Public vs Private IP

How websites, routers, and local devices see different IP addresses.

A public IP is the address websites see. A private IP is used inside your local network. Your phone and laptop may have different private addresses while sharing one public IP through the same router.

This distinction matters when configuring services. A printer on your home network may need a private address. A website login alert normally shows the public address.

Examples

At home, your router translates traffic between private devices and the public Internet. At work, many people may share a corporate public IP. On mobile networks, the public IP can change often.

For address formats, read IPv4 vs IPv6. For the basic definition, read what is an IP address.

FAQ