You might’ve seen the terms public IP and private IP - but what’s the difference?
Here’s a simple breakdown, and how to find both.
What Is a Public IP Address?
Your public IP is the one that the internet sees.
It’s assigned by your internet provider (ISP), and it’s what websites and services use to identify your connection.
What is an IP address - and why should you care?
Public IPv4: 203.0.113.5
Public IPv6: 2001:0db8:abcd::1
This address is shared with the outside world, and can be used to track your connection, block access, or show your approximate location.
What Is a Private IP Address?
Your private IP is used inside your local network - like your home Wi-Fi.
Each device on your network (laptop, phone, TV) gets a private IP from your router. These are only visible inside your own network.
Private IPs are not routable on the public internet - they’re just used so devices can talk to each other internally.
Private IPv4 addresses:
| From | To | Number of addresses in subnet | Bit mask |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0.0.0 | 10.255.255.255 | 16 777 216 | 8 |
| 172.16.0.0 | 172.31.255.255 | 1 048 576 | 12 |
| 192.168.0.0 | 192.168.255.255 | 65 536 | 16 |
Example:
192.168.0.14
Private IPv6 addresses:
| RFC 4193 Block | Prefix | Number of addresses in subnet |
|---|---|---|
| fd00::/8 | fd | 18 446 744 073 709 551 616 |
Example:
fd12:3456:789a::1
Why the Separation?
Your home router uses something called NAT (Network Address Translation) to share one public IP with many private devices.
So when your laptop accesses a website, your router replaces your private IP with the public one - and tracks the response.
This setup:
- Saves address space
- Adds a basic layer of isolation
- Lets you run many devices on one internet connection
Learn the difference between IPv4 and IPv6
How to Find Your Private IP
Your private IP is assigned by your router and only used inside your network.
You can usually find it in your device’s network settings:
- Windows: open Command Prompt →
ipconfig - macOS: open Terminal →
ifconfigor check Network Preferences - iPhone/Android: open Wi-Fi settings and tap the network name
Summary
- Public IP = how the internet sees you
- Private IP = how your router organizes your local devices
Most people never need to worry about private IPs - but knowing the difference helps when setting up a network, troubleshooting, or checking if your VPN is working.
Check your public IP on the homepage.
Want to see if your VPN is hiding it? Check if your VPN is working
Photo by Anthony Choren on Unsplash