What’s my IP address?

Your IP address is displayed at the top of this page, and you can also use other providers’ online services to find it. This is your external or public IP address, which the ISP assigned to your home network’s router. This is publicly visible on the internet and is usually changed with each new connection or after 24 hours, which is why it’s also called a dynamic IP address. When surfing on your home network, all devices on that network outwardly use the same external IP address, which is not used by anyone else on the planet at that particular time. There are also static external IP addresses that never change and which are used by internet service, email, VPN, and hosting providers and other web-based service providers, among others.

Your router, in turn, assigns the internet-enabled devices on your network an internal IP address automatically via DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol), which is also known as a private or local IP address and is not visible to the outside world. Internal IP addresses are permanent and, unlike external IP addresses, are not unique worldwide but only within a local network. For example, if your computer and smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the internal IP addresses might be 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.3, while your router has the standard IP address 192.168.1.1, for example. These internal IP addresses are only used for communication within this network. They can also be changed, although there’s usually no need to do so.

How is my IP address structured?

As a rule, internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses are currently (still) used. These comprise four blocks of numeric characters or 32 bits and can hold values from 0 to 255. But since the need for unique IP addresses is always growing, in the long term IPv4 will be superseded by IPv6. This is because IPv6 addresses comprise eight blocks of numeric or alphanumeric characters or 128 bits, resulting in a significantly larger number of possible IP addresses becoming available. However, since the complete changeover will be a lengthy process, transitional processes (tunneling, parallel operation, or protocol translation) are currently being used to enable the two protocols to coexist.

Where does my IP address come from?

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is responsible for distributing large blocks of public IP addresses to the 5 Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). These, in turn, are responsible for regional distribution to the Local Internet Registries (LIRs), like ISPs. Your ISP assigns your router its public IP address. In the case of a mobile connection, a smartphone is also assigned an IP address dynamically when not connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Does a VPN change my IP address?

Yes, a VPN reroutes your online data traffic through an external VPN server, changing your IP address that is visible to the outside world. When you’re surfing the internet using this server’s IP address, no one can trace your true location or link your online activities to you — not even your ISP.

By changing your IP address, this also makes it more difficult for companies and advertisers to track your surfing behavior and collect information about you to serve you with personalized ads. A VPN also routes your data traffic through a virtual tunnel and encrypts it, so that your sensitive data and confidential information (such as passwords, credit card details, or emails) are better protected from unauthorized access when sent across the internet.

How can I change or hide my IP address with a VPN?

With a free IP address and location changer like Avira Phantom VPN, you can hide your public IP address in a few clicks by simply changing your virtual location — and there’s a vast number to choose from, with 1,400 servers in 37 countries (including Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia).

1. Download and install the VPN service on your device: VPN for Windows, VPN for Mac, VPN for Android, or VPN for iOS.

2. Open the VPN program or app and select your desired virtual location or use the preset one.

3. Depending on your device, click Secure my connection or tap Turn on VPN — done!

You can customize the settings so you auto-connect to the VPN when using unsecured Wi-Fi networks. If you want, you can also upgrade to Avira Phantom VPN Pro at any time and surf anonymously without data limits. The Pro solution also includes a kill switch feature that auto-disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection is lost, protecting your online privacy and anonymity.