What an IP checker does
An IP checker is a web page that reads the address your request came from and prints it back to you, usually with the provider's name and an approximate location. Nothing more happens. It cannot see inside your device, and it learns nothing that other sites do not get. Its value is as a mirror: it shows how you look from outside, which is the only way to confirm that a VPN or a proxy is really carrying your traffic.
If you only want the number, you do not even need a special site.
What Google shows
Search google what's my IP address, or type what is my IP address google into the address bar, and the search engine prints your public address above the results. It is the quickest IP address checker there is, although it shows the number alone. For the provider's name and the location you still need a lookup page. People also search my IP address google after turning on a VPN, to see whether the number has changed. It is a fair test, and ten seconds is all it takes.
Public and private, one more time
- What is my IP public address: the one your provider assigned, shared by everything behind your router.
- Private address: the one your router gives each device, starting with 192.168 or 10. Invisible from outside.
- My IP address public and the address in your phone's Wi-Fi settings are different numbers, and both are correct.
- What's my public IP address on mobile data: the carrier's, often shared with many other customers.
- With a VPN connected: the server's public address replaces yours for every site.
Using a checker with a key
Open a checker and note the address, the provider and the city.
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Import the key into a client and connect to a location, say New York.
Reload the checker. New address, a hosting company as the provider, New York as the city.
Try the same check in another browser and in an app, to confirm that the whole device is covered.
Reading odd results
- The address changed but the provider did not: you have moved between two of your own provider's addresses, not onto the VPN.
- An IPv6 address from your provider next to a VPN IPv4 address: an IPv6 leak. Fix it in the client.
- A different city in the right state: database error, harmless.
- The checker shows a data centre and a site treats you differently: some sites are stricter with server addresses. Try another location.
- Nothing changes at all: the client is in proxy mode and that browser ignores the proxy. Use TUN mode.
Are checkers safe?
A reputable IP address checker is as safe as any website, since it only reads what you already send. Avoid the ones that ask you to install an extension or a scanner to see more details. Nothing more exists to see. The address, the provider and a rough location are all an outsider can get.
Q.What is my IP public address, in short?
A.The address your provider assigned to your connection. Every site you open sees it, and everything behind your router shares it.
Q.Is Google's answer accurate?
A.Yes, for the number itself. It does not show the provider or the location.
Q.Why does the checker show a different city?
A.Location databases are approximate. The country is reliable, and the city often is not.
Q.Can a checker see my private address?
A.No. Private addresses never leave your home network.
Q.Does an IP checker work with a VPN on?
A.Yes, and that is its best use. It should show the server's address and a hosting provider.
Q.Do I need to pay for a checker?
A.No. The basic facts are free on many sites. Paid versions add nothing you need for this.