What Is an IP Address?
Learn what an IP address is, the difference between IPv4 and IPv6, public vs private IPs, and how geolocation works — in plain English.
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique label assigned to every device on a network. It works like a postal address: it tells data where to go and where it came from. Without IP addresses, computers couldn't find each other on the internet.
IPv4 vs IPv6
IPv4 addresses look like 122.161.73.71 — four numbers (0–255) separated by dots, giving about 4.3 billion possible addresses. Because the world ran out of those, IPv6 was introduced, using longer addresses like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334 for a virtually unlimited pool.
Public vs private IP addresses
- Public IP — assigned by your ISP and visible to the internet. This is what websites see when you visit them.
- Private IP — used inside your home or office network (e.g.
192.168.x.x). It isn't reachable directly from the internet.
What can an IP reveal?
An IP address can be mapped to an approximate geographic location (city, region, country) and your ISP — a process called IP geolocation. It is approximate, not a precise street address, and can be masked with a VPN or proxy.