IP Address Guide
Your IP address is your device's identity on the internet. Learn what it reveals, how it works, and why it matters for your privacy.
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to your device by your Internet Service Provider. It serves two purposes: identifying your device on the network and providing your approximate geographic location. Every website you visit can see your public IP.
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to the internet. Think of it as your device's mailing address — without it, data cannot be delivered to you.
An IP address is a number like 192.168.1.1 (IPv4) or 2001:db8::1 (IPv6) that identifies your device on the internet. It is assigned by your internet service provider and changes when you switch networks.
When you type a website address into your browser, your device sends a request containing your IP address to the website's server. The server uses this address to send the web page back to you. Without an IP address, two-way internet communication would be impossible.
Want to see yours right now? Our IP address checker shows your public IP instantly.
Your own address split into its building blocks, with an IPv4 vs IPv6 comparison.
IP addresses work through a system of routing managed by your ISP and the internet's backbone infrastructure. Here is the process simplified:
Your ISP assigns a public IP address to your router
Your router assigns private IP addresses to each device on your network
When you visit a website, your request is sent with your public IP
The website's server reads your IP and sends the response back to it
Your router receives the response and forwards it to the correct device using its private IP
Imagine an apartment building. The building has one street address (public IP). Each apartment has a unit number (private IP). Mail is delivered to the building address, then the building manager (router) distributes it to the right apartment.
There are two versions of IP addresses currently in use:
Most devices today support both protocols. Your ISP determines which version you are assigned. Many connections use IPv4 as the primary protocol with IPv6 available as a fallback or alongside it.
Your IP address reveals more than you might expect:
Approximate location: City and country (not street address)
Connection type: Residential, business, mobile, or datacenter
VPN/proxy usage: Whether your connection is masked
ASN: The autonomous system number of your network
Check what your IP reveals with our IP checker and location tool . For more on accuracy, read how accurate is IP location .
If you want to keep your IP address private, you have several options:
VPN: Replaces your IP with the VPN server's IP. Most user-friendly option.
Proxy server: Routes traffic through an intermediary. Less secure than VPN.
Tor network: Routes traffic through multiple encrypted nodes. Slowest but most anonymous.
Mobile data: Switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data gives you a different IP.
For more privacy tips, read our complete guide on how to protect your privacy online . To understand the difference between your home and internet-facing IPs, see public vs private IP address explained .
Your IP address is used to route internet traffic to your device, identify your approximate location for content delivery, enforce geographic content restrictions, and for security purposes like fraud detection. Every internet connection requires an IP address to function.
No. IP geolocation is only accurate to city level or regional level. It cannot reveal your street address, building, or apartment number. Only your internet service provider (ISP) has the exact mapping between your IP and physical address, and they are legally required to protect that information.
Most residential internet connections use dynamic IP addresses that change periodically (every few hours to days). Your IP also changes when you switch networks (e.g., from home Wi-Fi to mobile data). Static IP addresses, which don't change, are typically used by businesses and servers.
You can hide your IP address using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a proxy server, or the Tor network. A VPN is the most popular and user-friendly option — it routes your traffic through a server in another location, replacing your real IP with the VPN server's IP.
IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses (like 192.168.1.1) and supports about 4.3 billion unique addresses. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (like 2001:0db8::1) and supports a virtually unlimited number. IPv6 was created because the world ran out of IPv4 addresses. Most devices now support both.