How IP Addresses Work: Public, Private, IPv4 and IPv6

An internet connection needs a way to send requests and receive replies. An Internet Protocol (IP) address is part of that routing system: it identifies a network interface for communication, not a person by itself. Use this guide to understand what a public IP reveals, why your devices may show different addresses, and how to interpret an IP lookup without drawing conclusions it cannot support.

The two-minute explanation

When you open a website, your device sends network packets and the destination needs a routable return path. The address visible to a website is usually the public address of your router, mobile carrier gateway, workplace network, or VPN exit server. Inside a home, devices often use private addresses such as 192.168.1.20; your router translates many of those connections to one public IPv4 address.

An IP address is not normally a built-in record of your name, email, passwords, or exact home address. A provider may hold account and assignment records linking an address to a subscriber at a particular time, but an ordinary website does not receive those records automatically.

Public and private addresses

Public addresses are routed across the internet. Private IPv4 ranges are reserved for local networks and are not globally routed: 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. Your laptop might use 192.168.1.20, while a website sees the public address used by your router. Network Address Translation (NAT) keeps track of connections so many local devices can share a public address.

Some providers use carrier-grade NAT, which adds another shared layer. In that case, even the WAN address shown in your router may be private or shared, while a public lookup shows the carrier’s outward-facing address.

IPv4 and IPv6

IPv4 addresses contain 32 bits and are commonly written as four decimal numbers, such as 203.0.113.42 (an example range reserved for documentation). IPv6 addresses contain 128 bits and use hexadecimal groups, for example 2001:db8::1, also reserved for documentation. Many networks support both versions. A website or test may use IPv4 on one connection and IPv6 on another; that does not automatically mean either result is incorrect.

What location data means

IP geolocation is an estimate based on network allocation, routing, provider information, and database observations. Country or provider information may be useful, but city-level accuracy varies. Mobile carriers, VPNs, satellite internet, and corporate gateways can appear far from a user’s physical location. GPS and a browser’s location permission use different signals and should not be confused with IP geolocation.

A practical way to check your address

Open the KiwiVPN public IP checker.
Note the public IP, IP version, provider, and approximate location shown.
Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, then check again. A different network will usually use a different public route.
If the city appears wrong, compare the same address in another reputable database before assuming your device is misconfigured.
Avoid posting screenshots that expose more connection details than necessary.

Common questions

Can an IP address identify a specific person?

Not reliably on its own. Attribution may require provider records, timestamps, and additional evidence. Shared networks make one address compatible with many users.

Does an IP address stay the same forever?

Not necessarily. Home connections often use dynamic leases, and mobile addresses can change as the device reconnects or moves between network gateways.

Does hiding my IP make me anonymous?

No. Accounts, cookies, browser fingerprinting, GPS permissions, and other identifiers may still connect activity to you. A VPN changes one part of the network path; it does not erase every identifier.

Continue with Public and private IP addresses, Static vs. dynamic IP addresses, or Why IP location is wrong—and what to do.

How IP Addresses Work