Is 192.168.1.1 a public or private IP?

192.168.1.1 is a private IP address. The entire 192.168.x.x range is reserved for local networks, so it only works inside your home or office — it's never routable on the public internet. It's commonly the address of your router.

Can two networks use the same private IP?

Yes. Millions of homes use 192.168.1.x at the same time because private addresses only have to be unique within each local network. Your router translates them to your single public IP when traffic leaves your network.

Does hiding my public IP hide my private IP too?

Your private IP is never exposed to the internet in the first place, so there is normally nothing to hide. The exception is WebRTC, which can leak local addresses from inside the browser.

Public vs Private IP Address: The Difference Explained

When people say "your IP address," they're usually talking about one of two very different things. Almost every device on your network has both a private IP used at home and a public IP the outside world sees. Knowing which is which clears up a surprising amount of confusion about networking and privacy.

What Is a Public IP Address?

Your public IP address is assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is the address the internet uses to reach your network. Every website you visit sees it, and it reveals your approximate location (usually city-level) and your ISP. There's only one public IP for your whole connection at any given time, and you don't control it — your ISP does. You can see your current public IP on our What Is My IP Address tool.

What Is a Private IP Address?

A private IP address identifies a device inside your local network — your laptop, phone, smart TV, printer, and so on. These addresses are reserved for internal use and are never routed across the internet. The reserved private ranges, defined by RFC 1918, are:

10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255 (large networks)
172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255 (medium networks)
192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255 (most home routers)

If an address you see starts with 192.168, 10., or 172.16–172.31, it's private.

Example: Think of your router like the front desk of an apartment building. The building has one public street address (your public IP). Inside, each apartment has a unit number (private IPs like 192.168.1.5). Mail from outside goes to the street address, and the front desk routes it to the right unit.

How One Public IP Serves Every Device: NAT

Your router performs Network Address Translation (NAT). When your phone requests a website, the router swaps your phone's private IP for the public IP, sends the request out, and remembers where to return the reply. That's how a dozen devices share a single public address — and why websites can't see your individual private IP directly.

How to Find Each One

Your public IP

The fastest way is to open our IP address checker, which shows your public IPv4 and IPv6 instantly. For the difference between those two address formats, see IPv4 vs IPv6: What's the Difference?

Your private IP

Windows: open Command Prompt and run ipconfig — look for "IPv4 Address."
macOS: System Settings → Network → select your connection → Details.
iPhone/Android: Wi-Fi settings → tap your network → look for the IP address.

Why the Difference Matters for Privacy

Websites track and locate you using your public IP, which is why a VPN changes that one to mask your location. Your private IP normally stays hidden inside your network — but keep in mind that hiding your IP is only part of the story. Browser fingerprinting and leaks can still identify you, and your private addresses can even be exposed by WebRTC. A quick look at why IP location is often wrong shows just how approximate public-IP geolocation really is.