What Is My Local IP

What is an IP address?

An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to a device to identify it and enable communication with other devices. These can be computers, smartphones, tablets, printers, and any other devices that support the Internet Protocol (IP).

IPv4 and IPv6 formats

There are two formats of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 is a 32-bit format that has been in use since the beginning of the internet (e.g. 172.12.16.1). IPv6 is a newer 128-bit format designed to support more devices (the Internet of Things – IoT). It looks something like this: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

Private vs. Public Address

It is important to understand the difference between private and public IP addresses. Private IP addresses are used on internal networks (like your compute's IP) and are not accessible from the Internet. There are certain globally reserved ranges of private IP addresses (Classes A, B, and C). Public IP addresses, on the other hand, are accessible to the entire world via the Internet. The simplest example is the IP address of a website. For example, one of Google.com's public IP addresses is 2a00:1450:4006:801::200e.

Local IP address

A local IP address is an identifier (IPv4 or IPv6) that is assigned to your laptop, computer, smartphone, or any other device on your local network. It is not visible from the outside, but is necessary for using the Internet

For example, your router assigns a separate IP address to your mobile phone, computer, printer, or even camera.

IP addresses are usually assigned using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

How could we find out your local IP address?

Previously, it was difficult to find out a local IP address via the Internet. Now, thanks to certain applications and protocols, it has become easier. The most commonly used is WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication).

What role does the local IP address play?

Previously, it was difficult to find out a local IP address via the Internet. Now, thanks to certain applications and protocols, it has become easier. The most commonly used is WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication).

• The request is sent to your home router, which has its own IP address assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• The request then goes to the ISP router, which has a different IP address that communicates with the Internet via a public IP address.

Once the response is received from the website, how does the ISP know where to return it?

• The ISP router sends the request back to your home router based on its IP address.
• The home router then routes the information to your device based on the local IP address.