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Answers about IPv4/IPv6, DNS and IP lookup, Ping Back, provider ratings, IP abuse reports, privacy, articles, and advertising.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is an IP address?
Much of computer networking—and the Internet in particular—is built using concepts similar to those found in the real world. Just as every building has an address so that mail or a package can be delivered to the correct location, every device connected to a network needs an IP address.
Traditional mail provides a useful analogy. An envelope normally contains both the sender’s address and the recipient’s address. Digital communication works in a similar way: information sent over a network is divided into small units called packets, and each packet contains a source IP address and a destination IP address.
These addresses allow the network to determine where the information came from, deliver it to the device for which it is intended, and send a response back to the original sender when necessary.
Traditional mail provides a useful analogy. An envelope normally contains both the sender’s address and the recipient’s address. Digital communication works in a similar way: information sent over a network is divided into small units called packets, and each packet contains a source IP address and a destination IP address.
These addresses allow the network to determine where the information came from, deliver it to the device for which it is intended, and send a response back to the original sender when necessary.
What is an IPv4 address?
IPv4 stands for Internet Protocol version 4. Its development began in the 1970s, and the protocol was officially standardized in September 1981. An IPv4 address consists of 32 bits and is usually written as four decimal numbers separated by periods, for example:
192.168.1.10
A 32-bit address space provides approximately 4.3 billion possible addresses. At the time IPv4 was designed, this number appeared extremely large. However, the rapid growth of the Internet, personal computers, smartphones, servers, security cameras, smart-home equipment, and other connected devices eventually created a shortage of available public IPv4 addresses. The global pool of previously unallocated IPv4 address blocks was exhausted in 2011.
To reduce the number of public addresses required, most home and business networks use Network Address Translation, commonly known as NAT. Devices inside the network receive private IPv4 addresses, while the router translates their Internet connections so that they can share one public IPv4 address.
For this reason, an Internet service provider commonly assigns one public IPv4 address to an entire household rather than a separate public address to every phone, computer, television, or smart device. Some providers use Carrier-Grade NAT, or CGNAT, which allows several households to share the same public IPv4 address.
NAT helped extend the useful life of IPv4, but it can also make direct incoming connections, remote access, online gaming, hosting services, and some peer-to-peer applications more complicated.
192.168.1.10
A 32-bit address space provides approximately 4.3 billion possible addresses. At the time IPv4 was designed, this number appeared extremely large. However, the rapid growth of the Internet, personal computers, smartphones, servers, security cameras, smart-home equipment, and other connected devices eventually created a shortage of available public IPv4 addresses. The global pool of previously unallocated IPv4 address blocks was exhausted in 2011.
To reduce the number of public addresses required, most home and business networks use Network Address Translation, commonly known as NAT. Devices inside the network receive private IPv4 addresses, while the router translates their Internet connections so that they can share one public IPv4 address.
For this reason, an Internet service provider commonly assigns one public IPv4 address to an entire household rather than a separate public address to every phone, computer, television, or smart device. Some providers use Carrier-Grade NAT, or CGNAT, which allows several households to share the same public IPv4 address.
NAT helped extend the useful life of IPv4, but it can also make direct incoming connections, remote access, online gaming, hosting services, and some peer-to-peer applications more complicated.
What is an IPv6 address?
IPv6 stands for Internet Protocol version 6. It was developed as the successor to IPv4, primarily because the supply of IPv4 addresses was not large enough for the continued growth of the Internet.
The first official IPv6 specification was published by the Internet Engineering Task Force in December 1995. It was revised in 1998, and the current core IPv6 standard was published in 2017.
An IPv6 address contains 128 bits instead of the 32 bits used by IPv4. It is written as groups of hexadecimal characters separated by colons, for example:
2001:db8:1234:5678::10
The much larger address space makes it possible to provide unique addresses to an enormous number of devices without depending on the same type of address sharing commonly used with IPv4.
IPv6 was also designed to improve Internet scalability, simplify address configuration, support more efficient routing, and restore more direct end-to-end communication between devices. An IPv6 address may still change, and many modern operating systems use temporary IPv6 addresses to improve user privacy.
The first official IPv6 specification was published by the Internet Engineering Task Force in December 1995. It was revised in 1998, and the current core IPv6 standard was published in 2017.
An IPv6 address contains 128 bits instead of the 32 bits used by IPv4. It is written as groups of hexadecimal characters separated by colons, for example:
2001:db8:1234:5678::10
The much larger address space makes it possible to provide unique addresses to an enormous number of devices without depending on the same type of address sharing commonly used with IPv4.
IPv6 was also designed to improve Internet scalability, simplify address configuration, support more efficient routing, and restore more direct end-to-end communication between devices. An IPv6 address may still change, and many modern operating systems use temporary IPv6 addresses to improve user privacy.
What is DNS, and how is it related to IP addresses?
DNS (Domain Name System) is the system that translates human-readable domain names, such as showip.online, into IP addresses that computers use to communicate with each other.
People are much better at remembering names than numbers. Instead of entering an IP address such as 192.0.2.25 or a long IPv6 address, you can simply enter a domain name in your browser. DNS then finds the IP address associated with that name and tells your device where to connect.
You can think of DNS as something similar to a phone book: the domain name is the name of the person or company, while the IP address is the phone number needed to reach them.
DNS can store different types of records. For example, an A record points a domain name to an IPv4 address, while an AAAA record points it to an IPv6 address. Other DNS records are used for email servers, aliases, verification, security, and many other purposes.
It is also important to understand that the relationship is not always one-to-one. One domain name can point to multiple IP addresses, and one IP address can host many different websites.
So, in simple terms: IP addresses identify destinations on the Internet, while DNS makes those destinations easier for people to find and use.
People are much better at remembering names than numbers. Instead of entering an IP address such as 192.0.2.25 or a long IPv6 address, you can simply enter a domain name in your browser. DNS then finds the IP address associated with that name and tells your device where to connect.
You can think of DNS as something similar to a phone book: the domain name is the name of the person or company, while the IP address is the phone number needed to reach them.
DNS can store different types of records. For example, an A record points a domain name to an IPv4 address, while an AAAA record points it to an IPv6 address. Other DNS records are used for email servers, aliases, verification, security, and many other purposes.
It is also important to understand that the relationship is not always one-to-one. One domain name can point to multiple IP addresses, and one IP address can host many different websites.
So, in simple terms: IP addresses identify destinations on the Internet, while DNS makes those destinations easier for people to find and use.
Why are both IPv4 and IPv6 currently used in most countries?
IPv6 was designed to replace IPv4 eventually, but the transition cannot happen instantly. IPv4 and IPv6 are separate protocols, and an IPv4-only device cannot communicate directly with an IPv6-only device without an additional translation or compatibility mechanism.
A very large number of websites, applications, routers, Internet providers, business systems, and older devices still depend on IPv4. At the same time, many modern networks and services already support IPv6. Replacing or reconfiguring all existing Internet infrastructure is expensive and requires coordination between millions of independent organizations.
For this reason, many networks operate in dual-stack mode, meaning that both IPv4 and IPv6 are enabled at the same time. A device can use IPv6 when the destination supports it and fall back to IPv4 when necessary. This approach allows Internet providers, website owners, and users to adopt IPv6 gradually without losing access to older IPv4-only services.
The coexistence of the two protocols will continue while IPv6 deployment expands and older IPv4-only equipment and services are gradually replaced.
A very large number of websites, applications, routers, Internet providers, business systems, and older devices still depend on IPv4. At the same time, many modern networks and services already support IPv6. Replacing or reconfiguring all existing Internet infrastructure is expensive and requires coordination between millions of independent organizations.
For this reason, many networks operate in dual-stack mode, meaning that both IPv4 and IPv6 are enabled at the same time. A device can use IPv6 when the destination supports it and fall back to IPv4 when necessary. This approach allows Internet providers, website owners, and users to adopt IPv6 gradually without losing access to older IPv4-only services.
The coexistence of the two protocols will continue while IPv6 deployment expands and older IPv4-only equipment and services are gradually replaced.
How did you find out my IP address?
Your browser shares your IP address with every website it connects to.
Why is the IP address shown on ShowIP.online different from the IP address I see in my device settings?
The Internet is a network made up of many smaller networks. Your home has its own local network, while your office, school, or another location has a completely separate one.
Inside your home network, your computer may have a private IP address such as 192.168.1.15. At the office, the same computer might receive an address such as 10.100.25.118. These addresses are used only inside their respective local networks and normally cannot be reached directly from the Internet.
For IPv4, your router usually uses NAT (Network Address Translation). NAT allows many devices on your local network to share one public Internet IP address. Your computer communicates using its private address inside the local network, while websites on the Internet normally see the public IP address assigned to your router.
That public address is what ShowIP.online displays.
The explanation above mainly applies to IPv4. With IPv6, devices usually receive globally routable IPv6 addresses and NAT is normally unnecessary. However, there can still be some complications—for example, devices may use temporary privacy addresses, multiple IPv6 addresses at the same time, or addresses that change when your Internet provider assigns a new IPv6 prefix.
Inside your home network, your computer may have a private IP address such as 192.168.1.15. At the office, the same computer might receive an address such as 10.100.25.118. These addresses are used only inside their respective local networks and normally cannot be reached directly from the Internet.
For IPv4, your router usually uses NAT (Network Address Translation). NAT allows many devices on your local network to share one public Internet IP address. Your computer communicates using its private address inside the local network, while websites on the Internet normally see the public IP address assigned to your router.
That public address is what ShowIP.online displays.
The explanation above mainly applies to IPv4. With IPv6, devices usually receive globally routable IPv6 addresses and NAT is normally unnecessary. However, there can still be some complications—for example, devices may use temporary privacy addresses, multiple IPv6 addresses at the same time, or addresses that change when your Internet provider assigns a new IPv6 prefix.
How do you determine the geographic location of an IP address?
We use GeoLite data created by MaxMind to determine the approximate geographic location associated with an IP address.
MaxMind specializes in IP geolocation and offers a wide range of services and databases, including advanced solutions suitable for e-commerce, fraud prevention, analytics, and other online services.
If you are a developer looking for an IP geolocation solution for your own project, we highly recommend visiting the MaxMind website. They offer several different products and services, so there is a good chance you will find a solution that fits your needs.
MaxMind specializes in IP geolocation and offers a wide range of services and databases, including advanced solutions suitable for e-commerce, fraud prevention, analytics, and other online services.
If you are a developer looking for an IP geolocation solution for your own project, we highly recommend visiting the MaxMind website. They offer several different products and services, so there is a good chance you will find a solution that fits your needs.
Do you store visitors IP addresses or geolocation data?
No. If you simply open ShowIP.online, the IP address and location information displayed on the page is generated for your current connection and shown to you. We do not save this information in our database as part of a normal visit.
The same applies to IP & DNS Lookup page. When you use the lookup tool, we do not keep a history of the IP addresses, domain names, DNS queries, or geolocation results that you look up.
There are, however, a few features where some information must be stored because it is necessary for the feature to work:
In short, simply visiting ShowIP.online or using IP & DNS Lookup does not create a database history of the IP addresses and locations you view. Information is stored only when you intentionally use a feature that requires it, such as submitting a provider rating or an abuse report.
The same applies to IP & DNS Lookup page. When you use the lookup tool, we do not keep a history of the IP addresses, domain names, DNS queries, or geolocation results that you look up.
There are, however, a few features where some information must be stored because it is necessary for the feature to work:
- Provider ratings. If you rate your Internet service provider, we store the provider information together with its approximate location, such as country, region/state, and city. This allows us to associate your rating with the correct provider and location and prevents multiple ratings for the same provider in the same area from the same account. We do not need to store your current IP address for this purpose.
- IP abuse reports. If you choose to report an IP address through IP & DNS Lookup, the IP address you entered and relevant provider/network information are stored as part of the report. After moderation and approval, this information may be made available to other members of the ShowIP.online community so they can benefit from previously submitted reports.
In short, simply visiting ShowIP.online or using IP & DNS Lookup does not create a database history of the IP addresses and locations you view. Information is stored only when you intentionally use a feature that requires it, such as submitting a provider rating or an abuse report.
Is the displayed city my exact location?
No. IP geolocation is approximate and may show a nearby network gateway or provider location rather than your physical address.
What does the IP & DNS lookup page do?
The IP & DNS Lookup page lets you investigate an IP address or domain name and view useful network information in one place.
Depending on what you enter, ShowIP.online can display information such as the IP address, hostname, ASN and network organization, Internet service provider, approximate geographic location, and available DNS records.
You can use it to quickly check who an IP address belongs to, where it is approximately located, resolve a domain name, inspect its DNS configuration, or perform basic troubleshooting.
For IP addresses, the page can also show community information associated with that network. If you discover suspicious or abusive activity, registered users can submit an IP abuse report. Reports are reviewed by a moderator before they become publicly visible, helping other members of the community benefit from previously reported information.
ShowIP.online does not keep a history of the IP addresses, domains, or DNS queries you simply look up. Data is stored only when you intentionally submit information through features that require it, such as an abuse report.
Can I publish an article on ShowIP.online about my services or products?
Yes. If you provide products or services related to IT, networking, video surveillance, security systems, access control, automation, robotics, smart-home technology, telecommunications, or other related technical fields, we will be happy to give you an opportunity to introduce your business, services, products, or projects to the ShowIP.online community.
ShowIP.online prioritizes geographically relevant content. This means that an article targeted to a specific city or region has a better chance of remaining visible to visitors in that area. A World Wide article competes with content from everywhere and may therefore disappear from the main pages of the service more quickly as newer articles are published.
You may also include an image and, when appropriate, a link to your website or another HTTPS page where visitors can learn more about your business, product, or service.
Articles must provide useful information to readers and should not consist only of advertising slogans. Submitted articles are subject to moderation before publication.
So if you have an interesting project, technical experience, useful advice, a new product, or a service you would like people in your area to discover, ShowIP.online gives you a free way to share it with the right audience.
Register and write your best article today!
At the moment, publishing articles on ShowIP.online is completely free.
When creating an article, you can choose how long it should remain published and select the geographic area where it should be shown:- World Wide
- Country
- Region / State
- City
ShowIP.online prioritizes geographically relevant content. This means that an article targeted to a specific city or region has a better chance of remaining visible to visitors in that area. A World Wide article competes with content from everywhere and may therefore disappear from the main pages of the service more quickly as newer articles are published.
You may also include an image and, when appropriate, a link to your website or another HTTPS page where visitors can learn more about your business, product, or service.
Articles must provide useful information to readers and should not consist only of advertising slogans. Submitted articles are subject to moderation before publication.
So if you have an interesting project, technical experience, useful advice, a new product, or a service you would like people in your area to discover, ShowIP.online gives you a free way to share it with the right audience.
Register and write your best article today!
Can I place my own advertising banner on ShowIP.online?
Yes. If you or your company provides products or services related to IT, networking, video surveillance, security systems, access control, automation, robotics, telecommunications, smart-home technology, or other related technical fields, you can place your advertising banner on ShowIP.online completely free of charge.Your banner gives you an opportunity to introduce your company, product, or service to thousands of visitors and professionals interested in technology and related services.
When creating an advertising campaign, you can choose how long your banner should remain active and select the geographic area where it should be displayed:
ShowIP.online supports separate banner formats for desktop and mobile devices. You can upload your own ready-made banners in 728×90 and 320×100 formats,
or use our built-in banner constructor to create an advertisement directly on the website.
You can also add an HTTPS link to your website, product page, or another page where visitors can learn more about your offer.
All submitted banners are subject to moderation before publication. Advertising should be relevant to the technical audience of ShowIP.online and should not contain misleading, prohibited, or inappropriate content.
At the moment, banner advertising on ShowIP.online is completely free.
If you have a useful product, professional service, technical solution, or business you would like more people to discover, create your banner and start promoting it on ShowIP.online today!
Register and place your advertisement today!
When creating an advertising campaign, you can choose how long your banner should remain active and select the geographic area where it should be displayed:
- World Wide
- Country
- Region / State
- City
ShowIP.online supports separate banner formats for desktop and mobile devices. You can upload your own ready-made banners in 728×90 and 320×100 formats,
or use our built-in banner constructor to create an advertisement directly on the website.
You can also add an HTTPS link to your website, product page, or another page where visitors can learn more about your offer.
All submitted banners are subject to moderation before publication. Advertising should be relevant to the technical audience of ShowIP.online and should not contain misleading, prohibited, or inappropriate content.
At the moment, banner advertising on ShowIP.online is completely free.
If you have a useful product, professional service, technical solution, or business you would like more people to discover, create your banner and start promoting it on ShowIP.online today!
Register and place your advertisement today!
Can I rate my Internet provider or VPN service?
Yes. Registered users can rate the Internet or VPN provider associated with their current IP address on ShowIP.online.We identify the provider using the ASN / organization information for your connection together with its approximate Country, Region / State, and City. This allows ratings to reflect the quality of a provider in a specific area, since the same company may perform very differently from one location to another.
You can give the provider a rating from 1 to 5 stars and, if you wish, add a short comment about your experience.
To keep the ratings fair, each account can submit only one rating for the same provider in the same location. If your opinion changes later, you can update your existing rating instead of creating another one.
Submitted ratings and comments are subject to moderation before they become publicly visible. You can also manage your own ratings from your ShowIP.online account.
The same system can be used for VPN services when the VPN provider can be identified from the ASN and organization associated with the VPN server’s IP address. In that case, you are rating the network you are currently connected through, not necessarily your underlying home or mobile Internet provider.
This helps build a community-based view of how Internet providers and VPN services perform in different locations.
You can give the provider a rating from 1 to 5 stars and, if you wish, add a short comment about your experience.
To keep the ratings fair, each account can submit only one rating for the same provider in the same location. If your opinion changes later, you can update your existing rating instead of creating another one.
Submitted ratings and comments are subject to moderation before they become publicly visible. You can also manage your own ratings from your ShowIP.online account.
The same system can be used for VPN services when the VPN provider can be identified from the ASN and organization associated with the VPN server’s IP address. In that case, you are rating the network you are currently connected through, not necessarily your underlying home or mobile Internet provider.
This helps build a community-based view of how Internet providers and VPN services perform in different locations.
What does “Report this IP” on the IP & DNS Lookup page do?
What does “Report this IP” on the IP & DNS Lookup page do?
The Report this IP on the IP & DNS Lookup page feature allows you to submit information about an IP address that you believe is involved in suspicious, abusive, or unwanted activity.
For example, you may want to report an address involved in repeated login attempts, spam, scanning, attacks against your website or server, or other suspicious network activity.
When you submit a report, ShowIP.online stores the IP address together with the available network information, such as its ASN, organization/provider, and approximate geographic location. You can also describe what happened so other members of the community can better understand why the address was reported.
To prevent false or malicious reports, submitted abuse reports are not published immediately. Every report must first be reviewed and approved by a moderator. Only after full moderation can it become visible to other visitors.
By collecting approved reports, we are gradually building a community database of suspicious and abusive IP addresses. If you have doubts about an IP address, you can check it on the IP & DNS Lookup page and see whether other ShowIP.online users have previously reported it.
Approved reports can therefore serve as an additional source of information during troubleshooting, security investigations, or when you are deciding whether an unfamiliar IP address should be trusted.
The goal of this feature is not to automatically declare an IP address dangerous, but to provide useful community-submitted information that can help others make better-informed decisions.
Let’s work together to make the Internet a cleaner and safer place.
The Report this IP on the IP & DNS Lookup page feature allows you to submit information about an IP address that you believe is involved in suspicious, abusive, or unwanted activity.
For example, you may want to report an address involved in repeated login attempts, spam, scanning, attacks against your website or server, or other suspicious network activity.
When you submit a report, ShowIP.online stores the IP address together with the available network information, such as its ASN, organization/provider, and approximate geographic location. You can also describe what happened so other members of the community can better understand why the address was reported.
To prevent false or malicious reports, submitted abuse reports are not published immediately. Every report must first be reviewed and approved by a moderator. Only after full moderation can it become visible to other visitors.
By collecting approved reports, we are gradually building a community database of suspicious and abusive IP addresses. If you have doubts about an IP address, you can check it on the IP & DNS Lookup page and see whether other ShowIP.online users have previously reported it.
Approved reports can therefore serve as an additional source of information during troubleshooting, security investigations, or when you are deciding whether an unfamiliar IP address should be trusted.
The goal of this feature is not to automatically declare an IP address dangerous, but to provide useful community-submitted information that can help others make better-informed decisions.
Let’s work together to make the Internet a cleaner and safer place.
What does the “Ping back” button do?
The Ping back button lets registered users check whether the IP address currently shown on ShowIP.online can be reached from our server.
When you press the button, ShowIP.online sends a short series of ICMP Echo Request packets — the same basic mechanism used by the standard ping command. The result shows whether the address responded, together with information such as the ICMP sequence number, TTL, and response time.
This can be useful for quickly checking whether your Internet connection, router, server, or other device is reachable from outside your local network.
For security reasons, Ping back works only with the IP address associated with your current ShowIP.online session. You cannot manually enter another address or use the feature as a general-purpose remote ping service.
Keep in mind that a failed Ping back does not always mean the device is offline. Many routers, firewalls, Internet providers, and VPN services block or ignore ICMP requests even when the Internet connection itself is working normally.
Ping back is available only to registered users.
When you press the button, ShowIP.online sends a short series of ICMP Echo Request packets — the same basic mechanism used by the standard ping command. The result shows whether the address responded, together with information such as the ICMP sequence number, TTL, and response time.
This can be useful for quickly checking whether your Internet connection, router, server, or other device is reachable from outside your local network.
For security reasons, Ping back works only with the IP address associated with your current ShowIP.online session. You cannot manually enter another address or use the feature as a general-purpose remote ping service.
Keep in mind that a failed Ping back does not always mean the device is offline. Many routers, firewalls, Internet providers, and VPN services block or ignore ICMP requests even when the Internet connection itself is working normally.
Ping back is available only to registered users.
What does the “Port Check” button do?
The Port Check feature allows you to check whether a specific TCP port is accessible from the Internet on your router, server, computer, or another device connected through your current Internet connection.
It works with both IPv4 and IPv6.
After authentication, you will be asked to enter the TCP port number you want to test. ShowIP.online then attempts to connect to that port on your current public IPv4 or IPv6 address and reports whether the port appears to be open and reachable from the Internet.
This can be useful when configuring:
The tool currently checks TCP ports only; it does not test UDP ports.
It works with both IPv4 and IPv6.
After authentication, you will be asked to enter the TCP port number you want to test. ShowIP.online then attempts to connect to that port on your current public IPv4 or IPv6 address and reports whether the port appears to be open and reachable from the Internet.
This can be useful when configuring:
- port forwarding on your router;
- web or application servers;
- remote-access services;
- security cameras and other network devices;
- firewall rules;
- IPv6 services that are directly reachable from the Internet.
The tool currently checks TCP ports only; it does not test UDP ports.
Do you have an app?
Yes. You can install ShowIP.online as a web app on your phone, tablet, or computer.
Simply follow the installation instructions at this link.
It is especially convenient if you frequently need to check your IP address - ShowIP.online will be available directly from your home screen or app launcher, just like a regular application.
Simply follow the installation instructions at this link.
It is especially convenient if you frequently need to check your IP address - ShowIP.online will be available directly from your home screen or app launcher, just like a regular application.
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