Your IP address is the number the internet uses to send data back to you. Two of them, actually — a public IP assigned by your ISP that websites can see, and a private IP handed out by your router that only exists inside your home network.
Want the fast version? Type "what is my IP" into Google and you'll see your public IP in about two seconds. Your private IP lives in your device's network settings. And that little city name an IP lookup shows you? It's an estimate — usually your ISP's regional hub, not your street.
Steps in this guide were checked against Windows 11, macOS Sequoia, Android 14, and iOS 17 settings screens.
What is My IP Address location? In this blog post, we will show you how you can find your IP address with a step-by-step guide that will unveil your digital identity.
If you want to know how the internet operates and what connects your device to countless servers so that you can perform a simple search, the answer is two words: IP address. Through an IP address, you can connect to the internet, communicate with others, and even help Google or other Search Engines show better results according to your needs.
So, what is my IP address? What's the difference between a public and private IP address? How can I find my IP address? What are IPv4 and IPv6 Protocols? In this article, we'll answer all your questions so you have a better understanding of IP address and how it works. Keep reading!
🔍 What is an IP address?
An IP address (short for Internet Protocol address) is just a numeric label that identifies a device on a network so traffic knows where to go — think of it as a shipping address for data packets rather than a fingerprint that identifies you personally. For example, 192.168.33.1 is an IP address.
Address blocks are handed down from IANA to regional registries (ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC and friends), then to ISPs, then to you. Your address isn't random. It's leased from a pool your provider controls.
When two or more devices want to connect and share data over the Internet or across networks, IP addresses make that happen. Without an address, you won't be able to connect to other devices on a network. On the other hand, through IP, other people can control and limit your access to the Internet.
IP addresses are assigned by another device or server typically controlled by ISP (Internet Service Provider), DHCP server (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), or router. In simple words, the device that sets your IP address controls it. That's why in countries with strict Internet laws, people use VPN or Proxy to bypass restrictions and have free access to the Internet.
🔀 Can two devices have the same IP?
As we mentioned, an IP address is like a fingerprint; you can't find two people with the same fingerprint. This analogy remains true as long as different devices are connected across the same network.
If two devices with the same IPs are connected to the same network, an IP conflict will occur, and they can't receive or send any data. The network needs a unique address to send information. Otherwise, it cannot simultaneously send the same data to the same IP on two devices. In that case, communication and transmission will not be possible.
However, two devices with the same IP can communicate across different networks. So, this example is true as long as the network between the devices is the same. For instance, 192.168.1.1 is one of the most common IP addresses for Wi-Fi networks through which countless devices connect to the Internet.
📡 What is my IP address?
Your IP address's main purpose is to distinguish your device and network from others on the Internet. You have two different IPs:
- Private IP address
- Public IP address
Several servers and devices use your public IP address to connect you to the Internet. Your Internet service provider assigns your public IP address. So, no matter what device you use, if all of them are connected across the same network, for example, your Wi-Fi router, they all have the same public address. This IP is specifically assigned to your home network.
On the other hand, the router will then assign different private IPs to devices using its network. As a result, these devices can connect to the Internet and communicate with each other without conflict. For a deeper dive into every flavor — loopback, APIPA, CGNAT ranges — see our guide on the different types of IP addresses.
🌐 Public IP address
Your public (or external) IP is what the rest of the internet sees. Your ISP assigns it, and every device in your house typically shares it. If you check your IP on your laptop and your phone over the same Wi-Fi, you'll get the same result.
🏠 Private IP address
Your private (local, internal) IP comes from your router via DHCP. It lives in reserved ranges like 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16–31.x.x. These addresses aren't routable on the open internet — they only mean something inside your own network.
🔗 How NAT lets everyone share one address
Network Address Translation is the glue. Your router keeps a table mapping each internal device and port to its own public IP and port, rewrites outgoing packets, and reverses the process on the way back. No conflicts, no confusion — because the outside world only ever talks to the router.
What does my IP address reveal?
Less than most people fear, more than nothing.
- Your ISP or hosting provider — this one's reliable and public via a WHOIS lookup.
- An approximate location — usually country and region, often a city, sometimes the wrong city entirely.
- The organisation that owns the network, if you're on a corporate or university connection. A dedicated IP VPN server can give a company one predictable public address for allowlisting purposes.
What it doesn't reveal: your name, your street address, your browsing history, or what's on your device. Geolocation databases map IP blocks to places using ISP registration data and inference. They're guesses that get updated on a schedule. I've had my own connection show up three cities away for months.
Could someone find your exact address? Not from the IP alone. Your ISP holds that link, and in most jurisdictions it takes a legal request to pry it loose.
🔎 How can I find my IP address?
When you search "What is my IP address" or "whats my ipv4", or "what is my ipv6", all websites show your public address. Here are the fastest ways to check your public IP:
- Search engine method — type "what is my IP" into Google. Instant answer, no clicks.
- IP lookup tool — sites like ipinfo.io or Cloudflare's
1.1.1.1/helpshow your IPv4, IPv6 (if present), ISP, ASN, and estimated region. You can also use tools like:
- myip-address.io
- Whatismyipaddress.com
- Whatismyip.com
- Nordvpn.com
Or you can search "what is my IP address" on Google and find the answer. However, the process differs depending on your device if you want to find your private address.
- Command line — run
curl ifconfig.meon Linux or macOS.
If a tool shows an address with colons like 2001:0db8::1, you're being served over IPv6. Some sites answer over IPv4, some over IPv6, which is why two lookup tools can disagree. Both results are correct.
📱 How to find your private IP on each device
Private IP on PC (Windows 10 and 11)
Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → Properties, then scroll to IPv4 address. Faster route: open Command Prompt and run ipconfig. Look at the adapter you're actually using. Alternatively, follow these steps:
- Open Settings, then click on Network and Internet.
- Press Wi-Fi, scroll down to find the network you are connected to, and then open it.
- Under the Properties section, you can find your IP address next to your IPv4 address.
If you are connected to the Ethernet, go through the same steps but instead of Wi-Fi properties, choose Ethernet properties.
Private IP on Mac (macOS)
System Settings → Network → click your active connection → Details → TCP/IP. Or Terminal: ipconfig getifaddr en0 for Wi-Fi. The older ifconfig still works if you want everything at once. If you are connected to Wi-Fi/Ethernet, follow these steps to find your address:
- Open the Apple menu and click on System Preferences.
- Select Network or click on its icon.
- On the left pane, choose Wi-Fi/Ethernet.
- Scroll down to find your private address.
Private IP on Android
Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → tap the connected network → scroll to IP address. On mobile data you'll usually be behind carrier-grade NAT, so there's no meaningful "local" address to read.
Alternatively, here's how you can find your IP address on Android devices:
- Open Settings, then choose the About device option.
- Select Status to find your IP and other info about your phone.
Private IP on iPhone and iPad
Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the blue (i) beside your network → IPv4 Address. Or follow these steps:
- Select Settings
- Open Wi-Fi
- Tap on the (i) sign next to the network you are connected to
- You can find the IP address under the IPv4 Address section
Private IP on Linux
Run ip addr show — the modern replacement for ifconfig. Filter it with hostname -I if you just want the address itself.
📊 IPv4 vs IPv6 Protocols
When you search for "What is my IP address," you can see whether your address is IPv4 or IPv6. These two are the main Internet Protocols that define IP addresses. At first, only IPv4 Protocol existed. It uses a 32-bit number to define unique IP addresses, such as 103.86.98.1.
| Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
| Example | 192.0.2.146 | 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334 |
| Address space | ~4.3 billion | ~340 undecillion |
| Format | 32-bit, decimal | 128-bit, hexadecimal |
| NAT needed? | Almost always | Rarely |
As a result, IPv4 can only generate 4.3 billion IP addresses which are not enough in the age of technology. One day it will run out of addresses, so we need another solution to cover it when the day comes. That's why in 1998, IPv6 was introduced. It uses a 128-bit number to generate IP addresses. So, the addresses would look something like this: 2400:BB40:1100:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001.
IPv4 ran out of free addresses years ago, which is exactly why NAT became universal. IPv6 fixes the shortage. But they aren't directly compatible, so most networks run dual-stack — both protocols side by side — and your device quietly picks whichever works. You're probably already using both without noticing. More detail in our IPv4 vs IPv6 explained guide. If you're planning subnets for a network, a CIDR calculator makes the math painless.
🔒 Static vs dynamic IP addresses
As the names indicate, static IPs never change, while dynamic IPs change occasionally based on lease time. Websites usually use static addresses because the DNS server uses them to help users find domains and navigate through the sites.
On the other hand, ISPs assign dynamic IP addresses to their customers. Because one day, they may purchase and join to use their services and the other day, they may leave it for good. Dynamic IPs help Internet service providers cope better and improve their services.
A dynamic IP is leased by DHCP and can change when the lease expires or the router reboots. That's the default for home broadband. A static IP stays fixed, which matters for mail servers, VPN endpoints, IP-whitelisted access, and anything where DNS records point at a specific host. Most websites don't strictly need a static IP — they need a stable one plus proper DNS — but for servers, predictability is worth paying for.
❓ Why your IP or its location keeps changing
- Router reboot triggering a new DHCP lease
- ISP reassigning addresses from its pool
- Switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data (different network, different carrier gateway)
- A VPN or proxy turning on or off
- Stale geolocation database entries lagging behind reality
If you need it changed on purpose, our step-by-step guide on how to change your IP address covers every method — DHCP release, VPN, proxy, and contacting your ISP.
🛡️ Does a VPN change your IP address?
Yes. Websites see the VPN server's public IP instead of yours, and your traffic is encrypted between your device and that server. A proxy can also swap the visible address, but many proxies don't encrypt anything and only cover one app or browser. That's the practical gap — worth reading our VPN vs proxy differences comparison before choosing.
If you'd rather skip a consumer app entirely, you can run your own endpoint. A VPN server gives you full control over encryption, routing, and users, and a dedicated OpenVPN server lets you tune the protocol for your workflow.
There are lighter options too — a quick IP changer app will swap the visible address on a single device, though most of them are really just VPN clients in disguise.
Limitations matter too. Masking your IP doesn't stop cookies, browser fingerprinting, or logging into an account under your real name. If privacy is the goal, there are broader ways to hide your IP address, but none of them are a magic cloak.
🎯 Wrapping Up!
Now you know the answers to "What is my IP address" and "How can I find my IP address." Public and private IP addresses allow your device to connect to a network that receives Internet traffic. So, through these addresses, you can access this wonderful virtual world.
- Public IP = what the internet sees. Private IP = what your router assigns internally.
- Check the public one in Google; find the private one in network settings or via
ipconfig/ip addr. - IP geolocation is regional, not residential.
- NAT is why your whole household shares a single external address.
- A VPN changes the visible IP — it doesn't make you anonymous.
However, IP addresses are also the only thing that Internet service providers can use to limit your access. Therefore, to bypass this limitation, you'll need a VPN. You'll connect to a server in another part of the world through a VPN. So, it will hide your IP and show the server's IP instead. As a result, you can stay anonymous, protect your data, and have more privacy in general.
People also read:
I'm fascinated by the IT world and how the 1's and 0's work. While I venture into the world of Technology, I try to share what I know in the simplest way with you. Not a fan of coffee, a travel addict, and a self-accredited 'master chef'.