What Is My IP? Public IP Address Location

What Is My IP Address?

18.206.12.157

My IP Address Location:

United States, Ashburn

What Is An IP Address?

An IP address is a unique string of numbers assigned to any device that is connected to the internet, such as your phone, your computer, etc. An example of an IP address is 192.168.1 which consists of the network ID and the host ID. Through IP addresses, computers recognize each other, and communication can be transmitted from one device to the other. Websites also use these IP addresses to permit or even prohibit certain users from getting access to them.

Your home address represents your physical location while your IP address represents your device location. These two are important and can directly or indirectly lead someone to where you are.

IP addresses are indeed essential device identifiers. They are often equated to your mailing address that is linked to your home or your office, and they can pose a possible cybersecurity liability. There are different IP addresses that exist, and we will discuss some of them briefly

IPv4 vs IPv6 addresses

IPv4

is the older internet protocol version that is widely considered the primary Internet Protocol and carries 94% of Internet traffic. It uses a 32-bit address scheme to store more than 4 billion addresses.

IPv6

is a newer and better version of the internet protocol that is intended to resolve the problems that IPv4 has, and it performs better in terms of efficiency and complexity. It has128-bit address space and allows 340 undecillion unique address spaces

Why Does My IP Address Not Match My Location?

When you are connected to a VPN server, you change your address to another one to hide your real location. But sometimes while connecting to the VPN server and having a new IP address, web services may show a wrong physical location, different from the one indicated in the VPN Unlimited application.

There are 2 reasons why your IP location is wrong:

web services do not update information about the geolocation of IP addresses in their databases in time.
the service defines its users’ location by cross-checking the area where the IP address is located with the geo-data of devices that use that IP address. If the service detects a significant number of devices using that IP address in a certain area, it will change the listed location for that IP address.

Public vs Private IP addresses

The private IP address

Is the Internet Protocol used to communicate within the same network. These IP addresses are not publicly registered on the internet, and they can only be used internally, such as within the business or home. The IP address is hidden from external access and has a local scope. Sent or received communication takes place within the network. For example, there could be two or three computers connected in an office to only share information between them

The Public IP address

Of a system is the internet protocol address that is used to communicate outside the network. An ISP assigns the IP address to the computer making it possible to access the internet. Since you get this IP address from your ISP, anyone who has access to the internet can see your device. The majority of individuals and households use public IPs

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What can my IP address reveal about me?

Your IP address makes it possible for your computer to be recognizable when you are using the internet. It is an identifier and through it, your online activities can be linked to you by third parties. An IP address is a valuable piece of information, and should someone gain access, the following incidents are likely to occur

Targeted Advertising without your consent

Advertisers will do almost anything to get your attention. They embed tracking programs on certain websites you frequent, and these programs record your IP address and send you targeted ads according to your browsing patterns

Exposing your geographic location

An IP address reveals where you are geographically located. This can attract criminals who may want to invade your home to steal your possessions or even kidnap your family members and demand ransom for their release

Restrictions from accessing websites

Many websites charge different subscription fees to users depending on where they are located. Some countries even block certain regions from accessing their websites for different reasons, such as political intentions. Once your IP address is known, you can be blocked from certain online services that are exclusive to certain countries

Identity Theft

If a hacker gets your IP address, they may track down your ISP and manipulate their way into the ISP’s records of your online activities. Once your private data lands in their hands, they can steal your identity, commit crimes, and frame you for them. There are no boundaries or limits to how far cybercriminals can go when they have access to your IP address

Track your activity

Some companies track the activities of their employees when they are online to look out for inappropriate conduct. Some ISPs monitor the activities of their users so that they can throttle the internet speed for those who download large files

Why you should change your IP address

Reasons for changing your IP address include evading hackers and other third-party surveillance from knowing your online behavior. The benefits of hiding your IP address include having freedom of speech and the ability to share your opinion online without censorship. To change an IP address, you can use a Proxy or a VPN

Proxy changes the IP address

Proxies operate a bit like VPNs, but they are less secure and versatile. When you are using your devices, your internet connection goes through a middleman server so that your IP address is not seen but is replaced with that of the proxy server.

Proxies are not highly secure and they do not utilize advanced encryption methods that hide your data, and this can expose your IP address and compromise your cybersecurity

VPN changes the IP address

Using a VPN is one of the most secure ways you can change your IP address. This is a highly recommended tool that encrypts your IP address, masking it and giving you the opportunity to be private while online. VPNs are very effective at preventing websites from blocking your device.

Pros and cons for changing your IP address

Private online browsing
Access websites without being geo-blocked
Shop from other countries and benefit from discounts and sale prices
Be free from government surveillance
Reliable VPNs are not free and cost some money
With some VPNs, your connection can be slower