The difference in one sentence
A laptop, phone, and television on the same Wi-Fi can each have a different private IP. When they visit websites, however, they often appear to use the same public IP. It is therefore normal for the address on the My IP page to differ from the address in your phone's Wi-Fi settings.
Public and private IP compared
| Item | Public IP | Private IP |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is used | Across the internet | Inside a home, office, or other local network |
| Who assigns it | An internet or hosting provider | A router or network administrator |
| Can another site reuse it? | It must be unique on the public internet at that time | Different homes may use the same range |
| Where to check | A My IP web page | Device or router network settings |
| Typical example | An external address assigned to the connection | 192.168.0.15 or 10.0.0.5 |
Common private IPv4 ranges
IPv4 reserves three ranges for internal networks. Addresses in these ranges are not routed directly as destinations on the public internet.
- 10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255: common in large organizations
- 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255: common in business and virtual networks
- 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255: common on home routers
An address beginning with 169.254 is often assigned automatically by a device when it cannot obtain an address from the router. If the internet is unavailable at the same time, reconnect Wi-Fi and check the router and automatic address settings.
How several devices share one public IP
A router receives requests from internal devices, sends them to the internet using its public IP, and returns each response to the correct device. This translation is usually called NAT. It lets many devices share one connection and conserves the limited IPv4 address space.
The provider may add another sharing layer
Mobile and some fixed-line networks also let several subscribers share a public IPv4 address inside the provider's network. The WAN address shown by the router may then differ from the public address shown by a website. If you need to reach a home device from outside, ask whether your connection receives a directly reachable public IP.
How to find each address
- Public IP: open Check my IP and read the address at the top.
- Private IP on Windows: open Settings → Network & internet → the current connection → hardware properties.
- Private IP on a phone: open the details for the connected Wi-Fi network.
- Router WAN address: check the Internet or WAN status in the router's administration page.
If the router's WAN address matches the public IP on this site, the router probably received that public address directly. If they differ, the connection may pass through provider address sharing, an organization gateway, or a VPN.
Frequently asked questions
Is every address beginning with 192.168 private?
The range from 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255 is private IPv4 space. It is not routed directly on the public internet and is commonly used inside homes and workplaces.
Can a public IP and private IP be the same?
They are normally different behind a router. A device uses a private IP while the router uses a public IP to communicate with the internet. In a special direct-connection setup, a public IP may be assigned to the device itself.
Can someone connect to me if I share my private IP?
Usually not unless that person is on the same internal network. Access from the internet also requires a public IP, router forwarding rules, and firewall permission.