Quick test: Check how your IP is located using the MyIPNow IP Lookup.
Common reasons IP location is inaccurate
IP geolocation databases estimate location based on network data — not GPS. As a result, the displayed city or country can be significantly wrong.
Download CSV| Cause | Why it happens | Example | Typical error | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) | Mobile users share IPs | Mobile ISP IP mapped to HQ | 50–500 km | Common on 4G/5G |
| Cloud Hosting | IP belongs to data center | AWS IP shown as US | Country-level | Not user location |
| VPN Services | Traffic exits elsewhere | User in EU exits via US | Country-level | Intentional masking |
| Proxy Networks | Shared exit nodes | Residential proxy pool | 100–1000 km | High churn |
| Outdated GeoIP DB | Stale assignments | Reallocated IP | City/region | Update lag |
| Anycast Routing | Same IP in many places | CDN edge IP | City-level | Normal behavior |
| ISP Centralization | Traffic routed centrally | Rural user → capital | 50–200 km | Common in small countries |
| Corporate Networks | Office egress points | Remote worker | City/region | VPN backhaul |
| Satellite Internet | Ground station mapping | Starlink user | Country/region | Emerging issue |
| IPv6 Transition | IPv4 mapped via tunnel | 6to4 relay | Country | Legacy setups |
What IP location is good for
- Country-level content localization
- Fraud and abuse heuristics
- Rough regional analytics
What IP location should NOT be used for
- Exact user location
- Legal residence determination
- Emergency services