What is My IP Address?

Every device connected to the internet is assigned a unique identifier known as an IP address — short for Internet Protocol address. When you browse the web, stream a video, or send an email, your IP address travels with every data packet, acting as a return address that allows servers to send information back to you. Understanding your IP address is the first step to understanding your digital footprint online.

IPv4 vs. IPv6: Two Formats, One Identity

Most internet connections today use IPv4 addresses — 32-bit numbers written as four groups of digits separated by dots, such as 203.0.113.1. Because the world's pool of IPv4 addresses is nearly exhausted, Internet Service Providers are progressively adopting IPv6, a 128-bit format that looks like 2001:db8::1. Your device may have one or both types depending on your ISP and router configuration.

Public IP vs. Private IP

Your router assigns private IP addresses — typically in the 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x range — to every device on your home or office network. These private IPs are invisible to the public internet. The IP address this tool detects is your public IP — the single address your ISP assigns to your router, visible to every website, service, and server you connect to.

What Does Your IP Address Reveal?

Your public IP address exposes more than most people realise:

• Approximate location — city, region, and country (not your exact street address)
• Your ISP — the company providing your internet connection
• AS number — your ISP's autonomous system number used for network routing
• Connection type — whether you're on residential, business, or datacenter infrastructure
• Hostname — the reverse DNS hostname of your IP, if one is configured

Dynamic vs. Static IP Addresses

Most residential connections use dynamic IP addresses that change periodically — your ISP assigns a new address from a pool whenever your lease expires or when you restart your router, typically every 24–72 hours. Businesses often pay for static IP addresses that remain constant, which is important for hosting servers, configuring remote access, or maintaining firewall allowlists.

VPNs, Proxies, and IP Masking

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and proxy servers replace your real IP address with one belonging to the VPN provider's servers. This protects privacy, bypasses geographic restrictions, and secures connections on public Wi-Fi. If you're using a VPN, the IP shown by this tool will be your VPN server's IP — not your real home address. However, browsers can inadvertently reveal your real IP through WebRTC, a technology used for peer-to-peer video and audio. Our IP Address tool includes a WebRTC leak test so you can verify your VPN is truly masking your identity.

Beyond Your IP: Browser Tools for Complete Visibility

IP Browser Tools goes further than just your IP address. Our complete suite of browser tools reveals your browser version and rendering engine, your user agent string, screen resolution and pixel ratio, device hardware capabilities, and your full device fingerprint. The DNS leak test checks whether your DNS queries are bypassing your VPN, and the speed test measures your real download and upload throughput. All detection happens instantly in your browser — nothing is stored on our servers, and no sign-up is ever required.