IP Address FAQ

An IP address is a unique numeric identifier assigned to every device on the internet – similar to a postal address. Without it, the internet wouldn't know where to send data. More: What is an IP address?

IPv4 is 32 bits long (~4.3 billion addresses, format 192.168.1.1), IPv6 is 128 bits long (340 undecillion addresses, format 2001:db8::1). IPv4 is exhausted – IPv6 was designed to cover long-term global addressing. Side-by-side: IPv4 vs IPv6.

The public IP is assigned by your ISP and is visible on the internet. It identifies your connection to websites and online services. Your current public IP: see the homepage.

Private IPs live in the ranges 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16 and are used only on the local network. They are not visible on the internet. Details: Public vs Private IP.

A static IP stays the same forever, a dynamic IP is assigned by your ISP via DHCP and can change. Consumer connections almost always get dynamic IPs; servers and business plans often get static. More: Static or Dynamic IP?

The meine-ip.info homepage shows your current public IP instantly – no signup or cookies. For more detail (location, ISP) open the IP Location tool.

Country-level accuracy is usually 99 %+, city-level is 50–80 %. Mobile and VPN IPs often diverge significantly from the real location. A street address or apartment cannot be derived from an IP – only the ISP knows that, and only via formal request.

On most modern ISPs the IP stays the same for weeks or months. It changes after a router reboot, ISP maintenance, or when switching between Wi-Fi and mobile. In depth: Why does my IP change?

Power off the router for 10 minutes, call ISP support, or turn on a VPN (which then shows the VPN IP). On mobile, airplane mode on/off is enough. Step-by-step: How to change your IP address.

The router IP is your home network's gateway, typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.178.1 (FRITZ!Box). It opens the admin interface. Per-platform guide: How to find your router's IP.

Every website you visit, your ISP, every online service you talk to, ad/analytics networks, and authorities (via ISP request). What can actually be derived: Who can see my IP?

An IP alone enables no access or login. DDoS attacks on the connection are theoretically possible but vanishingly rare for home setups. Modern routers block inbound traffic by default.

The most reliable method is a VPN – websites then only see the VPN IP. Tor Browser gives stronger anonymity for sensitive work. Mobile data instead of Wi-Fi is a weaker but immediate workaround.

When your VPN is active but DNS queries still go to the ISP, that's a DNS leak – the ISP still sees every domain you visit. Test live with the DNS Leak Test.

No. We do not persistently log your IP. Your IP is used ephemerally for the response (geo lookup, display) and is not stored. Embed and affiliate trackers store only the referer hostname, never the user IP. Full details in the privacy policy.

DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names (example.com) into IP addresses (93.184.216.34). It is the phone book of the internet. More: DNS Explained.

NAT lets multiple devices share a single public IP. At home, your router translates private IPs (192.168.x.x) onto the one public IP. NAT is the reason IPv4 still works despite address exhaustion.

The subnet mask separates the network and host portions of an IP. 255.255.255.0 means: first 24 bits are network, last 8 bits are hosts (CIDR /24). Full table: Subnet Mask Cheat Sheet, calculator: Subnet Calculator.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network. Your home router is usually the DHCP server for the LAN; your ISP is the DHCP server for your router.

A port is a number (0–65535) that addresses a specific service on a server: 80 = HTTP, 443 = HTTPS, 22 = SSH. Full reference: Common Network Ports.

Yes. All 14 tools are free to use, no signup, no API key, no limit for regular use. The free API allows 60 requests per minute. Funded via affiliate recommendations (transparently labeled).

The Blacklist Check queries 18 DNSBL databases to see if your IP is flagged as a spam source. Listed = a mail recipient may reject email from your IP. Fix: remove from blacklist.

Headers like HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options tell the browser to enforce certain security measures. They protect against XSS, clickjacking and MITM attacks. Use the Header Check to see them all and get a score.

Yes. Scanning your own IP or a host with permission is legal. Scanning third-party systems without permission can be illegal depending on jurisdiction. Our Port Scanner is limited to the most common ports.

Browser speed tests measure usable bandwidth between browser and test server – not raw line capacity. Realistic deviation ±10 % vs specialised tools. Test yours: Speedtest.

GET /api/ip returns IP + geo + ASN as JSON, with CORS headers for browser embeds. Limit: 60 requests per minute per IP, anonymous, no key required. Full API documentation.

Three variants: iframe (no JS, fixed layout), JS snippet (rendered into your page), and SVG badge (static image). Builder with live preview: widget page.

Only a technical cookie for your language choice. No analytics tracker by default. If you opt in via the cookie banner, optional Plausible (cookieless) is enabled for reach measurement. Full details in the privacy policy.