Every device that talks to the internet does so from an IP (Internet Protocol) address, the way every letter needs a return address. The box above shows the public address that websites and online services see when you connect — your IPv4 address and, if your connection supports it, your IPv6 address too. The lookup runs in your browser and nothing is stored.
How to use this page
- Open the page; the lookup starts automatically.
- Read your public address at the top. Below it, the IPv4 and IPv6 rows show each protocol separately, with Copy buttons.
- Press Check again after switching networks, connecting a VPN or restarting your router to see whether the address changed.
If the lookup fails, a content blocker, firewall, VPN or offline connection may be stopping the request to ipify. Allow that domain or try another network.
How IP addresses are structured
IPv4 ran out of fresh addresses in the 2010s, which is why IPv6 was created and why most homes share one IPv4 address among many devices.
Worked example
Take the address 203.0.113.42, from a block reserved for documentation examples.
- Each part is one byte: 203, 0, 113 and 42.
- In binary that is 11001011.00000000.01110001.00101010.
- As a single 32-bit number: 203 × 256³ + 0 × 256² + 113 × 256 + 42 = 3,405,803,818.
An IPv6 example is 2001:db8::8a2e:370:7334. The double colon stands for a run of all-zero groups, so the full form is 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. The number base converter translates the hex groups to binary or decimal.
Public and private addresses
| Range | Type | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255 | Private | Office and some home networks |
| 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255 | Private | Corporate networks, containers |
| 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255 | Private | Most home routers |
| 100.64.0.0 – 100.127.255.255 | Carrier-grade NAT | Some mobile and fixed providers |
| 127.0.0.1 | Loopback | Your own device |
| Everything else (mostly) | Public | What websites see |
Your laptop’s settings usually show a private address such as 192.168.1.23. Your router translates it to the shared public address (network address translation, or NAT), which is why the address on this page differs from the one in your network settings.
What your IP address reveals
- Your internet provider or VPN, almost always.
- An approximate location, usually the city or region where your provider routes traffic. It can be miles off, or in another state for mobile connections.
- Not your name or street address. Linking an IP to a subscriber requires the provider’s records, which in the US are normally released only in response to legal process.
Hiding or changing your IP
A VPN or a privacy relay routes your traffic through another server, so websites see that server’s address instead. Restarting your router may give you a new address on a dynamic connection. Neither makes you anonymous on its own; cookies and accounts still identify you.
ipify is a free, independent IP lookup service. The requests from this page carry no cookies or page address, and CalcFluent does not receive or keep the result. See our privacy policy for details.
For other quick tools, try the password generator or the download time calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a public IP address?
It is the address the rest of the internet sees when you connect to a website or service. At home it usually belongs to your router and is shared by every device on your network; on a phone's cellular data it is assigned by the mobile carrier.
Why do I see both an IPv4 and an IPv6 address?
Many internet providers now run both protocols side by side. Your device then has a 32-bit IPv4 address and a 128-bit IPv6 address, and it usually prefers IPv6 when a website supports it. If only IPv4 appears, your network does not have working IPv6.
Can someone find my home address from my IP?
Not from the IP address alone. Lookup databases can usually guess your internet provider and approximate city or region, sometimes inaccurately. Matching an IP to a subscriber's name and street address requires records that only the provider holds.
Why does my IP address change?
Most home and mobile connections get a dynamic address that the provider can reassign, for example when your router restarts or after a lease expires. Switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data, or turning on a VPN, also changes the address websites see.
Does this page store my IP address?
No. Your browser asks api.ipify.org and api64.ipify.org directly, with no cookies and no referring page, and shows the answer. CalcFluent's servers never receive or log the result.