IP Address FAQ

A complete guide to what an IP address is and how it works.

People look up IP addresses to troubleshoot networks, investigate suspicious activity, block spam, or check blacklists, not to identify a person.

You can find the ISP or organization behind an IP address with a lookup tool, but not the individual person using it.

Every device needs an IP address to connect to a network and communicate with other devices or servers.

Find your public IP instantly online, or check your private IP on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android.

Your household shares one public IP address, but each device has its own private IP assigned by your router.

Yes, every internet-connected device needs an IP address, usually assigned automatically by your router.

IPv4's 4.3 billion addresses are nearly exhausted, but IPv6 provides more than enough capacity going forward.

An IP address uniquely identifies a device on a network so data can be sent and received correctly.