What Is My IP Address? IPv4, IPv6, Public vs Private Explained

What Is an IP Address?

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a numerical label assigned to every device connected to a network. It serves two functions: identifying the host (or network interface) and providing the location for routing traffic to and from that device.

When you visit a website, your IP address is included in every request your browser sends. The server uses it to know where to send the response — but also to identify, track, and potentially block you.

IPv4: The Standard Format

IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers written as four decimal numbers separated by dots:

192.168.1.100
8.8.8.8
104.21.234.12

Each number ranges from 0 to 255. This gives a theoretical maximum of about 4.3 billion unique addresses — which ran out in 2011. IPv4 scarcity is why NAT (Network Address Translation) exists, and why ISPs share single public IPs across many customers.

IPv6: The Modern Format

IPv6 addresses are 128-bit numbers written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

IPv6 provides 340 undecillion (3.4 × 10³⁸) unique addresses — enough for every grain of sand on Earth to have trillions of IP addresses. Adoption is growing but most consumer internet still uses IPv4 for public-facing services.

Check if you have an IPv6 address with our What Is My IP tool.

Public vs Private IP Addresses

Public IP Address

Your public IP is what's visible to the internet. When you visit a website, they see your public IP. It's assigned by your ISP and can change (dynamic IP) or remain the same (static IP). Your public IP reveals:

Your approximate location (country, region, often city)
Your ISP
Whether you appear to be using a proxy or VPN

Private IP Address

Private IPs are used within your local network (home, office, etc.). They're in reserved 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 from your ISP and translates all your devices' private IPs to that single public IP (this is NAT). Websites never see your private IP — only your router's public IP.

Exception: WebRTC can leak local IPs. Check with our DNS Leak Test.

Dynamic vs Static IP Addresses

Dynamic IP

Most home internet connections have a dynamic IP that changes periodically (sometimes daily, sometimes every few months when the router reconnects). This is assigned by your ISP via DHCP. Pros: slightly harder to track long-term. Cons: changes unexpectedly.

Static IP

Static IPs never change. They're typically used by businesses, servers, and VPNs. Some ISPs offer static IPs for a monthly fee. For running a server or setting up a stable proxy, a static IP is preferred.

How Proxies Change Your Visible IP

When you route traffic through a proxy, the destination server sees the proxy server's IP address instead of yours. Your real IP is hidden at the server level — though it may still leak via:

HTTP headers — Transparent and anonymous proxies add X-Forwarded-For headers revealing your real IP
WebRTC — Browser WebRTC can expose your real IP even through a proxy (HTTP proxies don't tunnel WebRTC)
DNS — Your DNS queries may bypass the proxy, revealing which domains you're visiting to your ISP

What Your IP Reveals About You

Your public IP can expose:

Country and region — with 99%+ accuracy
City — approximate, often accurate to the metro area
ISP — always accurate (determined from IP registration data)
Organization — the registered owner of the IP block
Proxy/VPN status — ip-api and similar services flag known proxy and hosting IPs

What it can NOT reveal (without additional data): your exact home address, your name, your device, or your browsing history beyond a shared connection.

How to Find Your IP Address

The easiest method: use our What Is My IP tool — it shows your public IP plus full geolocation, ISP, ASN, and proxy/VPN detection results.

Alternatively, on macOS/Linux: curl ifconfig.me

On Windows: curl api.ipify.org

Note: these command-line methods bypass your browser proxy settings — they show your real IP from the OS level.