Using a fixed address your IT team can approve

1. First, get your employer's OK

This is the boring answer, and it's the right one. Working from another country can affect taxes, data rules and your contract. Your company may be fine with it, but they need to know. A short message works:

"Hi, I'll be in Portugal from March 3 to March 17 and need email and Teams while I'm there. Is there a travel process? Happy to follow whatever setup you prefer."

If the answer is no, take that seriously. Nothing in this guide is meant to help you hide where you're working from your employer.

2. Why sign-ins get flagged when you travel

Every time you sign in to a work account, the service sees the internet address you're connecting from and turns it into a rough location, like "Lisbon, Portugal." Your company can set rules based on that. The main ones are:

• Country and location rules. Many companies only allow sign-ins from certain countries or from a list of trusted locations. In Microsoft 365 these are called "named locations," part of Conditional Access.
• Risky sign-in checks. If you sign in from New York on Monday and Bangkok on Tuesday, the system may flag it as unusual travel and ask for extra checks.
• Device rules. Some companies only allow company-managed laptops. That has nothing to do with location, but it can look like the same problem.

3. Read the error message and share the code with IT

Don't just click away. Messages like "Your sign-in was blocked" often point to a location rule; messages about unusual activity usually mean a risk check; messages about your device point to a device rule.

Many of these screens have a small "More details" link with a code and a time. Screenshot it. Your IT team can look that code up in their sign-in logs and see which rule was applied.

4. Ask IT how they want you to connect

Many IT teams already have a process for approved travel. Common options include:

• The company VPN. If your company runs its own VPN, that's often the approved way in. It's different from a consumer VPN app.
• A managed device or remote desktop to a work computer that stays in your country.
• A temporary travel group that's allowed to sign in from your destination for set dates.
• A fixed address added to their trusted locations. This only works if your address never changes. Give IT the exact address and your travel dates, and let them decide.

Whatever IT chooses, use that. If they prefer the company VPN, use the company VPN.

5. Get your sign-in methods travel-ready

A lot of lockouts abroad aren't about location at all. They're about not being able to prove it's you.

• Use an authenticator app rather than SMS, if your company allows it. Texts to your usual number may not arrive abroad; the app works over Wi-Fi.
• Add a backup method, such as a second phone, a security key or an alternate email, if your company allows it.
• Sign in on your devices before you leave. A device you've used before is "known," which can calm some risk checks.
• Keep your usual phone number active if you can. Some accounts still fall back to SMS.

6. Keep one steady connection

Risk checks pay attention to change: hotel Wi-Fi on Monday, a café on Tuesday, a coworking space on Wednesday. Each one is a different address, sometimes in a different city. Using the setup IT approved, every day, keeps things calm.

• Use the same browser and device every day. Switching browsers can lose the "known device" signal.
• Don't keep retrying a blocked sign-in. Repeated failures can lengthen a lockout. Wait, then contact IT.
• Test a video call before your trip. Browser calls can take a different network route from other traffic.

7. Quick checklist before you fly

1. Get your employer's OK for the dates and destination.
2. Ask IT how they want you to connect, and share your fixed address if that's what they choose.
3. Switch to an authenticator app and add a backup method.
4. Sign in on every device you'll bring, and test your setup before you leave.
5. Save IT's contact details somewhere you can reach without your work email.

8. Where IDNI fits

IDNI gives you a private, fixed address in the US or 73 other countries. It isn't shared with anyone and it never changes, so you can give it to your IT team to review. If IT says no or prefers another setup, follow that. Private Address is $10/month and Private Address Premium is $15/month (Premium is faster and better for video calls).

You can use it in Chrome or Edge with our free extension, or set it up in Windows settings, on a Mac, a phone or other apps with our setup guides.

Some honest limits:

• It doesn't encrypt your traffic like a VPN (sites with the padlock are still encrypted by HTTPS).
• It's an address we provide, not your own internet line, and we can't promise your company or any site will accept it. That's IT's decision.
• It doesn't change your company's rules. If your employer requires a specific setup, follow it.

Want to see how it works first? There's a free 3-day trial, no card needed (one per person). The trial runs on a shared US trial address, so it's for trying the setup; a paid plan gives you an address that's yours alone, which is the one to share with IT.