{"id":2240,"date":"2026-10-13T20:54:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T15:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tiwaripedia.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/13\/what-is-an-ip-address\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T21:18:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T15:48:35","slug":"what-is-an-ip-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiwaripedia.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/13\/what-is-an-ip-address\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is an IP Address? IPv4 vs IPv6, Public vs Private Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated: October 2026 \u00b7 3 min read<\/em><\/p>\n

Every device on the internet needs an address so data knows where to go, just as a letter needs a postal address. That address is the IP (Internet Protocol) address<\/b>.<\/p>\n

\"Infographic:
What Is an IP Address? IPv4 vs IPv6, Public vs Private Explained \u2013 infographic by Tiwaripedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

IPv4 and IPv6<\/h2>\nIPv4<\/b> addresses look like 192.168.1.10<\/code>: four numbers from 0 to 255. That allows about 4.3 billion addresses, which the world has largely run out of. IPv6<\/b> addresses look like 2401:4900:1c2a::1<\/code> and allow an almost unlimited number. Indian mobile networks have been among the world’s largest adopters of IPv6.\n

Public vs private IP<\/h2>\n
<\/th>Public IP<\/th>Private IP<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Who sees it<\/td>Websites and the internet<\/td>Only devices on your home or office network<\/td><\/tr>
Assigned by<\/td>Your internet provider (ISP)<\/td>Your Wi-Fi router<\/td><\/tr>
Example<\/td>49.36.x.x<\/td>192.168.0.5<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

How data finds you<\/h2>\n
  1. You type a website name.<\/li>
  2. DNS translates the name into the site’s IP address.<\/li>
  3. Your router sends the request from your public IP.<\/li>
  4. The website replies to that IP.<\/li>
  5. Your router forwards the reply to your device’s private IP (this is called NAT).<\/li><\/ol>\n

    Static vs dynamic IP<\/h2>\n

    Most home and mobile users get a dynamic IP<\/b> that can change. Businesses hosting servers often pay for a static IP<\/b> that stays the same.<\/p>\n

    How to find your IP address<\/h2>\n