Public vs Private IP Address: Key Differences
Your public IP is what the internet sees. Your private IP works only at home. Here is the difference, the ranges and how to find both.
Every device online has two kinds of address in play. Your private IP identifies it inside your home network, and your public IP is the single address the rest of the internet sees for your whole home.
Your private IP identifies a device only inside your home network, while your public IP is the single address the whole internet sees for your home.
Knowing the difference helps with router logins, port forwarding, gaming, cameras and remote access. Here is how they work and how to find each one.
Public vs private IP at a glance
| Public IP | Private IP | |
|---|---|---|
| Who assigns it | Your internet provider | Your router (DHCP) |
| Seen by | The whole internet | Only devices on your network |
| Unique | Unique worldwide | Reused in millions of homes |
| Example | 203.0.113.45 | 192.168.1.25 |
| Changes | When the ISP changes it | When the router gives a new lease |
| Find it with | What Is My IP | Device network settings |
What is a private IP address?
A private IP address is used only inside a local network. Your router gives one to each phone, laptop, TV and camera so they can talk to each other and to the router.
These addresses come from ranges reserved for private use, so they are never routed on the internet. That is why your neighbor can use exactly the same addresses without any conflict.
| Private range | Size | Common at home |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255 | About 16.7 million addresses | 10.0.0.1 on Xfinity |
| 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255 | About 1 million addresses | Business and VPN networks |
| 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 | About 65,000 addresses | 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1 |
What is a public IP address?
Your public IP address is assigned by your internet provider to your router or modem. Websites, games and apps see this address when you connect.
Most home connections get a dynamic public IP that can change over time. Businesses can pay for a static public IP that stays the same, which is useful for servers and remote access.
How NAT connects the two
Your router uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to let many private devices share one public IP. When your phone loads a website, the router swaps the private address for the public one, then sends the reply back to the right device.
NAT is also why incoming connections need port forwarding. Without a rule, the router does not know which private device should receive the traffic.
How to find your public and private IP
- Public IP: open our What Is My IP tool on any device.
- Private IP on Windows: run
ipconfigand read IPv4 Address. - Private IP on Mac: System Settings, Network, your connection, Details.
- Private IP on phones: open WiFi settings and tap your network.
- Router private IP: it is the Default Gateway. See what is a default gateway.
Common questions and problems
- Router WAN IP is private: if the router status page shows a 10.x, 100.64.x or 192.168.x WAN address, your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT or you have a modem in front. Port forwarding may not work without a public IP.
- Public IP changed: normal on dynamic plans. Use dynamic DNS for remote access.
- Two devices with the same private IP: an IP conflict. Restart both or reserve addresses in the router.
Why you have both, and why that’s a good thing
Your home probably has a dozen devices online but only one public IP. The router handles that with NAT: every device gets a private address inside the house, and the router swaps them for the single public address when traffic goes out.
That setup does two useful things. It means the world isn’t running out of addresses as fast as it would otherwise, and it means devices inside your home aren’t directly reachable from the internet by default. Someone outside can see your public IP, but not your laptop’s 192.168.1.20.
Check both side by side: our What Is My IP tool shows your public address, and your device’s network settings show the private one. Our IP Address Checker tells you which kind any address is.
Does your public IP change?
For most home connections, yes, from time to time. ISPs hand out dynamic public IPs that can change when the router restarts or after a few days or weeks. Some providers keep the same one for months.
A static public IP never changes. You usually pay extra for it, and you only need it if you host something at home, like a game server or security camera system, that people need to reach at a fixed address. A free dynamic DNS service is often a good enough alternative.
Private IPs can change too, when the router’s DHCP lease runs out. If a printer or console keeps getting a new address, set a DHCP reservation for it on the router.
How to check your private and public IP right now
- Open our What Is My IP page. The address at the top is your public IP, the one websites see.
- On your phone or computer, open the WiFi details for your network. The IPv4 address listed there is your private IP.
- Compare them. They should look completely different, for example 203.0.113.45 outside and 192.168.1.20 inside.
- Ask a family member on the same WiFi to check too. They’ll see the same public IP but a different private one.
If both numbers look like private addresses, or your router’s WAN IP starts with 100.64 to 100.127, your ISP is using carrier-grade NAT. That only matters if you want to host something at home, and the ISP can usually give you a public IP on request.
Private IP ranges you’ll see at home
Three blocks of addresses are set aside for private networks, and every home router uses one of them:
- 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255: by far the most common at home, such as 192.168.1.x and 192.168.0.x.
- 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255: used by Xfinity, Apple AirPort and many offices.
- 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255: less common at home, often seen on business and cloud networks.
Anything outside these ranges, apart from a few special addresses like 127.0.0.1, is a public IP somewhere on the internet.
Common questions
Can someone find my location from my public IP?
Roughly, yes. A public IP usually points to your ISP and city or region, not your street address. Your exact address stays with your ISP.
Is 192.168.1.1 a public or private IP?
Private. Anything starting with 192.168, 10., or 172.16 to 172.31 is private and only works inside a local network.
Why do I have the same private IP as my neighbour?
Because private addresses are reused in every home. Your 192.168.1.5 and their 192.168.1.5 never clash, since they live on separate networks behind separate routers.
How do I hide my public IP?
A VPN or a privacy browser like Tor will show sites a different public IP. Your ISP still knows your real one.
What is CGNAT?
Carrier-grade NAT is when your ISP puts many customers behind one public IP. If your router’s WAN IP starts with 100.64 to 100.127, you’re behind CGNAT, and port forwarding from outside won’t work without asking the ISP for a public IP.
