Online IP address lookup tool
IP stands for "Internet Protocol". Let's consider the example of a letter to understand the IP address. When you send a letter to your loved ones, you mention the return address so the letter will come back to you if it fails to find the intended recipient. That return address is an IP address.
Have you ever thought when you get on the internet to browse something, why do you always get back your desired results?
A large number of devices are on the internet, but it never happens that you get the search results requested by another device. It's because of an IP address.
Every device has a unique address, just like home addresses. Networking software on your device connects the IP address of your device (return address) with your search query in milliseconds to ensure you get what you are looking for.
What can an IP address reveal?
Your IP address can reveal your geolocation. It doesn't mean that it can expose your home address. Moreover, it cannot disclose your name, contact number, or other personal information.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns an IP address to your device. It changes every time you change your location because when you go on a vacation or to a coffee shop, you use another network.
Types of the IP address
IP addresses are of four types, i.e. public, private, static, and dynamic. To access the internet, you need both public and private IP addresses. You use a router to connect to the internet, and your devices associate with it through cables or Wi-Fi.
A router needs IP addresses to communicate with the connected devices and World Wide Web. For communication with connected devices, it assigns private IP addresses to all of them and uses public IP to communicate with the web server. Your ISP provides a public IP that you can search over the internet.
The word static means "constant" or never changing. So, the static IP address means the address that never changes. However, the dynamic IP address is the opposite of a static address, i.e. it can change at any moment.
A static IP address is best suited for business purposes as it provides an uninterrupted connection and is ideal for hosting servers. On the other hand, dynamic IP works best for regular internet users as it is budget-friendly and easy to configure.
What does the IP lookup tool do?
IP lookup tool gives you precise IP geolocation data, i.e. Continent, Country, City, Zip or area code from where you are browsing, Timezone, Latitude, and Longitude. Besides IP location, it can also reveal your ISP, hostname, proxy and blacklist status.
How to Do an IP Check? Is the IP checker tool free?
IP lookup refers to the act of obtaining hidden information behind the IP address. People use IP search and IP address lookup terms interchangeably. Network administrators, technical users, and security researchers usually use this information to analyze phishing domains, DNS attacks, spamming and other illegal activities.
If you have an IT background, you can access this information via terminal commands and other web-based interfaces. But, if you are a non-tech person and want results in a few clicks, you can use online IP lookup tools.
Freenerdtools provide a variety of query tools that can generate results in a few clicks. IP lookup tool is one of them. Just select IP Lookup from the tools list. From our free IP address lookup tool, type the IP you wish to investigate and generate results within a few seconds and without any cost.
Is it dangerous for people to know my IP address?
It's not dangerous if people get to know your IP address because it does not disclose your personal or confidential information. Moreover, it's not easy for others to get their hands on your IP address. They can't type their query in Google to identify your IP address, i.e. What is the IP address of [Person Name Here]?
Meanwhile, it's not as difficult as you think. Hackers can steal your IP address by hacking your network to track you or for some other malicious intentions.
How can I protect my IP address?
The commonly used methods to protect IP addresses are proxy servers and VPNs. The proxy server adds a security layer to protect you from hackers. Whereas VPNs encrypt your data related to your browsing history in addition to data security. Due to data encryption, the server will not detect your online activity.