Public vs Private IP Addresses: Differences and How to Find Yours
Understand public and private IPs, IPv4 and IPv6, routers and VPNs. Learn which address websites see and what it can reveal.
The difference between public and private IPs
A public IP is the address visible to services on the internet. A private IP identifies devices inside a local network, such as your home or office. Your laptop might use 192.168.1.20 while a website sees a different public address. That difference is normal. A router can use NAT to let several devices share a public IPv4 address, so one IP does not reliably identify one person or device.
Which addresses are private?
Private IPv4 ranges are 10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255 and 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255. Not every address beginning with 172 is private. Providers may also use the separate shared range 100.64.0.0/10 for carrier-grade NAT. A router WAN address differing from a website’s reported public IP may indicate provider NAT, rather than a fault or evidence of VPN use.
How to find the right IP address
Open the My IP tool to see the address used for the current internet request. Switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, enabling a VPN or using a corporate network may change it. For your local address, inspect the active connection in your device settings. Before contacting support, establish whether they need a public or local address. Review screenshots for location and provider details before sharing them. The location shown by an IP tool is an estimate, not a GPS reading.
IPv4, IPv6 and changing addresses
IPv4 uses four numeric groups separated by dots, while IPv6 uses a longer hexadecimal notation with colons. A connection may support both, but each request uses one address family. Seeing IPv4 on a page does not prove IPv6 is unavailable. Providers may assign addresses dynamically, and restarting a router does not guarantee a new address. If you need stable incoming access, check your provider’s addressing and inbound-connection policy.
What an IP address cannot tell you
An IP address does not reveal an exact home location, the device owner’s name or a reliable VPN verdict on its own. Corporate networks, mobile providers and shared connections may serve many people through one address. The ASN organization may differ from the retail provider on your bill. Use IP tools to understand connections and support troubleshooting, rather than as proof of identity or precise location.