN icon and choose the server you want to connect to.

  2. Click Edit config to open the server configuration file.

  3. Replace the hostname (e.g., us-california.privateinternetaccess.com) with the server IP address.

  4. Open a Command Prompt window.

  5. Type ping hostname and press Enter (e.g., ping us-california.privateinternetaccess.com).

  6. Save the changes.

Mac:

For instructions on installing OpenVPN, review the macOS guide using Tunnelblick. Follow these steps and enter your Mac password when prompted:

  1. Choose VPN Details from the Tunnelblick menu.

  2. Click the Configurations button at the top of the window.

  3. Select the configuration file you want to edit from the list on the left.

  4. Click the gear icon below the configurations list.

  5. Select Edit OpenVPN Configuration File.... If this is unavailable, choose Make Configuration Private, click the gear icon again, and select the edit option.

  6. In the TextEdit window, replace the hostname with the IP address.

    • Open a Terminal window.

    • Type ping hostname and press Enter.

  7. Choose File > Save and quit TextEdit.

Every time you connect to that server, it connects you to the IP address you have specified. 

Linux

PIA does not have explicit instructions for Linux due to the variety of connection methods. You can find the .ovpn or NetworkManager configuration file and replace the hostname with an IP address found using the dig <hostname> command.

If you experience issues with these steps, contact PIA support.

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