IP Tools

What Is My IP Address?

Check my IP in one click — public IPv4 and IPv6, ISP, and approximate location with no install.

What is my IP address?

An IP address is the return label on your internet traffic — without it, websites would not know where to send the reply. When you search what is my ip, my ip address, or check my ip, you usually mean your public IP: the number your ISP gives your connection that the rest of the world sees.

Rankify shows that number at the top of this page the moment it loads — IPv4 first, IPv6 when your network provides it, plus ISP and approximate location. No install, no account.

Every connected device needs an address so routers can deliver packets.
Your ISP assigns your public IP — often dynamically, sometimes static on business plans.
Private addresses (192.168.x.x) live inside your home; this page shows the public side.

How to Check Your IP Address

Open this page — your public IP address loads automatically at the top.
Review IPv4, IPv6 (when available), ISP, ASN, hostname, and map location.
Copy your IP or use Refresh after VPN, router reboot, or network switch.
Compare with ipconfig on Windows — local vs public IP are different numbers.
Explore related tools: IP Location Finder, WHOIS, DNS Lookup, IPv6 Test, Ping, and Traceroute.

How this tool works

When you open the page, detection runs automatically:

Browser → server: Your browser requests this page. Our server reads connection headers and queries public IP services to learn which address your path uses.
Public IP detection: We resolve your routable IPv4 (and IPv6 when available) — the same address logged by sites you visit.
Geolocation enrichment: ISP, country, region, city, timezone, map coordinates, and ASN come from public geolocation databases — not from GPS on your device.
Instant display: Results render as soon as lookups complete. Hit Refresh after VPN, router reboot, or switching Wi‑Fi ↔ mobile data.

How to find your IP address

These steps find private LAN addresses on the device. For the public IP websites see, this page is fastest — one load, copy, done.

Windows

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Type ipconfig and press Enter.
Read IPv4 Address under your active adapter — usually private (192.168.x.x).
For public IP, open this page or visit /ip.txt.

macOS

System Settings → Network → your connection → Details → TCP/IP.
Or Terminal: ipconfig getifaddr en0 for Wi‑Fi.
For public IP, use this browser tool.

Linux

Terminal: ip addr or hostname -I for local interfaces.
Public IP: curl -4 ifconfig.me or open this page.

Android

Settings → Network → Wi‑Fi → tap your network → view IP (typically private).
For public IP, open this page in Chrome.

iPhone and iPad

Settings → Wi‑Fi → (i) next to your network → IP Address (private LAN).
For public IP, open this page in Safari and read the top result.

Understanding your IP information

Fields shown in the results panel above:

Public IP address: The internet-facing address for your connection right now.
IPv4 address: Classic dotted format — what most firewalls and games still expect.
IPv6 address: Longer hex format when your ISP and router enable dual-stack.
ISP: Company routing your traffic — cable, fiber, mobile carrier, or VPN provider.
ASN: Network ID in BGP; helps classify residential vs hosting vs VPN traffic.
Hostname: Reverse DNS name when available — common on business links.
Country / region / city: Geolocation estimate from IP databases — city can be approximate.
Timezone: Useful for log correlation and scheduling.
Latitude / longitude: Map pin at city-level centroid — not a GPS fix on you personally.

Public IP vs private IP

The mix-up that causes half of support tickets:

Factor	Public IP	Private IP
Visibility	Seen by any website you visit	Seen only on your LAN
Usage	Internet routing, port forwarding, allowlists	Printer, NAS, and device-to-device traffic at home
Assignment	Your ISP (or VPN exit)	Your router via DHCP
Internet accessibility	Routable worldwide	Not routed on the public internet
Security	Log and protect — exposed to inbound scans if ports are open	Hidden from the internet by NAT
Where to find it	This page	ipconfig, Wi‑Fi details, ip addr

IPv4 vs IPv6

Factor	IPv4	IPv6
Address format	Four decimals: 203.0.113.10	Hex groups: 2001:db8::1
Address space	~4 billion — exhausted at registry level	Effectively unlimited for practical use
Performance	Mature paths everywhere	Same when native; broken v6 can slow dual-stack sites
Security	TLS + firewall required	Same — neither version encrypts by itself
Compatibility	Default for most apps today	Growing — mobile often enabled first
Future readiness	NAT and CGNAT workarounds	Long-term growth path for the internet

Dynamic IP vs static IP

Factor	Dynamic IP	Static IP
Changes?	Often — on reboot or ISP lease renewal	Stays fixed for months or years
Typical on	Residential broadband, mobile	Business lines, servers, some fiber plans
Cost	Included in most home plans	Often extra monthly fee
Best for	Browsing, streaming, gaming as a client	Self-hosting, strict firewall allowlists
Check yours	Refresh this page over several days — if it changes, you are dynamic	Same number every refresh

ISP IP vs VPN IP

Factor	ISP IP (normal)	VPN IP
What sites see	Your home or mobile provider	VPN company’s exit server
Location shown	Your metro or carrier gateway	VPN server country/city
ISP field	Comcast, BT, Jio, etc.	Often a datacenter or VPN brand
When it applies	Default browsing	While VPN app is connected
Verify	Load this page	Connect VPN, refresh this page, compare

Residential IP vs datacenter IP

Factor	Residential IP	Datacenter IP
Assigned to	Home or mobile subscribers	Cloud and hosting providers
Geolocation	City near subscriber	Facility city — may not match user
Reputation	Normal for consumers	Stricter on some sites (CAPTCHA, fraud rules)
ASN hints	ISP name	AWS, Azure, hosting ASNs
On this page	Typical home Wi‑Fi result	Common when using VPS or some VPN exits

Why your IP address changes

Dynamic IPs — ISPs recycle addresses to manage limited IPv4 space.
Router reboot — modem or CPE restart can request a fresh lease.
ISP reassignment — maintenance or plan changes issue new numbers.
Mobile networks — switching towers or toggling airplane mode.
VPN connect/disconnect — replaces visible IP with exit node.

What someone can learn from your IP address

Can see (approximately): country, region or city, ISP name, ASN, and whether traffic looks residential, mobile, or hosted. That is what this page displays from public data.

Cannot see: your exact home address, your name, phone number, passwords, files on your device, or precise GPS like a phone map app. Those require other data sources and legal process.

Is it safe to share your IP address?

IT support and VPN allowlists — share your public IPv4 through secure tickets, not public tweets.
Online gaming — friends may need it for direct connect; understand the exposure.
Forums and chats — avoid posting IPs; combined with other leaks they aid harassment.
Business — static IPs on contracts are normal; document who you gave them to.
Best practice — refresh after sharing; if abused, reboot router or ask ISP for a new lease.

How VPNs affect your IP address

A VPN tunnels traffic to an exit server. Websites then log the VPN’s IP and geolocation — useful on coffee-shop Wi‑Fi, but the VPN provider can still see your traffic.

After connecting, refresh this page. Country, ISP, and map should shift to the VPN exit. If they do not, the VPN may be leaking — run our DNS leak test and VPN detection tools.

VPNs do not make you anonymous by themselves. Logged-in accounts, cookies, and browser fingerprinting still identify you.

Common uses of IP addresses

Network troubleshooting — confirm which IP is live after router or VPN changes.
Website analytics — coarse country and ISP stats for traffic.
Fraud prevention — flag impossible travel between login IPs.
Security monitoring — firewalls and SIEM rules on source addresses.
Geolocation — language, currency, and licensing by region.
CDN routing — send users to a nearby edge server.

IP address and cybersecurity

Login monitoring — alert when a new country appears on an account.
Rate limiting — block abusive IPs hammering login forms.
Firewall rules — allow or deny by address or ASN.
Threat intelligence — cross-check IPs against abuse feeds with IP Lookup.
Incident response — correlate logs with WHOIS and geolocation for context.

Common IP address problems

When results look wrong, start here:

Incorrect geolocation

VPN or mobile gateway — map shows exit city, not your seat.
Stale database — ISPs move IP blocks; try again tomorrow.

ISP detection issues

Brand vs legal name — field may show parent company.
VPN shows VPN ASN instead of home ISP — expected while connected.

IPv6 not showing

Router or ISP has v6 disabled — run IPv6 Test for details.
Loopback or link-local addresses are filtered — only global v6 counts.

IP keeps changing

Normal on dynamic residential plans.
Ask ISP about static IP if you host services.

How to change your IP address

Restart router or modem — may trigger new DHCP lease.
Contact ISP — request reassignment or static IP on business tiers.
Use VPN — shows provider exit while connected.
Switch networks — mobile hotspot vs home Wi‑Fi often differ.
Verify — refresh this page after any method.

Related networking concepts

DNS maps hostnames to IPs — use DNS Lookup for A and AAAA records on your domain.

WHOIS and IP WHOIS show who registered an IP block — ownership and abuse contacts.

ASN identifies the operator network behind an address — ASN Lookup for details.

Reverse DNS (PTR) maps IP back to hostname — Reverse DNS Lookup on this site.

NAT lets many private devices share one public IP — why ipconfig differs from this page.

Methodology

We detect your public IP from the connection used to load this page, enriched with geolocation APIs that map address ranges to ISP and region. IPv6 appears when your path provides a global address.

Detection reflects this session only — not every app on the device. Corporate proxies and VPNs change what we see.

Accuracy and limitations

City and map pins are estimates — often correct for home broadband, frequently wrong on VPN or mobile. Country is the strongest signal.

Dynamic IPs change without notice. Refresh before sending an allowlist to IT.

Do not use IP geolocation for legal identity proof, emergency location, or precise compliance boundaries.

Best practices

Copy public IP from this page for port forwarding — private IP from ipconfig for the device target.
After VPN, refresh and run DNS leak test.
Use IP Location Finder to look up other addresses; use this page for your own.
Visit /ip.txt or /ip.json when you need automation-friendly output.

Security disclaimer

Rankify displays approximate network information for education and troubleshooting — not subscriber identity, not legal proof of location, and not a substitute for law-enforcement records requests.

If you believe your IP is targeted, contact your ISP and keep router firmware updated. Never share passwords in the same message as your IP.

Why use Rankify for your public IP?

Many websites show your public IP. Rankify adds DNS, speed, WHOIS, and privacy tools on the same domain so you can finish related tasks in one session.

Feature	Rankify	Typical standalone IP sites
Instant public IPv4 on load	Yes	Usually yes
IPv6 + map + ISP	Yes	Often yes
Plain-text IP (/ip.txt, curl)	Yes	Some offer APIs
DNS + speed test + VPN checks on same site	1000+ tools, one hub	Often separate products
Step-by-step guides + FAQs	Per tool and guide library	Varies by site
Account required	No	Usually no

Use Rankify when you want your IP plus follow-up checks (DNS, ports, speed) without opening many tabs. Results use public data sources; verify critical decisions with your ISP or IT team.

Important notes & limitations

Shows public IP for this browser session — VPNs and proxies change the result.
City and map are geolocation estimates, not GPS or street address.
Private LAN IPs from ipconfig are not shown — use device settings for those.
Dynamic IPs change — refresh before sharing with IT or game hosts.
Not for legal identity verification or emergency location services.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is the public number your internet connection uses right now — shown at the top of this page when it loads. Websites and apps see this address, not the 192.168.x.x address from your phone’s Wi‑Fi screen.

Fastest: open this page and read the result at the top. On Windows, ipconfig shows your private LAN IP; for the public address the internet sees, stay in the browser here or visit /ip.txt for plain text.

The address your ISP assigns to your router that the wider internet routes to. Every device on your home Wi‑Fi shares this public IP for outbound traffic. This tool displays it with ISP and approximate location.

An address used only inside your LAN — 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or similar. Your router assigns it to your laptop and phone. Random websites cannot see it; they only see your public IP.

Most home plans use dynamic IPs. Router reboots, ISP maintenance, switching to mobile data, or connecting a VPN can all issue a new public address. Refresh this page after any network change.

Only approximately — usually country and often city or region from geolocation databases. Not your street, not GPS on your phone, and not your name. VPNs show the VPN server’s location instead.

An IP alone is not enough to break into your device. Attackers still need open ports, malware, or stolen passwords. Keep your router firewall on, patch software, and avoid posting your IP in public forums.

With IT support, game hosting friends, or your employer’s VPN allowlist — yes, through secure channels. On public forums or with strangers — avoid it. It reveals ISP and rough location.

Use a VPN, proxy, or Tor to show a different exit address. After connecting, refresh this page to confirm the change, then run a DNS leak test so nothing else exposes your real region.

Internet Protocol version 4 — four decimal numbers like 203.0.113.10. Still the default most sites expect. Your public IPv4 appears in the results panel when your connection provides one.

The newer 128-bit protocol with longer hexadecimal addresses. Many mobile carriers enable it by default. If your network supports v6, it may appear here alongside IPv4 — run our IPv6 Test for a dedicated connectivity check.

You likely have dual-stack: IPv4 for legacy apps and IPv6 for modern routing. You also have separate private LAN addresses on each device behind your router’s NAT.

Yes — while connected, websites see the VPN server’s exit IP and ISP, not your home provider. Disconnect and refresh here to see your normal address return.

The address itself, timestamp, and often inferred country, city, ISP, and ASN from databases. They do not automatically get your name, email, or exact GPS fix from IP alone.

Law enforcement can request subscriber records from an ISP with proper legal process. That is not what this free lookup tool does — we only show public geolocation estimates.

Country is usually reliable on home broadband. City can be right, nearby, or off — especially on VPN, mobile, or cloud hosting. Treat the map as a hint, not GPS.

Autonomous System Number — the ID of the network that announces your IP in BGP. It helps tell a home ISP from a datacenter or VPN provider. Shown on this page when lookup data includes it.

A PTR record mapping an IP back to a hostname — useful for mail servers and logs. Use Reverse DNS Lookup on this site to query PTR for any address you have.

VPN exit, mobile carrier gateway, cloud hosting, or stale geolocation data. Your traffic may leave from a city different from where you sit. Compare ISP and ASN fields, not just the map pin.

Ask your ISP — residential static IPs often cost extra. Businesses and hosting plans get them more often. This page shows whether your current address keeps changing when you refresh over several days.

No — ipconfig shows private adapter addresses on Windows. For the public IP websites see, use this page or curl your site’s /ip.txt endpoint.

Use the public IPv4 from this page in your router’s rule, and the device’s private IP (from ipconfig or Wi‑Fi details) as the internal target.

Next step for what is my ip

Continue with ip geolocation on Rankify.

IP Geolocation

Related Tools

Explore more free Rankify tools for IP, DNS, security, and network diagnostics.

Browse all tools Comparison guides