How to check your IP address (and what it reveals)

Every device connected to the internet needs an IP address, but there are really two you should know about. Your private IP is assigned by your router to devices on your home network (often something like 192.168.1.5) and is invisible to the outside world. Your public IP is the address your router itself uses to reach the internet, and it's what every website you visit actually sees.

The simplest way to check your public IP is to visit a site that reports back the address your request arrived from — that's exactly what Tool King's IP Lookup tool does automatically when you open it, no typing required.

A public IP lookup typically also reveals your general geographic location (usually city or region level, based on your internet provider's registered address ranges, not GPS-accurate), your internet service provider's name, and whether the address is flagged as belonging to a hosting provider, proxy, or known VPN range.

Your public IP address usually isn't permanent — most home internet connections use a 'dynamic' IP that can change when your router restarts or periodically from your provider's side, unless you've specifically paid for a static IP, which is common for hosting a server but unnecessary for typical browsing.