What's My IP Address

Instantly find your public IP address with detailed location and network information

Detecting your IP address...

What is an IP Address?

Think of an IP address as your home's mailing address, but for the internet. Just like the postal service needs your street address to deliver packages, websites and online services need your IP address to send data to your device.

IP stands for Internet Protocol, and the address is a unique string of numbers that identifies every device connected to the internet. Without it, you couldn't browse websites, send emails, or stream videos.

IPv4 vs IPv6

There are two versions of IP addresses in use today:

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4):

Format: Four numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
Each number ranges from 0 to 255
Total possible addresses: about 4.3 billion
Example: 203.0.113.42

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6):

Format: Eight groups of four hexadecimal digits (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334)
Created because we ran out of IPv4 addresses
Total possible addresses: 340 undecillion (that's 340 followed by 36 zeros!)
Example: 2001:db8::8a2e:370:7334

The internet is gradually transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6, but most networks still use IPv4 or both.

Public vs Private IP Addresses

Not all IP addresses are the same:

Public IP Address:

Assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Unique across the entire internet
Used to identify your network on the web
What websites see when you visit them

Private IP Address:

Used within your local network (home or office)
Not visible on the public internet
Common ranges:
- 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255
- 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
- 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255

Your router has a public IP address, while your devices (phone, laptop, smart TV) have private IP addresses within your home network.

IP Geolocation: How Accurate Is It?

IP geolocation estimates your physical location based on your IP address. Here's what you should know:

Accuracy levels:

Country: Usually 95-99% accurate
City: About 50-80% accurate
Exact address: Not possible from IP alone

Why it's not precise:

IP addresses are assigned to ISPs, not specific locations
Your ISP's server might be in a different city
VPNs and proxies can mask your true location

Fun fact: If you've ever seen ads for a city you don't live in, or a website showed the wrong location, that's IP geolocation being imprecise!

Privacy and Your IP Address

Your IP address reveals some information about you:

What it can show:

Your approximate location (city/region)
Your ISP
Whether you're using a VPN or proxy

What it cannot show:

Your exact home address
Your name or personal details
Your browsing history (only your ISP has this)

Protecting your privacy:

VPN (Virtual Private Network): Masks your real IP with the VPN server's IP
Tor Browser: Routes traffic through multiple servers
Proxy servers: Act as intermediaries between you and websites

Common Uses for Knowing Your IP

Why would you need to know your IP address?