What is my IP address?
Your public IP, ISP and rough location, detected the moment this page loads.
// About your IP address
Your IP (Internet Protocol) address is the number your internet provider assigns to your connection so that websites and services know where to send data back. Every site you visit sees this public address, which is why it can be used to estimate your location and identify your ISP.
The address shown above is your public IP, the one the internet sees. Inside your home or office you also have a private IP (something like 192.168.x.x) that only exists on your local network. Two formats are in use today. IPv4 is the older one, four numbers such as 203.0.113.5. IPv6 came later, eight groups of hex such as 2a06:61c2::1, because the world ran out of IPv4 addresses.
IP geolocation is approximate. It maps the network your address belongs to, which is often your ISP's regional hub rather than your device, so the city can be wrong and the coordinates are an estimate. It cannot reveal your name or street address.
If you would rather not expose your IP and rough location, a VPN, the Tor network or a proxy can mask it. Our Hide My IP guide covers how each one works and what it costs you.
// Frequently asked questions
- What is my IP address?
- It's the public number your ISP assigns to your connection, shown at the top of this page. Websites use it to route data back to you and to estimate your general location.
- Is it dangerous to share my IP address?
- Usually not by itself. It mainly reveals your rough city and your ISP, not your identity or your home address. Even so, it is worth not posting it publicly, since it can be used for targeted attacks or to narrow down your region.
- Why is my IP location wrong?
- Geolocation maps the network, not the device. Your address may resolve to your ISP's regional hub rather than your town, so being off by tens of kilometres is normal. Accuracy at city level is roughly 50-80%.
- What is the difference between a public and a private IP?
- A public IP is visible to the internet and unique to your connection. A private IP (e.g. 192.168.1.10) is used only inside your local network and is not reachable from outside.
- How do I hide my IP address?
- Use a VPN, the Tor Browser, or a proxy. A VPN is the best all-round option for everyday privacy, Tor is the strongest for anonymity, and a proxy is the lightest but usually does not encrypt. Compare all three in the Hide My IP guide →