Check IP Address

Check Your Public IP Address

Your public IP address is the identifier that the internet sees when your device connects to websites, APIs, and online services. It is assigned by your internet service provider or network administrator and acts like a return address for traffic sent back to you. This page shows the public IP that reached the service, making it easy to confirm what the outside world sees.

Note: public IPs can change over time, especially on residential or mobile networks. If you rely on allowlists or remote access, recheck your IP periodically or use a dynamic DNS service to keep a hostname updated.

Knowing your public IP is useful for remote access, firewall allowlists, VPN setups, and troubleshooting connectivity. It can also help verify whether you are behind a proxy, whether a VPN is active, or whether your ISP has changed your address. If you are trying to reach a device at home or in the office, you need the public IP, not the private address you see inside your local network.

Public vs. private IP addresses

Private IP addresses are used inside a local network and are not routable on the public internet. They are commonly in ranges like 10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, or 172.16.x.x. Your router translates private addresses to a single public IP using NAT (Network Address Translation). That is why many devices in a home or office share the same public IP.

If you are troubleshooting access from outside your network, always use the public IP. A private address will only work within the local LAN. If you run services at home, you may need to configure port forwarding so incoming traffic reaches the correct internal device.

IPv4 and IPv6

The internet currently uses two address families: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 addresses are shorter and still widely used, but IPv6 provides a vastly larger address space. Some networks have both, while others rely on one or the other. This page will show the address type that was used to connect. If you switch between networks or enable a VPN, you may see the IP change or the address family switch.

If your connection is IPv6-capable, you might see a longer address with hexadecimal segments. That is expected and can improve routing efficiency for modern networks. If you require IPv4 for compatibility, your router or ISP may provide a dual-stack connection.

Why your IP address changes

Many ISPs assign dynamic IP addresses, which can change when your modem reconnects or after a lease expires. Business plans often provide a static IP for a fee. If you rely on a fixed address for access control, consider a static IP or a dynamic DNS service to keep a domain name updated when your IP changes.

VPNs and proxy services also change your public IP by routing your traffic through their servers. This can be useful for privacy, testing, or bypassing network restrictions, but it can also affect access to allowlisted services. Always verify which IP is active before configuring firewall rules or sharing access with others.

What your IP reveals

A public IP address can indicate your approximate geographic region and your ISP, but it does not reveal your exact physical address. Websites use IP information for security, localization, and fraud prevention. If you are concerned about privacy, avoid sharing your IP publicly and consider using a VPN or firewall policies that restrict inbound access.

For organizations, IP visibility helps diagnose routing issues and enforce network policies. Logging IP addresses can also help identify suspicious activity and mitigate abuse. This tool displays only the address used for the current request.

Typical use cases

• Confirm the IP to add to a server or API allowlist.
• Verify that a VPN connection is active and routing correctly.
• Troubleshoot remote access to home or office networks.
• Check which address a cloud instance exposes to the internet.
• Compare IPv4 vs. IPv6 connectivity on a dual-stack network.

Frequently asked questions

Is this my internal IP? No. This is your public IP as seen by this service. Your internal IP is used only within your local network.

Why is the IP different from my router’s status page? If you are behind a corporate NAT, mobile network, or VPN, the public IP visible to this service can differ from what you see locally.

Can I share this IP? Sharing a public IP is generally safe, but avoid posting it widely if you have exposed services. Use firewall rules and access controls to protect sensitive systems.

This page provides a fast, reliable way to identify your public IP without sign-in or downloads. Use it alongside DNS lookup, ping, and port check tools to troubleshoot end-to-end connectivity issues.