Contents
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves as an identifier for devices, allowing them to send and receive data over the internet.
How To Find My Public IP Address
To find your public IP address, you can follow these steps:
- Open a web browser on your device.
- Search for “What is my IP address” or “Public IP address” using a search engine.
- Click on one of the search results that provide IP address lookup services.
- The website will display your public IP address on the page.
What Is My Public IP Address?
Your public IP address is the unique address assigned to your network by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is the address that identifies your network on the internet, allowing devices outside your local network to communicate with it. Your public IP address can be obtained using various methods.
Using Online Tools:
- Open a web browser on your device.
- Search for “What is my IP address” or “Public IP address” using a search engine.
- Several websites will display your public IP address on their page.
Using The Command Prompt:
- For Windows users: Press the Windows key + R, type “cmd” and press Enter. For Mac users: Press the Command key + Spacebar, type “Terminal,” and press Return.
- In the command prompt or terminal, type “curl ifconfig.me” (without quotes) and press Enter or Return.
- Your public IP address will be displayed as the output.
Using Your Router:
- Connect your device to the router or modem.
- Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address in the address bar (mentioned in the router’s manual or printed on the router).
- Enter your router’s admin username and password to access the administration page.
- Look for a section called “WAN,” “Internet,” or “Connection Status.” Your public IP address should be displayed there.
My Public IP Address vs. My Private IP Address
A public IP address is assigned by your ISP and is used to identify your network on the internet. It allows communication between devices outside your local network and devices on the internet.
A private IP address, on the other hand, is used within your local network. It identifies devices within the network but cannot be accessed directly from the internet. Private IP addresses are used for internal network communication.
Public IP Address Ranges vs. Private IP Address Ranges:
Public IP addresses are assigned from public IP address ranges, which are globally unique and managed by regional Internet registries. Private IP addresses are assigned from private IP address ranges designated for local network use. The most commonly used private IP address ranges are:
- IPv4: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255, and 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255.
- IPv6: fc00::/7 (Unique Local Addresses) and fd00::/8 (Private Use).
How To Hide My Public IP Address
If you want to hide your public IP address for privacy or security reasons, you can use methods like:
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN masks your IP address by routing your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, making it appear as if you are connecting from a different location with a different IP address.
Proxy servers
Proxy servers act as intermediaries between your device and the internet. They can hide your IP address and provide you with a different one.
Does My Public IP Address Change?
Your public IP address can either be static or dynamic, depending on your ISP’s configuration.
Static IP address
It remains the same over an extended period and is typically used for services that require a fixed address, such as hosting websites or servers. You can contact your ISP to obtain a static IP address.
Dynamic IP address
It can change periodically, usually when your router reconnects to the ISP’s network or after a certain time period. Most residential internet connections use dynamic IP addresses by default.
My IPv4 vs. My IPv6
IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) and IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) are two different versions of the Internet Protocol that are used to assign unique addresses to devices on a network. Here’s a comparison between IPv4 and IPv6:
IPv4:
- IPv4 addresses are 32-bit addresses expressed in decimal format, such as 192.168.0.1.
- It uses a 32-bit address space, allowing for approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses.
- IPv4 addresses are widely used and supported across the internet.
- Due to the limited number of available IPv4 addresses, the world has been facing an IPv4 address exhaustion issue.
- Network Address Translation (NAT) is commonly used to share a single public IPv4 address among multiple devices in a local network.
IPv6:
- IPv6 addresses are 128-bit addresses expressed in hexadecimal format, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.
- It uses a much larger address space, allowing for approximately 3.4 × 10^38 unique IP addresses.
- IPv6 addresses were introduced to overcome the limitation of IPv4 addresses and provide enough addresses for future growth.
- IPv6 includes built-in features like auto-configuration, improved security, and support for new technologies.
- IPv6 adoption has been increasing, but it is not as widely supported as IPv4 yet. However, many networks and internet service providers are gradually transitioning to IPv6.
In summary, IPv4 is the older and more widely used version, while IPv6 is the newer version with a much larger address space to accommodate the growing number of internet-connected devices. The transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is necessary to ensure the continued growth and functionality of the internet.
Verdict
The IP address 192.168.0.1 is a private IPv4 address commonly used as the default gateway for many home or small business routers. It is often used to access the router’s administration interface. However, it is important to note that this IP address is specific to your local network and cannot be accessed or used to connect to devices on the internet.