Your IP address is the unique numerical identifier assigned to your internet connection. Our tool at the top of the page instantly detects and displays your current public IP address (both IPv4 and IPv6).

Can I hide or change my IP address?

Yes. The most effective method is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which replaces your real IP with one from its servers and encrypts your connection for privacy.

Why does my IP address change?

Most internet providers assign 'dynamic' IPs, which can change periodically. This is an efficient way for them to manage their address pool. A 'static' IP, which never changes, is usually a premium business service.

Does Incognito Mode hide my IP?

No. Incognito mode only stops your browser from saving history and cookies locally. Your public IP remains visible to all websites and online services.

What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?

IPv4 is the older system with a limited number of addresses (e.g., 8.8.8.8). IPv6 is the newer system with a virtually infinite number of addresses (e.g., 2001:4860:4860::8888) created to support the internet's growth.

Is an IP address considered personal information?

Yes, under many data privacy laws like Europe's GDPR, IP addresses are considered personal data, as they can be linked to an individual's online activity and location.

What is the difference between an IP address and a MAC address?

An IP address is a logical network address that can change. A MAC address is a permanent hardware identifier assigned to a device's network interface card.

What can someone do with my IP?

They can determine your general location (city/country) and your ISP. Maliciously, they could launch a DoS attack. They cannot find your name or specific street address from the IP alone.

Does my IP show my house on a map?

No, absolutely not. It points to your ISP's regional network hub, not your home. This is a fundamental aspect of how IP geolocation works.

What is an IP WHOIS lookup?

An IP WHOIS lookup reveals who owns a specific block of IP addresses—usually an ISP or a large tech company—and provides contacts for reporting network abuse.

Can my ISP see what I do online?

Without a VPN, your ISP can see the domain names of the sites you visit. They can't see the content of encrypted (HTTPS) pages, but they know which websites you access.

Is my IP static or dynamic?

It is most likely dynamic. The vast majority of residential internet connections use dynamic IPs. Static IPs are more common for businesses and typically have an additional cost.

How can I get a new IP address?

If you have a dynamic IP, unplugging your modem for several minutes and plugging it back in will often result in your ISP assigning you a new IP address.

What Is My IP? The Ultimate Guide to IP Addresses

Q: What is the difference between public and private IP?

A public IP is your global address on the internet. A private IP is used only within your local network (e.g., your Wi-Fi) to identify your personal devices.

The Ultimate Guide to IP Addresses (2025 Edition)

You asked, "What is my IP?", and our tool above gave you the answer instantly. But what does that string of numbers truly represent? An IP (Internet Protocol) address is your unique identifier on the internet, analogous to a mailing address for your home. It's the fundamental component that allows data to be sent and received between your device and the countless servers that make up the web. Understanding your IP address is the first step toward mastering your online presence, diagnosing network issues, and protecting your digital privacy. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know, from the basics of network communication to advanced security considerations.

Part 1: The Fundamentals - How IP Addresses Work

At its core, the internet is a gigantic network of computers. To communicate, they need a way to find each other. This is where the Internet Protocol comes in. When you want to visit a website, your computer sends a request packet from your IP address to the website server's IP address. The server then knows where to send the data back (the website's content). This two-way communication happens billions of times a day, powering everything from web Browse to video streaming and online gaming. It is the bedrock of all modern digital interaction.

Public vs. Private IP: Your Global vs. Local Identity

One of the most common points of confusion is the difference between a public and a private IP address. Every device you own has an IP, but they are not all the same. Grasping this distinction is crucial for network setup and troubleshooting.

Public IP Address: This is the address our tool displays. It's the single, unique address assigned to your entire network (your router) by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is your "front door" to the global internet. All websites and online services see this address when you connect to them.
Private IP Address: This is the address your router assigns to each individual device *within* your local network (e.g., your computer, phone, Smart TV). These addresses belong to specific reserved ranges (defined in RFC 1918: `192.168.x.x`, `10.x.x.x`, or `172.16.x.x` to `172.31.x.x`), are for internal communication, and are not visible or reachable from the internet. This system, known as Network Address Translation (NAT), is an ingenious solution that allows many devices to share a single public IP address. Your router acts as an intermediary, remembering which local device made which request and ensuring responses from the internet are forwarded correctly.

How to Find Your Private IP Address

While we show your public IP, you might need your private IP for local network tasks, like setting up port forwarding for gaming or connecting to a network printer. Here’s how to find it:

On Windows: Open Command Prompt (search for "cmd") and type `ipconfig`. Look for "IPv4 Address" under your active network connection (usually "Ethernet" or "Wi-Fi").
On macOS: Go to System Settings > Network, select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and click "Details...". Your private IP will be listed there. Alternatively, open the Terminal and type `ifconfig | grep "inet "`.
On Linux: Open a terminal and type `hostname -I` or `ip addr show`.
On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the "(i)" icon next to your connected network. The IP address will be listed in the "IPV4 ADDRESS" section.
On Android: Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi, tap the gear icon next to your connected network, and expand "Advanced". The IP address will be displayed there.

Part 2: The Generational Shift - IPv4 vs. IPv6

The internet has been undergoing a gradual transition between two versions of the IP protocol. Our tool shows both if your connection is configured for it, which is increasingly common as the world adopts the newer standard.

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4): The original format (e.g., `8.8.8.8`). It consists of four blocks of numbers and supports about 4.3 billion unique addresses. Due to the internet's explosive growth, this supply is virtually exhausted, driving the need for a successor.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6): The modern solution (e.g., `2001:4860:4860::8888`). Its longer, alphanumeric format allows for 340 undecillion (3.4 x 10^38) addresses—a virtually inexhaustible supply. Beyond the address space, IPv6 includes built-in improvements for efficiency and security. Many ISPs now operate in "Dual-Stack" mode, where IPv4 and IPv6 run in parallel to ensure full compatibility with the entire internet.

Dynamic vs. Static IP: Does Your Address Change?

Your public IP address isn't necessarily permanent. Most home users have a **Dynamic IP**, which is automatically assigned by the ISP from a pool of available addresses. It can change when you restart your router or after a certain period (lease time). This is cost-effective for ISPs. A **Static IP**, which never changes, is typically a premium service for businesses or individuals who need a consistent address for hosting servers, reliable remote network access, or specific VPN setups.

Part 3: Privacy and Security - What Your IP Reveals

Your IP address is not anonymous. By itself, it reveals important information to every website you visit, which is the basis for useful services but also for potential privacy risks:

Your approximate location: Your country, state, and city. This is used to tailor content and ads geographically and to enforce regional restrictions for streaming services. You can explore this with our IP Location tool.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP): The company you pay for internet access (e.g., Comcast, Vodafone, Spectrum).
Network Details: The organization that owns the IP block, which can indicate if you are on a residential, corporate, or mobile network. Get these details with our IP Lookup tool.

Under data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, IP addresses are often considered personal data, as they can be used to identify an individual. This places a responsibility on websites to handle this data carefully.

Myth vs. Reality: Can Someone Find Your Home Address?

This is the most common fear associated with IP addresses, often amplified by movies and TV shows. The answer is a clear **No**. An IP lookup can only trace back to the location of your ISP's network equipment (a data center or a point of presence), which can be many miles from your actual home. Only your ISP can link a specific IP address to a customer account at a given time, and they will only do so if compelled by a court order.

How to Hide or Change Your IP Address to Protect Privacy

If you're concerned about websites tracking your location or your ISP monitoring your activities, the solution is to mask your IP. The most common methods are:

VPN (Virtual Private Network): The most popular and effective method. A VPN creates an encrypted "tunnel" for your internet traffic and routes it through a server in a location of your choice. This action replaces your real IP with the VPN server's IP, effectively masking your identity and location from the websites you visit.
Tor (The Onion Router): A free, open-source solution that provides a very high level of anonymity by routing your traffic through a global network of volunteer relays, making it extremely difficult to trace the origin. It offers stronger anonymity than a VPN but is often considerably slower.

Part 4: Common IP-Related Issues

Blocked or Blacklisted IP Address?

Sometimes, an IP address can be placed on a blacklist, often because a previous user of that dynamic IP sent spam, or because a device on your network is infected with malware and sending malicious traffic. Symptoms include bounced emails or being banned from certain websites or online games. Specialized online tools can check your IP against known spam and abuse blacklists.

IP Conflicts and IP Leaks

IP Conflicts: An "IP address conflict" occurs when two devices on the same *private* network are accidentally assigned the same IP address. This is a local network issue that prevents connectivity and is usually resolved by restarting the router and affected devices.
IP Leaks: This is a concern for VPN users. An IP leak, often through the WebRTC functionality in browsers, can expose your real IP address even when you are connected to a VPN. It is important to use a VPN service with built-in leak protection.

Part 5: Go Deeper with Our Network Tools Suite

Understanding your IP is just the beginning. Our suite of tools allows you to investigate any corner of the internet, empowering you to act as your own network detective:

IP Lookup: Get a detailed report on any IP address, including its provider, hostname, and whether it's a known proxy. Perfect for investigating suspicious connections.
IP Location: Visualize the location of any IP on an interactive world map. See where web servers are physically located.
DNS Lookup: Find the IP address of any website or check a mail server's configuration. Essential for website owners.
WHOIS Lookup: Discover the registered owner of a domain or IP block, including contact information for reporting abuse.
Ping Test: Check connectivity and measure response time (latency) to any server on the internet. Crucial for diagnosing gaming lag.

IP Address: 20 Frequently Asked Questions

Your IP address is the unique numerical identifier for your internet connection. Our tool at the top of this page instantly shows your current public IP address (both IPv4 and IPv6, if available).

Yes. The most effective method is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which replaces your real IP with the IP of one of its servers and encrypts your connection to maintain privacy.

Most internet providers assign "dynamic" IP addresses, which can change periodically. It's an efficient way for them to manage addresses. A "static" IP, which never changes, is usually a premium service for businesses.

Our tool displays your approximate location on the map above. For a detailed view, visit our page on IP Location. It shows country, state, and city based on your provider's network data.

A public IP is your global address on the internet, assigned by your provider. A private IP is used only within your local network (e.g., your home Wi-Fi) to identify devices like your laptop and phone.

IPv4 is the older system with a limited number of addresses (e.g., 8.8.8.8). IPv6 is the new system with a nearly infinite number of addresses (e.g., 2001:4860:4860::8888) to support the growing internet.

No. Incognito (or private) mode only stops your browser from saving history and cookies locally. Your public IP address remains fully visible to every website you visit.

Yes, under data protection laws like Europe's GDPR, IP addresses are generally considered personal data, as they can be linked to an individual's online activity and location.

An IP address is a logical network address that can change. A MAC address is a permanent, unchangeable hardware identifier burned into a device's network card.

Use our DNS Lookup tool. Enter a domain name to see its 'A' (IPv4) or 'AAAA' (IPv6) records, which are the server's IP addresses.

They can find your general location and your ISP. In malicious cases, they could attempt a DoS attack to disrupt your connection. However, they cannot find your name or exact street address from your IP alone.

No, never. It points to the regional network hub of your internet provider, not your specific home address. This is a fundamental limitation of IP geolocation.

A WHOIS lookup finds the registration data for a domain name or IP block, such as the owning organization and contact info for reporting abuse.

Yes. Without a VPN, your provider can see the domain names of the websites you visit. They cannot see the content of encrypted (HTTPS) sites, but they know which sites you access.

A reverse IP lookup (or reverse DNS) finds the hostname associated with an IP address, which is the opposite of a standard DNS lookup that finds the IP for a hostname.

If your IP is dynamic, simply restarting your router will often assign you a new, clean IP address. If it's static, you may need to contact your ISP to resolve the issue.

This depends entirely on your internet provider. It can range from every 24 hours to only when you leave your router turned off for an extended period. There is no universal standard.

To connect to game servers, you don't need to know your IP. To host a game server from home, you would use your public IP (shown on our site) in combination with port forwarding configured on your router.

Yes, it is safe. Our website only displays the IP address that your browser already sends to every website you visit. We do not reveal any private information that is not already being transmitted as a standard part of internet communication.

Almost certainly dynamic. The vast majority of residential internet connections use dynamic IPs, which can change. Static IPs are more common for businesses and usually cost extra.

What Is My IP Address?