An IP address or an Internal Protocol Address is a unique numerical address assigned to devices connected to the internet. These devices can be computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even Bluetooth-enabled devices such as speakers, printers, and smart TVs.
How to Identify My IP Address? What is My IP?
Your IP Address isn’t precisely private information, although there are ways to mask your IP (we will get into this later on). There are four basic ways to find your IP address depending on the device you are using, and they are all straightforward to follow!
1. Use an IP Address Tracker Tool
You can easily use an online IP address tool such as the one given here to figure out what your unique IP address is. They will not only automatically list your IP address but also your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Alternatively, try searching on Google, “What is my IP address?” Google will tell you the IP location instantaneously.
2. Find Your IP Address on Windows 10
You can find your IP address if you have Windows 10 and above on your PC or laptop. Simply go to the “Wi-Fi Network” list and click on the Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to.
Next, go to “Properties.” Your IP address should be listed here next to “IPv4 address”.
3. Find Your IP Address on your Mac
To know your IP address on your MacBook, go to the Apple Menu and select “System Preferences.”
From here, go to the “View” tab and select “Network.” You will be directed to your Network Preferences. Here select the Wi-Fi or Ethernet you are connected to, which displays the IP address along with other details.
4. Find Your IP Address on Your Smartphone
Finally, to find your IP address on your smartphone, go to your phone Settings. Then go to the “About Device” section.
Here click on “Status” to display your device’s information, including its unique IP address.
Why Do You Need An IP Address?
Your IP address is typically assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider. But why do you need one? The internet needs a way to differentiate among devices connected, and IP addresses serve this very purpose.
But that’s not all IP addresses do.
Your device doesn’t connect to the internet directly; you are connected to a network that grants you access to the internet. This network can be your ISP (Internet Service Provider), your company network of public networks in coffee shops or hotels.
This is where everything gets a bit more technical.
As mentioned earlier, your IP address is used to identify your device when connected to the internet. Why? When you submit a request online (to view a page, open an email, send a message), your ISP connects you to the internet and fulfills your request by attaching your returning address, i.e., your IP address. Without your IP address, your network won’t be able to identify where it needs to send information.
Since your ISP is giving your access to the internet, in this case, they will be responsible for assigning you an IP address.
But it doesn’t end there.
Users each have their own unique IP addresses, but so do website domains. To find the website that needs to be viewed, a DNS server is used to translate the website name or web address into an identifiable numerical IP address. When you get connected to the internet through your ISP, the web page you want to view will send information to your unique IP address.
All of this is done under the Internet Protocol – hence the name – a set of guidelines or the rules for addressing and routing information on the internet. The Internet Protocol ensures that all devices can communicate with each other effectively regardless of their internal structure.
Types of IP Addresses
There exist two primary types of IP addresses based on format, i.e., IPv4 and IPv6.
* IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)
This is the standard IP protocol your device is probably using currently. It carries a 32-bit address, typically written as four numbers ranging from 0 to 255 separated by dots. For example, 317.34.70.219
* IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
The IPv6 protocol was introduced in 1995, but it still has yet to become the standard for IPs everywhere. It carried a 128-bit address, typically written in a hexadecimal notation using 8 groups of numbers separated by colons. For example, 2001:cdb8:3300:4444:5565:6366:7377:8988.
The IPv6 protocol was introduced because the number of unique IP addresses the IPv4 protocol provides is limited (4.3 billion to be exact). That may seem like a lot, but with the rising number of mobile devices today, it may fall short. IPv6 can comparatively provide us
with around 3.4×1038 addresses or more accurately 340 trillion trillion trillion IP addresses, more than enough to meet our demands.
Are IP Addresses Private?
IP addresses connected to the internet are usually public. But another type of IP address exists solely in your local network called “private IP addresses.” Private IP Addresses are not linked to the internet but are instead connected among other devices within the same local network (such as computers and printers). No one outside of the local network can connect to them or view them. These IP addresses are private.
The same cannot be said for your public IP addresses that connect to the internet. In some cases, your ISP will mask your IP address and instead display its own public address. This means your real IP address is hidden, so other computers and servers on the internet cannot see it.
What Can IP Addresses Reveal?
Your IP addresses can actually reveal a lot about your location. They can tell you the city, ZIP code, state, province, country, the name of your ISP, your ISP’s area code, and in some cases, your physical location as well.
How Can You Mask Your IP Address?
You can mask your IP address in two ways:
* Use a Proxy Server
A proxy server simply acts as a mediator for traffic; in this case, the websites or servers you visit will see and know the IP address of the proxy server you are using and not your own.
* Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
This is the most widely used option. A VPN establishes an encrypted virtual tunnel through which all your data is routed, which in turn masks your IP address. You can then easily surf the internet anonymously.
