What Does IP Address Tell You

IP address plays a significant role when your device connects to the internet. But we barely realize its importance. If you want to know what does IP address tell you; can someone find your location through an IP address; how to protect your IP address and more, this post is here to help.

What is IP address

In short, an Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a string of numbers that is used to connect your device to the network. For example 01.01.011.10.

When you need to connect your PC to the internet, your device needs an IP address to identify where the information is sent between devices on a network. Just like you need to provide your home address to receive goods from Amazon. That’s why IP address plays a significant role to connect the internet. Owning an IP address is a prerequisite for establishing communication.

Unlike your home address, we don’t type and send IP addresses manually. Every time we go on the internet, an IP address is there working for us. We use an IP address to access the internet unconsciously and that’s why lots of people don’t know what an IP address is.

What is my IP address and how to get it

You may wonder, what is my IP address and how to get it?

The first thing to know, the IP address is not fixed. It changes based on your location. It seems we’re always connected through our personal devices like computers, laptops, or smartphones, but our IP address is assigned to a device by our Internet Service Provider (ISP). When your device accesses the internet at home, your home ISP assigns an IP address to your computer. At work, it will be your company network, your home IP address doesn’t go with you. So don’t be surprised that your IP address is not the same.

Next, every internet service plan will have two types of IP address: private IP address and public IP address. The public IP address is the one used outside a network. It’s the primary address associated with your network.

Now comes how to get the IP address.
The easiest way to check your public IP address is to Google it. Type what is my ip address and search on Google, you’ll get the answer easily and quickly on the top of the page.

If you want to know your private IP address, ways are varies depend on the platforms.

In Windows:

1. Press Ctrol + R together to open Run box.
2. Type cmd and hit Enter to use the command prompt.
3. In the pop-up window, type “ipconfig” (no quote marks) and press the Enter key to find the information.

On Mac:

1. Go to System Preferences
2. Select network – and the information should be visible.

You can also find IP address through the router. The ways to access the router depends on the brand and the software it uses. You can go to the router’s official website for instructions.

Can others get my IP address

Now we know how to get our IP address, can others get my IP address? If they can get my IP address, what can they do with it?

Yes, other people can get your IP address if they want. But it’s not easy, platforms and websites service you use would protect your IP address from others, but there are ways to get your IP address.

For example, a service, such as a game server taht you directly communicate with on the internet knows your IP Address, but it may expose this data to other clients.

What can people others do with my IP address?

There are two common IP address security threats on the internet and you may encounter one of these:

1. Track your location with your IP address 
2. Hack into your device

Can someone find me with my IP address?

The answer is NO. As described above, your IP address is like your home address of your device and you give out your IP addres when connecting to the internet.

What does IP address tell you? You will get the name of the ISP. Then you can get the city, ZIP code and the area code from the IP address. That’s all. IP address can only tell your geolocation, not your precise location. It can be hundreds of miles away from your location. It’s almost impossible to find the exact location from an IP address.

It’s also important to see what you can’t get through the IP address. You can’t get personal details including name, contact info and home address.

Therefore, if someone threatens you they can use the IP address and find you, it’s just a way of bullying. They’re trying to scare you.

Can people hack into my device through IP address?

There are ways to get your IP address. But your IP address is provided to your router by your ISP. Nowadays, routers has its security settings that prevent potential hackings. Some routers can be set up to use dynamic IP address which means other people grab the IP address is not you’re using right now.
And every device has its way to defense attack, Windows system has firewalls. Besides, most people would install antivirus software to protect their device. So you don’t need to worry people would hack your device through IP address.

How to protect my IP address

Now after knowing what is IP address and what does IP address tell you, I believe you understand more about the IP address. One of the best way to hide your IP address is using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service.

A VPN, masks your public IP address and therefore not indicative of your location. Your real IP address will pass through the VPN server, only VPN provider would see your real IP address. Then VPN server would fake your IP address so that other websites and potentially malicious users can’t get your real IP addres.

Big VPN brands have number of VPN server locations around the world, you can use it to bypass geo-restrictions in other countries. Not only a secure VPN can hide your IP address, but also encrypts your internet traffic to keep your digital footprint anonymity. VPN can protect you from prying eyes.
If you don’t have a VPN, you can give NordVPN a try. It’s the best all-rounder you can find on the market, featuring trustworthy security and privacy at an affordable price. You can set it up on every device including Roku, PS4 and more.

If you don’t like playing around with VPN, you can use StreamLocator to protect yourself and stream without borders. It’s super easy to use and it works on every device, including PlayStation, even those VPN apps do not work.

How to track someone’s location

If you don’t careful about protecting yourself on social media websites, it’s more dangerous than revealing your real IP addrss. From your username, email address or phone number, people can get the related information including real name, home address and more.

Track location with BeenVerified

Nowadays, almost everyone leaves digital footprints on the internet and people can trace you through the information—especially on social media platforms. To protect privacy, a lot of people don’t use their real name as a username. But you may find detailed information and sniff person’s location from the username with the help of BeenVerified.

BeenVerified collects data from 50+ major social media networks that would help you figure out who’s behind a username and where they currently live. Its powerful searches may let you find the person’s real name, photo, and more.

1. Open BeenVerified Username Search.
2. Enter the Online ID and click Search.
   
3. Wait for BeenVerified to search the databases. Once it locates a match, you’ll get a report containing the real name, current address, phone number, and more.
   

That’s all about what does IP address tell you. Hope this post would help. If you have ideas, suggestions to share, you’re welcome to drop a comment below.

The methods in this article provide you with easy access to public record information, but without a guarantee for accuracy and may include links to websites not listed as a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA). Information acquired from these bodies is illegal to be used for employment, housing, credit, and other purposes alike, according to laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you’re not sure whether your use of our methods is appropriate, click here for details.

By Iris Zheng

I have worked as a content writer for years and have found great joy and meaning in this profession. As a member of a company's writing team, I have benefited from continuous training and learning opportunities. These experiences have not only improved my research skills and learning abilities but have also enabled me to quickly find valuable and accurate information in the vast sea of data.

My previous work in banking instilled meticulous work habits in me. I carefully inspect and verify information I collect with the aim of providing readers with authentic and reliable content. My skills and cautious nature not only allow me to offer robust support to readers in my professional life but also position me as a source of information and advice for my family and friends in my personal life.

I derive immense enjoyment and a profound sense of accomplishment from assisting others. If my articles are able to assist you in any way, it would be both an honor and a personal achievement. This motivation will continue to inspire me to pursue constant improvement and produce more valuable content.

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