What Is an IP Address?

An IP address is the numeric label that tells the internet where to route data for your phone or laptop—like a street address, but for online stuff.

Takeaway: it's like a street address for your device on the internet.

IPv4 vs IPv6 (30‑second tour)

IPv4 is the older system. It uses 32 bits, which yields about 4.3 billion possible addresses, and the pool is nearly exhausted. IPv6 is the newer system with 128 bits—an enormous address space for the foreseeable future. Both versions run side by side today, and enabling IPv6 doesn’t automatically increase speed.

Want to dive deeper? See: IPv4 vs IPv6

Takeaway: IPv4 is crowded; IPv6 adds capacity. Both are active today—no instant speed boost.

Public vs Private (Home View)

There are two main types of IP addresses you'll encounter at home: public and private. Your public IP is the address your internet provider assigns to your home; websites see this one. Inside your Wi‑Fi, your router assigns private IPs to each device, like 192.168.x.x. These private addresses are also called "intranet addresses" or "internal network addresses." Learn more about what an intranet is. The router tracks each request and maps replies back to the right device, so you don’t need to configure anything special.

Takeaway: at home, many devices share one public address; private addresses stay on your Wi‑Fi network.

Why It Matters

Connections need a “to” and “from” address to exchange data, and that’s what IP addresses provide. They also drive security rules—firewalls and VPNs allow or block traffic by address. Because an IP hints at your region, sites often route you to a nearby server to improve performance. For privacy, an IP generally reveals only an approximate area, not your exact home.

Takeaway: IPs let services reach you, enforce safety rules, choose nearby servers, and reveal only rough location.

Everyday Examples

When you type a site name, the internet’s “phone book” (DNS) looks up the site’s number. When your phone joins Wi‑Fi, the router assigns it a private address so it can communicate on your home network. Games and apps use your IP to connect you to the right servers and peers.

Takeaway: names are resolved to numbers behind the scenes; your devices get local addresses; apps use your IP to connect.

Tiny FAQ

Takeaway: an IP shows region, may change, and can be masked with a VPN.

Takeaways

An IP address is the network address that lets the internet route data to and from your device. IPv4 space is crowded; IPv6 adds far more capacity, and both are in use today. At home, your devices share one public address through the router while keeping private ones on Wi‑Fi. Your IP indicates a region, not your doorstep; use a VPN for extra privacy.

Next Steps

If you want a side‑by‑side, see our guide to IPv4 vs IPv6. You can also try it live and check your IP to see what the internet sees for your connection.