what is my ip address
Your Public IP Address
What Is My IP Address?
Your IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique number assigned to your device every time you connect to the internet. Think of it like a return address on a letter — it tells websites and online services where to send the data you request. Without an IP address, you wouldn't be able to browse websites, stream videos, or send emails.
The tool above instantly detects your public IP address and shows detailed geolocation information including your approximate city, region, country, ISP (Internet Service Provider), timezone, postal code, and geographic coordinates. You can also look up any other IP address to find its location data.
Public IP vs Private IP Address
There are two types of IP addresses you should know about. Your public IP address is the one visible to every website you visit. It is assigned by your Internet Service Provider and represents your connection to the wider internet. This is what our tool displays above.
Your private IP address is used within your local network — the one your router assigns to each device at home or in the office. Private addresses typically look like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x and are not visible to the outside world. They allow multiple devices to share a single public IP through a process called NAT (Network Address Translation).
IPv4 vs IPv6 — What's the Difference?
IPv4 addresses use a 32-bit format and look like four groups of numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1). This system supports roughly 4.3 billion unique addresses, which seemed like plenty when it was designed in the 1980s. However, with billions of internet-connected devices today, IPv4 addresses have essentially run out.
IPv6 was created to solve this shortage. It uses a 128-bit format written as eight groups of hexadecimal characters (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). IPv6 supports a virtually unlimited number of addresses — enough for every grain of sand on Earth to have its own IP, many times over. Most modern ISPs and devices now support both protocols simultaneously through a system called dual-stack.
What Can Someone Do With Your IP Address?
Your public IP address reveals your approximate geographic location — usually accurate to the city level but not your exact street address. Here's what different parties can determine from your IP:
Your general location — websites can determine your city, region, and country. This is how streaming services enforce geographic restrictions and online stores show prices in your local currency.
Your Internet Service Provider — your ISP name and the type of connection you're using (residential, business, or mobile) is publicly associated with your IP range.
Your online activity patterns — while individual websites can only see their own traffic, your ISP can theoretically see which websites you visit unless you use encrypted DNS or a VPN.
However, your IP address alone cannot reveal your name, exact home address, phone number, or email. That level of identification requires a legal request to your ISP.
How to Protect Your IP Address
If you're concerned about online privacy, there are several effective ways to mask or protect your IP address:
Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) — a VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in another location, replacing your real IP with the VPN server's IP. This is the most popular and effective method. After connecting to a VPN, you can use our tool above to verify it's working by checking if the displayed IP and location have changed.
Use the Tor Browser — Tor routes your traffic through multiple encrypted nodes worldwide, making it extremely difficult to trace. It's slower than a VPN but provides stronger anonymity.
Use a proxy server — proxies act as intermediaries between your device and the websites you visit. They're simpler than VPNs but usually don't encrypt your traffic.
Switch to mobile data — your mobile carrier assigns a different IP than your home ISP. Toggling between Wi-Fi and mobile data changes your visible IP address.
Common Uses for IP Lookup Tools
Our free IP address lookup tool is used by IT professionals, network administrators, and everyday users for a variety of purposes:
Verifying your VPN is working — after connecting to a VPN, check this page to confirm your IP and location have changed. If you still see your real city, your VPN may not be configured correctly.
Troubleshooting network issues — knowing your public IP is essential when configuring routers, setting up port forwarding, or diagnosing connectivity problems with your ISP.
Checking geographic restrictions — if a streaming service or website says content isn't available in your region, use this tool to confirm what location the service sees for your connection.
Investigating suspicious activity — if you notice unusual login attempts on your accounts, looking up the IP address can reveal if it originated from an unexpected country or a known data center.
Setting up remote access — when configuring remote desktop, security cameras, or a home server, you need your current public IP to connect from outside your network.
How Accurate Is IP Geolocation?
IP-based geolocation is generally accurate to the city level for most residential connections. According to industry studies, IP geolocation correctly identifies the country about 99% of the time and the city approximately 70–80% of the time. However, accuracy varies based on several factors.
Mobile connections and VPNs may show a location far from your actual position. Some ISPs route traffic through central hubs, so your IP might resolve to a nearby city rather than your exact town. Business connections and data centers often show the company headquarters rather than the physical office location.
The coordinates shown on our map represent the approximate center of the IP's registered location — not a precise pinpoint of any individual's location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my IP address change?
Most residential internet connections use a dynamic IP address, which means your ISP may assign you a different IP periodically — often when your router restarts or your DHCP lease expires. Business connections typically use static IP addresses that remain constant. You can bookmark this page and check back anytime to see if your IP has changed.
Can two devices have the same IP address?
Two devices on the same local network share the same public IP address (the one shown by this tool), but each has a unique private IP within the network. Two devices on different networks cannot share the same public IP simultaneously.
Is it illegal to look up someone's IP address?
No. Looking up geolocation data for an IP address is completely legal. IP addresses are part of the public infrastructure of the internet. However, using that information to stalk, harass, or attack someone is illegal in most jurisdictions.
Why does my IP show a different city than where I live?
This commonly happens because your ISP's routing infrastructure is registered in a nearby city. For example, if you live in a small town, your traffic may be routed through your ISP's hub in the nearest major city. Using a VPN or proxy will also cause a different location to appear.
How do I find my IP address on Windows, Mac, or phone?
The easiest way is to simply visit this page — your public IP is shown automatically at the top. For your private (local) IP: on Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig. On Mac or Linux, open Terminal and type ifconfig or ip addr. On iPhone or Android, check your Wi-Fi connection settings.
What is an ISP?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. It's the company that provides your internet connection — examples include Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, BT, PTCL, Jazz, and Airtel. Your ISP assigns your public IP address and can see which websites you visit unless you use a VPN or encrypted DNS.