Private IP vs Public IP
Every device on your network has two kinds of address in play: a private IP used inside your home, and the single public IP your whole network shows to the internet.
Advertisement
Private IP
Your router hands each device a private address, like 192.168.1.10. These only work inside your local network, and every home reuses the same ranges. They're how your devices talk to each other and to the router.
Public IP
Your router has one public address, assigned by your ISP. That's what websites and online games see. All your devices share it through a process called NAT, which keeps track of which reply goes to which device.
How to find each one
- Public IP: it's shown at the top of our home page.
- Private IP on Windows: open Command Prompt and run ipconfig, then read the IPv4 address.
- Private IP on a phone: Settings, Wi-Fi, tap your network, and look for the IP address.