THE EVERYDAY IP TOOLKIT
Your public IP, the records behind a name, and the numbers that shape a network.
The source address seen by this service. A router, VPN or proxy may sit between you and the internet.
A FEW GOOD TOOLS
Query public DNS records for a domain.
One resolver's answer, not a global propagation check. How to read DNS records ↗
Network, mask, broadcast and usable range. Calculated on your device. The starting /24 is illustrative, not your detected network; IPv6 connections use a documentation IPv4 example.
Supports /0 through /32, including point-to-point /31 networks.
Check IPv4 or IPv6 format, address scope and reverse DNS.
Address scope does not establish ownership or reachability. IPv4 vs IPv6 ↗
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT
Public, not private. The IP above is the address this service sees—not necessarily the address assigned to your device.
One request, one path. A browser may use IPv6 while another connection uses IPv4. Neither result proves the other is unavailable.
DNS, with context. A record is not proof that a website is reachable. Check the response status and record type first.
Read the Field Guide →TERMINAL FRIENDLY
curl aboutip.info216.73.217.121A separate command may use a different route.Plain text by default for command-line clients. Use HTTPS for encryption, or JSON for a structured response.
Plain Text, JSON & PowerShell →LESS MYSTERY, MORE UNDERSTANDING
Understand the address inside your network and the address the internet sees.
4 min readTwo address formats, one internet. Learn what a single connection can tell you.
3 min readMake sense of record types, response status, caching and resolver context.
4 min readGOOD QUESTIONS
Your provider may assign addresses dynamically. Switching Wi-Fi, mobile networks, VPN endpoints or IP protocols can change the address a service sees.
Not precisely. IP location databases are approximate and can describe a provider’s network rather than your device. ABOUTIP does not request GPS location. The time zone above comes from your browser.
No. The starting prefix is an example, not a measured network mask. Enter the IPv4 address and prefix you actually want to calculate. The calculation runs locally in your browser.
Yes. Use the CLI / API guide. The overall allowance is 40 requests per source IP in a rolling 60 seconds. Pages and API requests share it; DNS and reverse DNS have an additional shared lookup budget.
THE BASICS · 4 MIN READ
Your device can have one address on your home network and share a completely different address on the internet.
Your public IP is the source address that reaches an internet service. ABOUTIP shows the address used for this connection. On a typical home connection, your router shares one public IPv4 address among many devices using network address translation (NAT).
Private IPv4 addresses live in 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. They can be reused in many homes and offices and are not routed directly across the public internet. You usually find your device's private address in its Wi-Fi or Ethernet settings.
A VPN or proxy can replace the visible source address with its exit address. An IPv6-capable service may see an IPv6 address while another sees IPv4. Mobile networks and carrier-grade NAT may share an IPv4 address among many subscribers. Changing networks can also change the result.
An address identifies a network endpoint, not a person or a street address. Any location inferred from an IP database is approximate and can describe a provider's infrastructure rather than your device. This site does not request your GPS location.
Reference: RFC 1918 — private IPv4 address space ↗