Guides · Your public IP address
Public vs Private IP Address: Why Your Router IP Is Different
Understand public and private IP addresses, NAT and CGNAT, common router ranges, IPv6 local addresses, and safe port forwarding.
The public IP on this page is visible to websites. The private IP in your device settings is used inside your home, office or another local network. Both are valid IP addresses, but they solve different routing problems. Seeing 192.168.1.10 in Wi-Fi settings and a completely different address in MyIP Info is normal.
Public IP: your network's internet-facing address
A public IP is routable on the global internet. Your provider assigns it to a router, gateway or another network exit. Websites use it to return responses, but many local devices can share it.
Public addresses can be dynamic or static, and a VPN can replace the visible address with its own server. A public IP is not proof that a device is directly exposed to inbound internet connections.
Private IPv4 ranges you will commonly see
Private addresses are reserved for local networks and are not routed directly across the public internet. Routers translate traffic between these addresses and the public connection.
- 10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255 (10/8)
- 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255 (172.16/12)
- 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255 (192.168/16)
- 169.254.0.0–169.254.255.255 is link-local auto-configuration, not a normal router assignment.
How NAT, CGNAT and IPv6 change the picture
NAT maps local connections to a public address and port. With carrier-grade NAT, the provider performs another translation layer, so your router's WAN address may itself be private or in the shared 100.64.0.0/10 range.
IPv6 often gives each device a globally routable address, reducing the need for NAT. That does not mean the device is unprotected: a correctly configured firewall can still block unsolicited inbound traffic. Link-local fe80::/10 and unique-local fc00::/7 addresses serve different local purposes.
Finding your local IP and exposing services safely
On iPhone or Android, open the details of the connected Wi-Fi network. On Windows, use Settings or run ipconfig; on macOS, open Network settings or run ipconfig getifaddr en0. Your router's gateway address is usually listed beside the device address.
Avoid enabling port forwarding merely to make a service work. It can expose a device to the internet, and CGNAT may prevent it anyway. Prefer updated software, strong authentication and a maintained VPN or overlay network when remote access is necessary.
# Windows
ipconfig
# macOS (common Wi-Fi interface)
ipconfig getifaddr en0
# Linux
ip addr showSummary
Public and private addresses are two layers of the same connection. The public IP identifies the network exit to websites; the private IP identifies your device locally. NAT connects those layers, while firewalls—not address type alone—control unwanted inbound access.