What is an IP Address? (IPv4, IPv6, Public, Private Explained)

Every time you go online, on your PC, laptop, phone, smart TV, game console, or router, your device uses an IP address. IP stands for Internet Protocol. It’s a unique number that identifies your device on a network and tells other devices where to send data. Without IP addresses, websites and online services would have no idea where to send information back to you. Just like a physical address ensures mail reaches the right house, an IP address ensures data packets reach the correct device.

In this article, you’ll learn:

What an IP address is (with simple examples)
The difference between IPv4 and IPv6
Public vs private IP addresses
How IP addresses are assigned (dynamic vs static)
How to find your IP address on Windows and other devices
When you might want to hide or change your IP address

What is an IP Address?

Techtarget describes, An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It works a bit like a home address or phone number for your device, so data can be sent to the right place.

Here’s how an IP address works:

When you type windowscult.com into your browser, your device asks a DNS server to translate that name into an IP address (for example, 203.0.113.25).
Your request, including your own IP address, travels through your router and ISP to that web server.
The server uses your IP address to know where to send the response (the web page data).
Your router then forwards the data to the right device on your local network.

This whole process happens in milliseconds every time you open a website, stream a video, or play an online game.

Without IP addresses, your device wouldn’t be able to talk to websites, apps, or other devices on the network.

As the internet grew from a small network of computers into billions of connected devices, the original type of IP address started to run out. To keep everything working and make room for future growth, we now use two versions of Internet Protocol addresses side by side.

IPv4 vs IPv6: Two Versions of IP Addresses

There are currently two versions of the Internet Protocol in use:

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) – the older, most widely used type of IP address.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) – the newer version, designed to solve the IPv4 address shortage and add some improvements.

Both versions do the same basic job, giving each device an address so data can be delivered correctly, but they use different formats and address spaces.

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)

IPv4 is the older and still most widely used version.

It uses 32‑bit addresses.
Written as four numbers separated by dots, for example:
- 192.168.1.10
- 203.0.113.25
Each number can be from 0 to 255.

IPv4 supports roughly 4.3 billion unique addresses. That sounded huge when the internet was small, but today we have billions of devices: phones, laptops, smart TVs, IoT devices, servers, and more.

To stretch IPv4 further, ISPs and routers use techniques like:

NAT (Network Address Translation) – lets multiple devices share one public IPv4.
Private IP ranges – the same private IPs can be reused in many different networks.

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)

IPv6 was created to solve the IPv4 shortage and to add some technical improvements.

It uses 128‑bit addresses (a huge address space).
Written in hexadecimal, separated by colons, for example:
- 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

IPv6 also includes improvements like more efficient routing, built‑in support for security features, and better handling of mobile devices.

With IPv6, there are enormously more addresses than we could ever use. Many ISPs, mobile networks, and websites now support IPv6 alongside IPv4.

You don’t need to “choose” IPv4 or IPv6 manually your router and ISP usually handle this automatically.

Public vs Private IP Addresses

When people talk about the types of IP addresses, they usually mean the difference between public and private (local) IP addresses. Most home networks use both at the same time.

A public IP address – used on the internet.
A private IP address – used inside your home or office network.

Public IP address

A public IP address is the address that identifies your connection on the Internet.

Assigned by your internet service provider (ISP) to your connection.
It’s what websites and online services see when you connect.
Example: 49.37.123.45 or 2405:204:abcd::1234 (IPv6).
You can see it by visiting a “what is my IP” website.

All the devices in your home usually share one public IP through your router, using NAT.

Private IP address (local IP)

A private IP address (or local IP address) is used within your home or office network so your router can communicate with each device separately.

Assigned by your router to each device in your home/office network.
Used only inside your local network.
Example (IPv4):
- 192.168.0.10
- 192.168.1.25
- 10.0.0.5

These ranges are reserved for private use (they’re not routed directly on the public internet):

10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255

Inside your network:

Your router has its own local IP (like 192.168.1.1).
Each device gets its own local IP from the router (like 192.168.1.20, 192.168.1.21, etc.).

In short, a public IP is how the internet sees your network, while private IPs are how your router sees each device inside your home or office.

Special IP address ranges (localhost and private blocks)

You don’t need to memorise every possible IP address, but it’s helpful to know that some ranges are reserved for specific purposes.

127.0.0.1 (localhost/loopback)

The entire `127.0.0.0–127.255.255.255` block is reserved for loopback. The most common address is `127.0.0.1`, also called localhost. Any traffic sent to 127.0.0.1 never leaves your device it is used for testing, local web servers, and internal communication on your own machine.

Private IPv4 ranges

These ranges are reserved for private networks and are not routed directly on the public internet:

10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255

Your home router almost certainly uses one of these ranges for your local devices (for example, 192.168.1.x).

Link‑local addresses

Some addresses are used automatically when a device can’t get a “normal” IP from a server: – IPv4: `169.254.0.0–169.254.255.255` IPv6: addresses starting with `fe80::/10`

Devices use these link‑local addresses to talk to other devices on the same network segment when there’s no DHCP server.

You don’t have to remember all of these ranges, but knowing that `127.0.0.1` is your own computer and `192.168.x.x` is your private home network makes technical guides and error messages easier to understand.

How Are IP Addresses Assigned? (Dynamic vs Static)

IP addresses can be dynamic (change over time) or static (manually set and usually stay the same).

Dynamic vs Static IP (assignment concept)

Dynamic IP addresses

Most home users get dynamic IPs.

Your public IP is often dynamic – your ISP can change it when you reconnect or after a lease expires.
Your local IPs are usually given out by your router using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).

When a device connects to your Wi‑Fi, your router’s DHCP server automatically picks an available private IP from a pool and assigns it to that device for a period of time (called a lease). When the lease expires or you reconnect, the address can change.

Advantages:

Easy to manage — you don’t have to configure anything manually.
Works perfectly for normal browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Static IP addresses

A static IP address is manually configured and designed to stay the same.

On your local network, you might set a static IP for:
- File servers or NAS devices.
- Network printers.
- A PC you use for remote access or port forwarding.
Some ISPs also sell static public IPs for businesses that run servers, VPNs, or need stable remote access.

If you’re interested in static IP in more detail, see: What is a Static IP Address? Advantages, Disadvantages, and When You Really Need One

For most home users, dynamic IP addresses are enough. Static IPs are mainly useful when you run services that other devices need to reach reliably.

How to Find Your IP Address

You usually want to know either your public IP (internet‑facing) or your local IP (inside your network).

How to find your public IP address (any device)

The easiest method works in any browser:

Open Chrome, Edge, or any browser.
Go to Google and type: what is my IP address.
Google or another site will show your public IP and sometimes your approximate location and ISP.

You can also use dedicated websites like:

whatismyip.com
ipinfo.io

How to find your local IP address on Windows 11 and 10

Method 1 – Command Prompt (ipconfig)

Press Windows key + S, type cmd.
Open Command Prompt.
Type: ipconfig and press Enter.
Find your active adapter (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet) and look for IPv4 Address.

That IPv4 value (for example, 192.168.1.199) is your local IP.

Method 2 – Network & Internet settings (Windows 11)

Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
Go to Network & Internet.
Click Wi‑Fi (for wireless) or Ethernet (for wired).
Click on your connected network.
Scroll down and look for IPv4 address.

On phones and other devices (quick overview)

Android / iOS: Go to Wi‑Fi settings, tap your connected network, and look for details or advanced settings — you’ll usually see an IP address field.
Smart TVs / game consoles: Check Network or Internet settings; most show both IP address and connection status.

Exact steps vary by brand, but the IP address is almost always listed in the network connection details screen.

What Can Your IP Address Reveal About You?

On its own, an IP address usually does not show your exact home address, but it can still reveal useful information:

Approximate location (city/region, sometimes neighbourhood).
ISP name (your internet provider).
Whether you’re using a home connection, office network, or mobile network.

When combined with other data (cookies, account logins, browser fingerprinting), your IP can help build a profile of:

Which websites you visit.
When you’re online.
Which devices or apps you use.

This is why many people choose to hide or change their IP address for better privacy.

To learn more about tracking, logging, and tools like VPNs and Tor, read: How to Hide Your IP Address in 2026.

Why You Might Want to Hide or Change Your IP Address

Your IP address acts like a digital fingerprint, revealing your approximate physical location and linking your online activity to your device. so Hide or Change Your IP Address helps protect your online privacy by preventing websites, advertisers, and your ISP from tracking your browsing habits, location, and digital footprint.

Privacy and tracking – reducing how much websites, advertisers, and ISPs can see about your online activity.
Bypassing geo‑blocks – accessing content that’s restricted to certain countries or regions.
Avoiding simple IP‑based bans – some services block by IP if they detect abuse or too many requests.
Troubleshooting issues – getting a new IP if a particular address is causing problems or is blocked.

Typical tools and methods:

VPN (Virtual Private Network) – encrypts your traffic and routes it through a server in another location, so websites see the VPN’s IP instead of yours.
Proxy servers – act as intermediaries between your browser and websites.
Tor network – routes your traffic through multiple volunteer‑run nodes for stronger anonymity.
Smart DNS – changes how DNS requests are resolved, often used for streaming and region‑switching.

Is Sharing Your IP Address Safe?

Your IP address is not as sensitive as a password, but it’s still not something you want to publish everywhere.

Websites, online services, and game servers see your public IP whenever you connect — that’s normal.
Posting your IP address publicly can make it easier for someone to target you with unwanted traffic (for example, DDoS attacks in online games).
In most cases though, just knowing your IP is not enough to “hack” you — attackers usually need other weaknesses (open ports, insecure services, weak passwords, etc.).

What about IP address classes, subnets, and default gateways?

In older networking books, you’ll often see class A, class B, and class C networks, along with topics like subnet masks, CIDR (/24, /16), and default gateways. These are all part of the detailed design of IP networks, and they matter a lot for network engineers and advanced configurations.

In this article, I’ve focused on the practical basics: what an IP address is, the difference between IPv4 and IPv6, public vs. private IPs, and how to find and change your address. If you’re interested in going deeper into subnetting and IP address classes, I’ll cover that in a dedicated guide.

Summary:

An IP address is a number that identifies your device on a network so data can be sent and received correctly.
There are two versions: IPv4 (most common) and IPv6 (newer, much larger address space).
You usually have a public IP (from your ISP) and a private/local IP (from your router).
IP addresses can be dynamic (change over time) or static (stay fixed).
You can easily find your IP address using “what is my IP” sites or the network settings in Windows.
Hiding or changing your IP can help with privacy, geo‑blocks, and troubleshooting, but it doesn’t make you completely anonymous.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an IP address the same as a MAC address?

No. An IP address identifies your device’s location on a network (so data can be routed), while a MAC address identifies the hardware network interface on the local network. They work together but are not the same.

Does my IP address show my exact home address?

Not directly. IP geolocation can usually see your city/region and your ISP, but not your exact home address. However, in some circumstances (for example, legal requests to your ISP), your ISP can link an IP and time range to a specific subscriber.

Is it legal to hide or change my IP address?

In most countries, it is legal to use tools like VPNs, proxies, or Tor, and to connect through public Wi‑Fi. What matters is what you do with them illegal activities remain illegal whether or not you use a different IP.

How do I know if my IP address is public or private?

If your IP address starts with 10., 172.16–172.31, or 192.168., it’s a private/local IP used inside your home or office network. You can see it in your device’s network settings. If you visit a “what is my IP” website in your browser, the address shown there is your public IP from your ISP.

Can I have both IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time?”

Yes. Many devices and networks now use dual stack, which means your connection has both an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address. Your device and the website or service you’re using decide which version to use. As a normal user, you usually don’t have to configure this manually.

Robeg

I am Robeg founder of this blog. My qualification. completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). With a strong background in computer applications love write articles on Microsoft Windows (11, 10, etc.) Cybersecurity, WordPress and more.