An IP address is your device's address on a network. Think of it like a mailing address – it tells other computers where to send data so it reaches you and not someone else. Every device connected to a network has one, and your home has one that faces the public internet.

You have two kinds of IP addresses and they serve different purposes. This guide explains what each one is, how to find them, and what they actually reveal.

Public vs private IP

Public IP is the address your home network uses on the internet. It's assigned by your ISP and shared by every device in your house. When you visit a website, the website sees this address. Think of it as your home's street address – it identifies your household, not individual rooms.

Private IP is the address each device uses inside your home network. Your router assigns these (usually starting with 192.168. or 10.), and they only work locally. Your laptop, phone, and smart TV each have a different private IP so your router knows which device requested what. These addresses are invisible to the outside world.

When you load a webpage, your device sends the request using its private IP to your router. The router swaps that for your public IP and forwards it to the internet. When the response comes back, the router sends it to the right device using the private IP. This process is called NAT (Network Address Translation), and it's why multiple devices can share a single public IP.

How to find your public IP

The easiest way: search "my ip" in any search engine or visit whatismyip.com. The address shown is your public IP.

You can also check from the terminal:

• macOS/Linux: curl ifconfig.me
• Windows (PowerShell): (Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "ifconfig.me").Content

Your public IP changes occasionally if you have a dynamic IP (most people do – more on that below). If you check it a week later, it might be different.

How to find your private/local IP

Your private IP is assigned by your router and identifies your specific device on the home network.

macOS: Open System Settings > Wi-Fi, click Details next to your connected network. Your IP address is listed there.

Windows: Open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), click your connection, and look for IPv4 address. Or open a command prompt and run ipconfig – look for the IPv4 Address line under your active adapter.

Linux: Open Settings > Network and click the gear icon for your connection. Or run ip addr in the terminal and look for the inet line under your active interface.

iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the (i) next to your connected network. Your IP address is listed under IPV4 Address.

Android: Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (path varies by manufacturer), tap your connected network, and look for IP address.

Private IPs typically look like 192.168.1.x, 192.168.0.x, or 10.0.0.x. Your router is usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.

What your IP address reveals

Your public IP reveals less than most people think:

• Your general location: City or region level, not your street address. IP geolocation is approximate and sometimes wrong by tens of miles
• Your ISP: The company providing your internet (Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, etc.)
• Whether you're on a residential or business connection

Your public IP does not reveal:

• Your name, email, or exact home address
• What devices you have or what you're doing online
• Your private/local IP addresses

Websites, advertisers, and services can see your public IP when you connect to them. Combined with cookies and browser fingerprinting, it can be used for rough location targeting (showing local ads, for example). But on its own, an IP address doesn't personally identify you.

Static vs dynamic IP

Dynamic IP is what most home internet connections use. Your ISP assigns your public IP automatically, and it can change over time – after a router reboot, a lease expiration, or when your ISP rotates addresses. You don't need to configure anything. This is the default for residential internet plans.

Static IP stays the same permanently. It's manually assigned by your ISP, usually for an extra fee. Businesses and people who self-host servers, cameras, or VPNs from home use static IPs so their address never changes.

If you're not running a server from home, you don't need a static IP. Dynamic works fine for browsing, streaming, gaming, video calls, and everything else most people do.

Can someone hack me with my IP?

Short answer: probably not, and definitely not easily.

Knowing your public IP lets someone:

• See your approximate location and ISP (information that isn't very useful for attacks)
• Scan your IP for open ports (services listening for connections)
• Attempt a DDoS attack to flood your connection (mostly a concern in gaming)

Knowing your public IP does not let someone:

• Access your devices if your router's firewall is active (it is by default)
• See your files, passwords, or browsing history
• "Hack into your computer" the way movies show it

Your router blocks unsolicited incoming connections by default. Unless you've forwarded ports, disabled your firewall, or left remote management enabled with weak credentials, your public IP alone isn't a useful attack vector.

That said, don't share your IP address publicly for no reason. It's not a secret (every website you visit sees it), but there's no benefit to posting it in forums or social media. If you want to hide your IP from websites, a VPN replaces it with the VPN server's address – see VPN Basics.

short

• Public IP: your home's address on the internet. Find it at whatismyip.com
• Private IP: each device's address inside your home network (like 192.168.1.x)
• Your IP reveals your approximate city and ISP, not your name or exact address
• Most people have a dynamic IP that changes occasionally – this is normal
• Someone can't hack you with just your IP if your router is set up normally
• A VPN hides your public IP from websites