NETWORK GUIDES

What is my IP address? Public IP, IPv4 and IPv6 explained

ToolMellow · Updated October 6, 2026

An online IP checker reports the address observed on a request from your browser. On a verified public connection path, this is usually the outward-facing address of your connection, VPN or proxy. It can differ from the private address assigned to your laptop or phone inside a Wi-Fi network.

ToolMellow’s What is my IP tool records the observed address, its IPv4 or IPv6 family, address classification, observation source, time and endpoint. It can copy the address or download a JSON report. Read those fields together: one request does not test every network route, establish both address families or identify your exact location.

What is my IP

How to find the IP address observed by ToolMellow

Open the linked What is my IP workspace and let its connection configuration load. Choose Check my IP to request a fresh observation. Opening the page already makes ordinary website and configuration requests; the Check button performs the address observation described here.

Read the address, family and scope, then the source explanation and checked time. Copy address copies the displayed address. Download IP report saves ip-observation.json, which includes the observation context. If clipboard access is denied, select the address manually or use the download. A failed request is not evidence that you have no IP address.

Public IP versus private IP: why the numbers differ

A private address is used within a network, such as your home Wi-Fi. Different networks can reuse the same private range. With IPv4 network address and port translation, several internal connections can share one outward-facing address. Consequently, a web-visible IP is not a unique identifier for your computer, phone or household member.

Suppose your laptop’s network settings show 192.168.1.24, while an online checker shows a different address. That difference can be expected: the laptop address belongs to the local network, and the Internet request follows an outward route through a router or another intermediary. These examples explain the relationship; they are not measurements of your network.

Public IP versus private IP: why the numbers differ
Question	Where to look	What it tells you
What address does this web request reveal?	A checker with a clearly labeled observation source	The observed path to that endpoint
What address is assigned to my Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection?	The active interface’s operating-system network settings	A local interface address, which may be private
What address does my router use on its upstream connection?	The router’s own connection status, if you administer it	The router’s upstream view, which can still be shared or private

RFC 1918: private IPv4 address space RFC 3022: network address and port translation

Recognize private, shared and special-use address ranges

The IPv4 private-use blocks are 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 and 192.168.0.0/16. The middle block runs from 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255; an address beginning with 172 is not automatically private. Shared, loopback, link-local and documentation ranges have different purposes.

ToolMellow labels the scope of the address it observes. Treat that label as an address classification, not a live IANA registry lookup, an open-port test or proof that a host can be reached from anywhere. When an unexpected special-use address appears, the observation source and network context matter more than guessing its meaning from the first digits.

Recognize private, shared and special-use address ranges
Example or range	Purpose	How to interpret it
`192.168.1.24`	Private IPv4 example	Useful inside a local network; not a globally unique Internet address
`100.64.0.0/10`	Shared IPv4 space	Reserved for service-provider shared-address use, including CGN
`127.0.0.1` and `::1`	Loopback	Refer to the local host
`169.254.0.0/16` and `fe80::/10`	Link-local	Have local-link scope rather than ordinary global reachability
`203.0.113.42` and `2001:db8::42`	Documentation examples	Illustrations in this guide, not working public hosts or your result

RFC 1918: private IPv4 address space RFC 6598: shared address space IANA IPv4 special-purpose registry IANA IPv6 special-purpose registry RFC 5737: IPv4 documentation examples

IPv4 and IPv6 describe different address families

IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, normally written as four dotted decimal values. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, written using hexadecimal groups separated by colons; valid abbreviated forms can omit runs of zero groups. An interface can have more than one address, and software may choose a particular route or address family for a connection.

An IPv4 result says that the observed request used an IPv4 address. It does not prove that IPv6 is unavailable. Likewise, an IPv6 result is not proof that every application or destination will use IPv6. ToolMellow explicitly reports the other family as not measured on that request. Establishing another path requires a separate, suitable endpoint and an actual client test.

RFC 8200: IPv6 RFC 4291: IPv6 addressing

Read the observation source before treating the address as yours

A website can sit behind a reverse proxy. The application’s immediate transport peer may then be that proxy rather than the original browser. ToolMellow distinguishes a transport-peer observation from an observation through its configured Railway ingress trust profile. The explanation is displayed alongside the address.

If the result says transport peer, a proxy or local endpoint address can be the correct report of what the application actually observed. Do not silently relabel it as your public client address. A configured ingress label describes the application’s observation method; it is not, by itself, an independent audit of every possible intermediary or future deployment. For a support case, retain the source and endpoint instead of sending an unlabeled number.

What an IP observation report contains

The downloadable report is a snapshot, not a network inventory. Keep the timestamp when comparing results taken before and after a connection change. The endpoint identifies where the observation was made; another service can see a different path or family.

The report’s otherFamily field states that the other family was not measured. The server does not infer geography; its geolocation value is null. There is no ISP, ASN, subscriber identity or full device-address inventory produced by this tool. A missing inference should remain missing when you summarize or share the report.

What an IP observation report contains
Field	Meaning	Limit
`address`	The address observed on this request	Depends on the actual route and observation source
`family` and `scope`	Address family and classification	Do not establish another family or public reachability
`source`	The observation method	Must be read with the deployment and proxy context
`timestamp` and `endpoint`	When and where the request was observed	Describe a snapshot, not a permanent identity
`otherFamily` and `geolocation`	Unmeasured or uninferred information	Should not be filled with guesses

Why a VPN, proxy or privacy relay can change your IP

When a service carries a web request through an exit server or relay, the address visible to the destination can describe that outward path. A split-tunnel rule, browser-specific proxy, privacy relay or a different family can make two applications or two websites observe different addresses.

To compare deliberately, record the tool’s result and source, change one connection setting, then make a fresh check and record its time. A changed address is evidence about those requests. An unchanged address does not, on its own, prove that a VPN failed. Neither result certifies encryption, DNS handling, WebRTC behavior or the absence of leaks across other applications.

Apple: iCloud Private Relay

Shared IP addresses and CGNAT

Sharing can happen at more than one level. A home router can translate local connections, and a service provider can translate connections from multiple customers. Carrier-grade NAT, or CGNAT, is one reason a public IPv4 address is not necessarily dedicated to one subscriber.

The shared range 100.64.0.0/10 spans 100.64.0.0 to 100.127.255.255 and is separate from the RFC 1918 private blocks. Seeing a router’s upstream address in that range can be a clue, but an online public-IP observation alone cannot diagnose CGNAT. Compare the router’s status, understand other NAT layers and ask the provider when the distinction affects your own inbound-connection setup.

RFC 3022: network address and port translation RFC 6598: shared address space

Dynamic versus static IP: why an observation can change

A dynamic assignment allows an address to be reassigned, while a static arrangement is intended to retain an address. Neither arrangement can be identified just from how the number looks. Changing from Wi-Fi to mobile data, changing networks or using another outward route can also change a web-visible address. IPv6 temporary addressing can introduce additional changes over time. One different result does not tell you which of these mechanisms caused it.

ToolMellow cannot read your provider contract or determine lease duration. Reconnecting or restarting a router does not guarantee a new public address. If an application needs a stable address, confirm the relevant arrangement with the provider and compare observations from the actual application path; do not infer a static-IP service from two matching checks.

Cloudflare: IP addresses and address assignments RFC 8981: temporary IPv6 addresses

Finding your local Wi-Fi address is a different task

Use your operating system’s network settings for the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet interface when you need its assigned local address. Devices can also have VPN, virtual-machine and other interfaces. Choosing the first address in a list can therefore select a different connection from the one you intended.

Microsoft and Apple provide current platform instructions linked below. Their menus can vary by version. An online checker does not replace those settings and does not inventory your adapters, discover your router credentials or open its administration page. Keep a local-address question separate from the question of what a particular website observes.

Microsoft: essential network settings in Windows Apple: TCP/IP network settings on Mac

What an IP address says about location and privacy

IP geolocation providers estimate location from network information and other evidence. That is not a reliable way to identify an exact household, person or street address. A VPN or proxy can cause an estimate to describe a server’s area rather than the user’s position. ToolMellow does not make such an estimate or publish an inferred ISP or ASN.

The website and its hosting infrastructure receive ordinary connection and request metadata. This IP tool does not upload your files, clipboard contents or camera and microphone streams. That is different from a promise of anonymity or zero server logging. Treat an exported address report as network context: share it with the intended support recipient and consider redacting it from a public screenshot.

MaxMind: geolocation accuracy

Troubleshooting different results or a failed check

When checkers disagree, compare the time, family, route and observation method before choosing which number to trust. A browser relay, another proxy path, a network change or an unverified reverse-proxy configuration can explain a difference. The presence of different numbers is not itself proof that either website is malicious.

When ToolMellow cannot finish a request, let its configuration load, read the error and use Retry connection when offered. Respect rate-limit feedback rather than repeatedly requesting new observations. If copying fails, select the displayed address or download the report. A connection error and an unavailable result should remain errors; do not substitute an earlier address and present it as fresh.

Compare observations taken close together and keep both timestamps.
Check whether the results report the same family and a comparable source.
Change one network or relay setting at a time so the comparison remains interpretable.
For an allowlist or access problem, confirm the path seen by the destination service before relying on another checker’s number.
For DNS records, use DNS lookup; an observed client address is not a DNS answer or a reverse-DNS ownership check.

Choose the check that answers your actual question

Use ToolMellow when you want a labeled observation of this browser request and a copyable or downloadable record. Use local network settings for an interface address, a suitable family-specific test for another IP path, or a dedicated provider when you need an ASN or geolocation estimate. Each answers a different question.

For a useful support handoff, include the observation time, family, source and endpoint alongside the address. Explain what connection or setting changed. This gives a recipient a concrete observation to investigate without claiming that a single IP number proves network health, subscriber identity, geographic position or complete privacy protection.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my public IP address?

Use a checker that explains its observation source. In ToolMellow, choose Check my IP and read the address, family, scope, source and time. On the verified public path this is the outward-facing address for that request; a transport-peer result can describe an intermediary instead.

Is my IP address the same as my Wi-Fi address?

Not necessarily. Your active Wi-Fi interface can have a private local address while its web traffic uses another outward-facing address. Use device network settings for the local interface and the checker for the observed web path.

Does an IPv4 result mean IPv6 is unavailable?

No. It reports the family observed on one request. ToolMellow does not measure the other family in that check; a separate suitable endpoint and client test are needed to establish it.

Can two devices have the same public IP?

Yes. Address and port translation can let several devices share an outward-facing IPv4 address. Service-provider sharing can also occur, so the address is not a unique device or subscriber identifier.

Does checking my IP test VPN leaks?

No. Comparing address observations can show how those requests changed, but it is not a complete DNS, WebRTC, encryption or application-routing test. A matching address alone does not prove that a VPN failed.

Why did my IP address change?

Possible causes include an address assignment change, another network, mobile data, a VPN or relay path, or temporary IPv6 addressing. The checker records the observation and cannot identify the cause from the address alone.

Does my IP reveal my exact location?

An address is not a reliable exact-household or individual-location identifier. Dedicated geolocation services estimate location with limitations. ToolMellow does not infer location, ISP or ASN.

What does a transport-peer result mean?

It describes the connection peer observed directly by the application. Behind an unverified reverse proxy, that can be the proxy’s address rather than the original browser’s outward-facing address.

Can I download or copy the result?

Yes. Copy address copies the displayed address, and Download IP report saves ip-observation.json with the recorded observation context. If the browser denies clipboard access, select the address or use the report download.

Can this tool tell whether I have CGNAT or a static IP?

Not from one public-address observation. CGNAT needs router and provider context; a static-IP arrangement needs provider confirmation. Preserve observations as evidence without turning them into either diagnosis.