What is my IP address

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique numeric label assigned to every device connected to a network. It lets data find its way to and from your device, much like a postal address for the internet. IPv4 addresses look like 203.0.113.42, while newer IPv6 addresses look like 2001:db8::1.

Your public IP is the address the rest of the internet sees — assigned to your router by your ISP. Private IPs (such as 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x and 172.16–31.x.x) are used only inside your home or office network and are translated to your public IP via NAT.

Internet Service Providers own blocks of IP addresses and lease them to customers so their traffic can be routed. Most home connections get a dynamic IP that can change periodically, while businesses often pay for a static IP that stays the same.

IP location is usually accurate to the country and often the region or city, but it shows where your ISP registers the address — not your exact street. It never reveals your precise home address.

Yes. Restarting your router may give you a new dynamic IP, and using a VPN or proxy masks your real IP by routing your traffic through another server.