Instantly discover detailed information about any IP address including location, ISP, organization, and network details. Essential for network troubleshooting, security analysis, and identifying website hosting providers.
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
Think of an IP address like a postal address for your house - it tells other devices on the internet exactly where to send information. Every website, server, computer, smartphone, and IoT device that connects to the internet has an IP address.
IP addresses serve two main purposes: host identification and location addressing. When you visit a website like google.com, your device uses DNS (Domain Name System) to translate that human-readable domain name into an IP address that computers can understand and route to.
Format: Four decimal numbers (0-255) separated by dots
Example: 192.168.1.1, 8.8.8.8, 173.194.216.113
Total Addresses: ~4.3 billion (2³² addresses)
Status: Widely used but running out of available addresses
Format: Eight groups of hexadecimal digits separated by colons
Example: 2001:4860:4860::8888, ::1
Total Addresses: ~340 undecillion (2¹²⁸ addresses)
Status: Next-generation standard with virtually unlimited addresses
The transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is happening gradually across the internet. IPv6 was developed to address the IPv4 address exhaustion problem and provides enhanced security features, better routing efficiency, and simplified network configuration.
IP geolocation is the process of determining the geographic location of an IP address. While not always 100% accurate, it provides valuable approximations for various legitimate purposes.
Organizations like ARIN, RIPE, APNIC that allocate IP address blocks to regions and countries.
ISPs assign IP addresses to customers in specific geographic areas and maintain location records.
Physical network equipment locations, fiber optic cables, and routing data provide geographic clues.
User-contributed location information and mobile device GPS data help improve accuracy.
Every IP address is associated with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and an Autonomous System Number (ASN), which provide important context about network ownership and routing.
The ISP is the organization that provides internet connectivity and owns or leases the IP address range. Common types include:
An ASN is a unique identifier for a network that has its own routing policy on the internet. Think of it as a "network neighborhood" identifier.
Understanding IP address information is crucial for cybersecurity, network administration, and digital privacy. Here's what security professionals need to know:
Organizations must balance security needs with privacy requirements, especially under regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and other data protection laws that may classify IP addresses as personal data in certain contexts.