What is my IP address and what is it for?

Every device online has an IP address. When hosting support asks for yours, they mean the public address the internet sees you with.

Public and local IP

Your home router gets a public IP from your ISP. Phones, computers and TVs use local addresses such as 192.168.x.x handed out by the router. Websites see the public address all these devices share, so the address in your computer's network settings is usually not the one support needs.

IPv4 and IPv6

IPv4 addresses look like 203.0.113.25 and are limited in number. IPv6 addresses are much longer and allow a separate public address for each device. If your network supports both, the one a site sees you with is the one that counts.

Why hosting needs it

After repeated failed logins to cPanel or email, the firewall may temporarily block your IP. To lift the block, open the admin panel only to your address or investigate connection problems, support needs your public IP.

VPNs, mobile data and changing addresses

With a VPN or proxy, websites see their address. On mobile data and many home connections the address changes from time to time. Keep that in mind when you set up IP-based access rules.

The What is my IP address? page reads your public address from your connection and lets you copy it with one click.