What is My Internet Protocol (IP) Address?

As you most likely already know, your IP address is the address or logical area of your computer when it’s related to the Internet. The networking software program or hardware must know your IP address if you want to connect and go online. Thankfully, you don’t need to know your IP address whenever you go online, like a password. However, in case you ever need to know what it is, you can always search online.

Websites and networks also need to know your IP address in the same digital way that computers do. IP addresses are part of TCP/IP, the protocols that networks communicate that permit us all to surf the internet. Think of it as a common online language. Read below this comprehensive guide to find out about your IP address.

What is my IP address?

Your internet service provider assigns a numeric label, referred to as the Internet Protocol (IP) address, to your device, among billions of others. An IP address serves as an online home address in some ways because devices use IP addresses to find and communicate with one another.

Here’s how an IP address sends data to its destination. First, you type in an internet site name into the browser. However, your computer does not recognize words—only numbers. So it first finds the IP address of that internet site, locates it on the web, and then shows it on your screen.

What is an IP address?

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is essentially the unique identity of a large number of computers connected to any network. You can view this as a mailing address, just for your online activity. Since they were first developed and used in the 1970s, IP addresses have become how gadgets interact on the internet. IP addresses are like GPS locations for devices (which include servers) in any network. Whether you’re just browsing the web, watching a video on YouTube, or booking your vacation hotel, IP addresses are always present.

Why you should change your IP address?

Changing your IP address helps you evade hackers, snoopers, and other sorts of surveillance. Because you’re hiding who you are and where you’re located (basically, your online identity), you’ll have many privacy and protection benefits. And there are other benefits, too.

Here are some of the reasons why you should change your IP address:

1. Protect your online privacy.

Changing your IP address will conceal your geolocation, protecting you from hackers, your ISP, and websites that use web tracking. Your IP address can also be used to spy on your personal web activity; changing it will protect your online interests.

2. Access location-related content

Due to geo-blocking, you could have trouble streaming a game of your favorite sports team while abroad or get blocked trying to watch a movie only available in some countries. By changing your IP address, you can access this blocked content by making websites assume you’re coming from an accepted location.

3. Avoid Internet site bans.

Some governments use IP addresses to limit access to certain websites. Changing your IP address lets you hide from authorities’ censors, unblock limited websites, and get admission to a free and open internet.

4. Troubleshoot net issues

New routers often deliver the wrong IP address to devices. Manually changing your IP address can clear up this trouble. It can also help game enthusiasts resolve their issues with laggy gameplay.

It’s totally legal to change your IP. As long as you’re not doing something illegal, you have nothing to fear. People change or hide their IP addresses for many reasons, and you can try it for yourself.

How to find my IP address?

These are how to find your IP address on different devices:

On Windows

Step 1: Navigate to “Network and Internet,” then select “Properties” in WiFi or Ethernet, depending on your connection.

Step 2: In “Properties,” scroll all the way down to locate the IPv4 address. That is your local IP address.

On a Mac

Step 1: Navigate to “Network” in “System Preferences.”

Step 2: In this window, you will discover your IP address below the network status.

On an Android or tablet

Step 1: Go into your WiiFi network settings, then select the network you’re linked to.

Step 2: You’ll locate your IP address with your other network information.

on an iPhone or iPad

Step 1: Go to “Settings,” then “WiFi,” then pick the network you’re linked to.

Step 2: Your IP address is displayed in the section referred to as the IPv4 address.

How do I find my public IP address?

Checking your IP address is simple. If you’re attempting to check from your cellphone or laptop, you can use one of the “What’s my IP?” websites. You can also type “My IP” on Google, and it’ll show your IP address. However, don’t forget that Google will show your IPv6 if your network supports both IPv4 and IPv6. To take a look at your IPv4, you’ll need to use an IP lookup internet site.

IPv4 vs. IPv6 Addresses

IPv6 was designed to be the future-generation protocol that fixes the limitations and flaws in IPv4. Considering the fact that these protocols cannot communicate with each other, IPv4 will not become obsolete anytime soon. Here are the important variations between these two protocols:

1. Address style

IPv4 addresses are numbers with binary bits separated by dots. IPv6 addresses, on the other hand, are alphanumeric and separated by columns (:).

2. Security

Security is constructed into the IPv6 protocol, whereas, with IPv4, safety is dependent on the application.

3. Checksum

IPv4 has checksum fields, and IPv6 has none.

4. Size of IP addresses

IPv4 addresses are 32-bit by design, while IPv6 addresses are 128-bit.

5. Mobile compatibility

IPv4’s use of the dot-decimal notation makes it less suitable for cell networks. IPv6 is hexadecimal; the colon-separated notation makes it more appropriate for mobile networks.

Example addresses:

• IPv4 (127.0.0.1) and IPv6 (2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:ff00:0042:7879)

Both protocols, however, can coexist on a network.

Why hasn’t IPv6 been fully implemented yet?

Unlike the IPv4 protocol, IPv6 won’t ever run out of unique IP addresses; it may offer nearly 3.4×10^38 of them. Furthermore, a few argue that IPv6 is a more effective technology, providing better speed and connectivity. However, IPv6 has not been fully implemented yet for two reasons:

1. IPv6 isn’t backward compatible like IPv4. You can’t get access to IPv4 websites if your device runs on an IPv6 protocol.

2. It’s hard to adopt brand-new technology that doesn’t have immediate benefits. IPv4 still meets our needs, and until we reach its limit, a global shift is unlikely.

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding your IP address is not tricky. However, following a few simple steps will make it easier. In the above article, we have provided complete information about your IP address and why it is necessary to change it. Also, learn how you can find your IP address on various devices.

FAQ’s: What is my IP?

1. What is the format of an IP?

An IP address has three or four octets (parts). It can’t have a number above 255 in any of its octets. All of the octets must be between 0 and 255. For instance, 209.20.5 or 216.222.8.131

2. What does my IP address reveal about me?

Your IP address shows a lot of things about you, i.e., the area you surf from, consisting of your country, place, postcode, and town. Moreover, malicious websites can compare these records with different information retrieved from cookies and metadata, hence creating a more revealing picture of who you are.

3. How do I protect my IP address?

It is feasible to protect your IP address by hiding it. This can be done by using a VPN carrier, which routes your connection through another IP address, consequently hiding your real one. Besides that, VPNs have many other advantages too. You get greater online privacy and safety as your internet traffic is encrypted and can’t be seen by third parties or misused by hackers.