Guides
IP address guides
Short, practical guides to IP addresses and online privacy, written in plain English.
- What is an IP address?What IP addresses are, where they come from and what yours reveals about you.
- IPv4 vs IPv6Why there are two versions of IP addresses, how they differ and what it means for you.
- Public vs private IP addressesPrivate ranges like 192.168.x.x, how your router connects them and how to find each.
- How to hide your IP addressFive ways to hide your IP address, from VPNs to Tor, and what each one really protects.
- What is a VPN?How a VPN works, what it does and doesn't protect you from, and how to pick a good one.
- How to find your local IP addressFind the private IP address of your computer or phone on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android and Linux.
Looking for a tool instead? See your IP address or look up any IP.