CloakMyIPAddress

What Is an IP Address? Public vs Private, IPv4 vs IPv6, Static vs Dynamic

A clear explanation of IP addresses: what they are, public vs private, IPv4 vs IPv6, static vs dynamic, how to find yours on any device, and how to keep it private.

By CloakMyIPAddress Privacy Desk Published

Disclosure: Some links go to VPN providers via our /go/ links and may earn us a commission in future, at no cost to you. Disclosure

On this page
  1. How IP addresses work
  2. Public vs private IP addresses
  3. IPv4 vs IPv6
  4. Static vs dynamic IP addresses
  5. Shared and special IP addresses
  6. How to find your IP address
  7. What your public IP reveals
  8. How to keep your IP private
  9. Common myths about IP addresses
  10. Glossary in one minute
  11. FAQ
  12. Sources

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026 · By the CloakMyIPAddress Privacy Desk

Short answer: an IP (Internet Protocol) address is the number that identifies a device or network on the internet so data can be delivered to it — like a postal address for your connection. Your public IP is what websites see; your private IP identifies your device inside your home network. See your public IP now.

How IP addresses work

When you open a website, your device sends packets of data stamped with a source address (yours) and a destination address (the website’s server). Routers along the way read the destination to forward the packet, and the server uses the source to send the response back. Without an IP address, the reply would have nowhere to go.

Addresses are handed out in a hierarchy: IANA allocates large blocks to five Regional Internet Registries — in Europe, the RIPE NCC in Amsterdam — which allocate them to internet providers, which assign them to customers.

Public vs private IP addresses

Public IPPrivate IP
Who sees itEvery website and service you useOnly devices on your local network
Who assigns itYour ISP (or VPN)Your router (via DHCP)
Unique worldwide?Yes (at a given moment)No — reused in millions of homes
Examples203.0.113.45, 2a02:…192.168.0.x, 10.x.x.x, 172.16–31.x.x

Your router performs NAT (Network Address Translation): all devices at home share the single public IPv4 address, and the router keeps track of which reply belongs to which device. The private ranges are reserved by RFC 1918.

IPv4 vs IPv6

  • IPv4 — four numbers from 0 to 255 separated by dots (192.0.2.1). About 4.3 billion possible addresses, which ran out years ago; RIPE NCC reached its final IPv4 allocation in November 2019.
  • IPv6 — eight groups of hexadecimal digits separated by colons (2001:db8::1). 2¹²⁸ addresses — effectively unlimited — so every device can have a public address.

Most connections today are “dual-stack”, using both. If you use a VPN, make sure it handles IPv6 too: IPv6 leak test.

Static vs dynamic IP addresses

  • Dynamic: assigned automatically and can change (router restart, lease expiry). Standard for most home broadband and all mobile connections.
  • Static: fixed, often for businesses hosting servers or VPN access. Some fibre providers give effectively static addresses by default.

Even a dynamic address can stay the same for weeks — long enough to act as a tracking signal. See What can someone do with your IP address?

Shared and special IP addresses

  • Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT): mobile operators and some broadband providers put many customers behind one public IPv4 address.
  • VPN and data-centre IPs: a VPN server’s IP is shared by many VPN users at once. Websites can often tell an IP belongs to a hosting provider.
  • Loopback (127.0.0.1 / ::1): always means “this device”.

How to find your IP address

Public IP (what websites see): open our IP checker — it works on any device.

Private IP:

  • Windows: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → your network → Properties → IPv4 address. Or run ipconfig in Command Prompt.
  • macOS: System Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → Details → TCP/IP.
  • iPhone/iPad: Settings → Wi-Fi → tap ⓘ next to the network.
  • Android: Settings → Network & internet → Internet → tap the network (wording varies by manufacturer).
  • Linux: ip addr in a terminal.

What your public IP reveals

Approximate location (country, region, often city), your internet provider, and whether you’re on a residential, mobile or data-centre network. Not your name or street address. In the EU, IPs are generally personal data: Is your IP personal data under GDPR?

How to keep your IP private

Use a VPN, the Tor Browser, or a proxy — compared step by step in How to hide your IP address. VPNs with independently audited no-logs policies include Proton VPN, Mullvad, Surfshark and NordVPN. Then run our WebRTC and DNS leak tests.

Common myths about IP addresses

  • “My IP address is my home address.” No — geolocation gives an approximate area, often the provider’s hub city.
  • “Private browsing changes my IP.” No — incognito mode only affects what’s stored on your device.
  • “A new router means a new IP.” Not necessarily; the public IP comes from your provider, not the router hardware.
  • “Only computers have IP addresses.” Every connected device does: phones, TVs, smart speakers, cars, doorbells.
  • “IPv6 makes me easier to track.” Modern systems use temporary, randomised IPv6 addresses for outgoing connections; the network prefix still identifies your connection, much like an IPv4 address.

Glossary in one minute

  • ISP: internet service provider, the company that connects you and assigns your public IP.
  • DHCP: the protocol your router uses to hand out private IPs to devices.
  • NAT: lets many devices share one public IPv4 address.
  • ASN: autonomous system number — identifies the network (e.g. your ISP) that an IP belongs to; our tool shows it.
  • DNS: turns names like example.com into IP addresses. See DNS leak test.

FAQ

Public vs private IP? Public is what the internet sees; private identifies devices inside your network.

Why does my IP change? Most connections use dynamic addresses that providers reassign.

Can two devices share an IP? Yes — behind one router, or behind carrier-grade NAT.

Sources