Columbus, Ohio, United States
Amazon.com
What is an IP address?
Every device connected to the internet is assigned an IP (Internet Protocol) address — a numeric label that identifies it on the network, similar to a postal address for data. When you visit a website, your IP is what tells that site’s server where to send its response back to.
The address shown above is your public IP: the one your router presents to the wider internet. Every device on your home network (phone, laptop, smart TV) shares that same public IP, even though each has its own private address internally.
Frequently asked questions
What is my IP address?
It's the number shown at the top of this page, assigned to your connection by your internet service provider (or the network you're currently on, like office Wi-Fi or a mobile carrier). It's how sites and services know where to send data back to you.
Does my IP address reveal my exact location?
No. IP-based geolocation is approximate — usually accurate to a city or region, based on where your ISP has registered that block of addresses. It won't pinpoint your street address, and accuracy varies a lot by provider and country.
Why does my IP address change sometimes?
Most home connections use a "dynamic" IP that your ISP can reassign periodically or when your router reconnects. Businesses and servers more often pay for a "static" IP that stays fixed.
What's the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
IPv4 addresses look like 203.0.113.42 — four numbers separated by dots. IPv6 addresses are longer (e.g. 2001:db8::1) and exist because the world is running out of the roughly 4 billion possible IPv4 addresses. Most connections today still use IPv4, sometimes alongside IPv6.
Can someone hide or change their IP address?
Yes — a VPN or proxy routes your traffic through another server, so sites see that server's IP instead of yours. Restarting your router can also get you a new dynamic IP from your ISP, though not always immediately.