How IP addresses work
An IP address is assigned to a network interface, not permanently tied to a person or physical device. A laptop can have separate addresses for Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and its addresses can change when it joins another network.
When you open example.com, DNS finds the server’s IP address. Your device then sends packets containing source and destination addresses. Routers inspect the destination and forward each packet toward the correct network.
Client 192.0.2.44 → routers → Server 198.51.100.24The server uses the packet’s source address to direct its response. Ordinary routers forward packets without changing the source IP. A NAT gateway rewrites the source IP, while a proxy terminates the client connection and creates a separate connection using the proxy’s source IP.
IPv4 vs IPv6
IPv4 and IPv6 are the two IP versions used on the internet.
| IPv4 | IPv6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Address size | 32 bits | 128 bits |
| Notation | Four decimal numbers | Hexadecimal groups |
| Example | 198.51.100.24 |
2001:db8::24 |
IPv6 provides a much larger address space. IPv4 remains widely used, so networks often conserve its limited addresses through sharing and address translation.
Public, private, static and dynamic
These labels describe different properties of an address:
- Public: routable on the internet and visible to external services.
- Private: used inside a local network and not directly routable across the public internet.
- Static: intended to remain assigned to the same interface or connection.
- Dynamic: assigned temporarily and may change after reconnecting or when a lease expires.
An address can fit more than one category. For example, an internet connection can have a public dynamic address while devices behind it use private dynamic addresses. NAT translates between the private and public sides.
How IP addresses relate to proxies
Without a proxy, a website usually sees the public source IP of your router, carrier or company gateway. When you connect through a proxy server, the website sees the proxy’s exit IP instead.
This change can affect approximate geolocation, per-IP rate limits and access rules. It doesn’t change your local address or remove other identifiers such as cookies, HTTP headers and browser fingerprints. One public IP may also represent many users, so an IP address alone doesn’t reliably identify a specific person or device.
FAQ
Can someone find my exact location from my IP address?
No. An IP address can often indicate a country, region or city, but it doesn’t provide precise GPS coordinates or a home address. Accuracy varies by network and database.
Does every device have a unique IP address?
Not necessarily. Addresses must be unique within the network where they’re used, but private addresses can be reused on different networks. NAT and carrier-grade NAT also let many devices share one public IP.
Does a proxy change my IP address?
Yes, from the destination website’s perspective. The site sees the proxy’s exit IP, while your device keeps its existing address on the local network.