ipPublic vs private IP: what is the difference?
Learn why your router and an IP lookup site show different addresses, and how private and public addressing differ.
Read guideUnderstand your connection.
Practical guides to IP addresses, DNS, networking and privacy.
30 guidesWhat is the difference between a proxy and a VPN?
Compare proxy and VPN traffic scope, encryption boundaries, and the exit addresses visible in IP lookups.
Read guideStatic vs dynamic IP: when does it matter?
Compare static and dynamic IP addressing, address changes, and practical considerations for remote access.
Read guideWhat is CGNAT and how can you recognize it?
Learn how CGNAT affects shared IPs and remote access, and how to compare a router WAN address with a public IP.
Read guideHow does IP geolocation work?
Understand IP location databases and why the point shown on a map is only approximate.
Read guideWhat is DHCP? Automatic address assignment
Learn DHCP leases, address pools, and reservations, including their relationship to local address conflicts.
Read guideWhat are ISP and ASN? Reading a lookup result
Learn what provider, organization, and ASN fields mean in an IP lookup and why they may show different names.
Read guideWhat is DNS and how does it relate to IP addresses?
Learn how domain names resolve to IP addresses and why changing DNS does not change your public IP.
Read guideWhat does a 169.254 IP address mean?
Understand IPv4 link-local addresses, their relationship to DHCP issues, and the first checks to perform.
Read guideWhat is NAT? How devices share an IP
Understand NAT connection mappings, shared public IPv4 addresses, and why incoming connections behave differently.
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