Your IP & Connection Details

What is an IP address?

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a numeric label that identifies a device or gateway on a network. When you visit a website, your device sends requests from an IP address, and servers send responses back to that address so the traffic can find its way to you.

In practice, most people don’t have a unique public IP on every device. Home routers, mobile carriers, and corporate networks often use NAT (Network Address Translation), where many devices share a single public IP while using private addresses internally.

• Public IP: Routable on the internet; what this page shows.
• Private IP: Used only inside local networks (for example 192.168.0.10).
• Gateway or VPN IP: What remote websites see when you’re behind a router, VPN, or corporate proxy.

IPv4 vs IPv6 in plain language

You don’t usually have to choose between IPv4 and IPv6 manually. Your operating system and network stack pick whichever works best for a given website, often trying IPv6 first when available.

When your IP details are useful

• Support tickets: A host or SaaS provider might ask for your current IP so they can check logs or temporarily allowlist it.
• Firewall rules: When you secure an admin area, you may restrict access to a known public IP or range.
• VPN checks: To confirm whether your VPN or proxy is actually changing your public IP.
• Rate limiting and security: Understanding that many users can appear to come from the same IP (for example on mobile networks) helps explain some anti‑abuse decisions.

Remember that an IP address alone usually doesn’t identify a specific person. It describes a connection point on the network, which may be shared by multiple devices and users.

Why your IP can change

If you refresh this page from time to time, you might notice that your public IP changes. That does not always mean someone else is “using your internet” - there are several normal reasons:

• Dynamic IPs from your ISP: Many home and mobile connections get addresses from a pool that can change when you reboot your router or reconnect to the network.
• VPNs and proxies: When you turn a VPN on or off, or switch servers, your visible IP will change to match the VPN exit point.
• Mobile networks and CGNAT: Carriers often put many customers behind a small number of shared public IPs (carrier‑grade NAT). Your device may rotate between them over time.

This is why support teams often ask you to copy your current IP just before they look at logs or apply an allowlist rule.

What your IP does (and doesn't) reveal

• Usually reveals: Your approximate region or city, and the organization that owns the connection (ISP, hosting provider, workplace, VPN service).
• Does not directly reveal: Your exact home address, your name, or the contents of encrypted traffic such as HTTPS websites or messaging apps.
• May be shared: In offices, cafés, or mobile networks, many people can appear to come from the same public IP.

Treat your IP like other technical identifiers: avoid posting it publicly unless you need help, but don't panic if a support engineer asks you to share it for troubleshooting.

Using your IP information with other tools

Your IP details are most helpful when combined with what you see in your browser and what our website checker reports.

• Website says you're blocked: Copy your IP from this page and include it in a support ticket to the site owner so they can check their firewall or rate‑limits.
• Only you can't reach a site: If our website checker shows the site online but you see errors, mention your IP and ISP - it may be a network‑specific route or block.
• Testing a VPN or new provider: Note your IP and approximate location before and after you switch; large changes confirm that traffic is really exiting somewhere else.

For a deeper look at HTTP status codes and what “online” vs “offline” means in practice, see our website status guide.