What Is an IP Address? A Plain-English Guide
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a number that identifies a device or network on the internet. Every time you open a website, send a message or stream a video, your device uses its IP address so the other side knows where to send the reply.
How an IP address works
Think of an IP address as the postal address of a house. When you request a web page, your request carries a "return address" — your IP. The web server sends the page back to that address. Without it, data would have nowhere to go.
Most home users do not have a unique address for each device. Your internet provider gives your router one public IP address, and your router hands out private addresses to your phone, laptop and TV. Read more in public vs private IP addresses.
The main types of IP address
- IPv4 and IPv6 — two address formats. IPv4 looks like
203.0.113.25; IPv6 looks like2001:db8::1. See IPv4 vs IPv6. - Public and private — public addresses are reachable on the internet; private addresses only work inside your local network.
- Static and dynamic — a static IP never changes, while a dynamic IP can change when your router restarts or your provider reassigns it. Most home connections use dynamic addresses.
What your IP address reveals
A public IP address can show the internet service provider, the network or organization that owns the address, your approximate location (usually country, region or city level) and whether the address belongs to a mobile network, data center or VPN.
It does not reveal your name, home address, phone number or browsing history. Only your ISP can connect an IP address to a customer account.
Who hands out IP addresses?
The global pool is managed by IANA, which allocates blocks to five Regional Internet Registries (ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, LACNIC and AFRINIC). These registries allocate smaller blocks to ISPs and large organizations, and ISPs assign addresses to customers.
How to see your own IP address
Open our My IP page to see your public IP address, ISP and approximate location instantly. To check any other address, use the IP lookup tool.