What Is My IP Address?

IP geolocation is often inaccurate for several reasons:

• ISP location vs. your location: Your IP is associated with your Internet Service Provider's location, which may be in a different city than your physical location.
• Outdated geolocation databases: IP databases may not be updated with the latest IP allocation information.
• Mobile networks: If you're using a mobile data connection, your IP may be associated with a central location where your mobile provider routes traffic.
• VPN usage: If you're using a VPN, the location will show where the VPN server is located, not your actual location.

IP geolocation is typically accurate to the level of your ISP's service area, which could be off by several miles or even show a completely different city, especially in rural areas.

Public IP Address:

• Assigned by your Internet Service Provider
• Visible to websites, online services, and other internet users
• Uniquely identifies your network on the internet
• Example: The IP address shown at the top of this page

Private IP Address:

• Assigned by your local router
• Only visible within your local network
• Follows specific patterns (192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x-172.31.x.x)
• Example: 192.168.1.5 (not visible to the outside world)

Think of your public IP like your home's street address (visible to everyone), while private IPs are like room numbers inside your house (only meaningful within your home).

While knowing your IP address alone isn't usually enough for someone to hack your device, it can be used in several concerning ways:

• DDoS attacks: An attacker could target your IP with a Distributed Denial of Service attack to disrupt your internet connection.
• Approximate geolocation: They could determine your general location (usually city level, not your exact address).
• Port scanning: They might scan your IP for open ports that could potentially be exploited, though modern routers and firewalls provide protection against this.
• Social engineering: Information from your IP could be combined with other data for targeted scams.

To stay protected:

• Keep your devices and router firmware updated
• Use strong firewalls and security software
• Consider using a VPN for sensitive activities
• Be cautious about which websites and services you share information with

IPv6 was developed to address several limitations of IPv4:

Advantages of IPv6:

• Larger address space: IPv6 provides 340 undecillion addresses compared to IPv4's 4.3 billion, solving the address exhaustion problem
• Improved security: IPv6 was built with IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) as a core requirement
• Better performance: More efficient routing and packet processing, with no need for Network Address Translation (NAT)
• Auto-configuration: IPv6 has better plug-and-play capabilities for device setup
• Future-proof: Designed to handle the growing number of internet-connected devices

While IPv6 is technically superior, both protocols currently coexist. Most modern devices and networks support both IPv4 and IPv6, often referred to as "dual-stack." The transition to IPv6-only networks is happening gradually, but IPv4 will remain in use for years to come.