What does an IP address lookup show?
An IP lookup checks public registration and geolocation data associated with an Internet address. Depending on the available records, the result may include:
- The IP version: IPv4 or IPv6.
- An approximate country, region and city.
- The Internet service provider or network organization.
- The autonomous system number, also called an ASN.
- An approximate timezone, latitude and longitude.
How to look up an IP address
- Enter a valid public IPv4 or IPv6 address in the search box above.
- Select Lookup IP to check the address.
- Review the available location, ISP, organization, ASN, timezone and map results.
The tool automatically enters your current public IP when the page loads. You can keep it or replace it with another public address. Private and reserved IP addresses cannot be searched.
How My IP validates a lookup request
Before requesting network information, the tool checks whether the submitted value follows a valid IPv4 or IPv6 format. It also distinguishes publicly routed addresses from private, loopback, link-local and other reserved ranges. This prevents a local address from being presented as if it had a meaningful public city or Internet provider.
After validation, the public address is sent to the lookup service used by My IP. Available allocation and geolocation data are normalized into the result fields shown above. If a provider omits a field, the tool leaves that value unavailable rather than inferring a person, company or exact location from incomplete information.
Two practical lookup tests
Public IPv4 test: enter 8.8.8.8. This is a publicly routed address, so the lookup should return network ownership and approximate location information. The city or coordinates may vary as geolocation providers update their databases, but the address should be accepted as public IPv4.
Private IPv4 test: enter 192.168.1.1. The tool should reject it because this address is intended for use inside local networks. A home router and millions of unrelated devices can use the same private address, so assigning it a public owner or city would be misleading.
For an IPv6 comparison, you can test a known public address such as 2001:4860:4860::8888. IPv6 results use the same interpretation rules, although some databases provide fewer city-level details for newer or recently reassigned IPv6 ranges.
How to interpret ISP, organization and ASN
ISP usually identifies the Internet service provider associated with the address range. On a residential or mobile connection, this is commonly the company providing access to the Internet. On hosting, cloud or VPN addresses, it may name the infrastructure provider instead.
Organization is the network organization label supplied by the data source. It can match the ISP, identify a customer using an allocated range or describe a hosting network. It should not automatically be treated as the identity of the individual currently using the address.
ASN means autonomous system number. It identifies a network that announces Internet routes under a common routing policy. An ASN is useful for understanding which network is routing an address, but it does not prove who operated a specific device at a particular time.
How accurate is IP geolocation?
Country-level results are often more reliable than city-level results. A city may be incorrect because providers route traffic through another location, reassign addresses or update network records at different times. Mobile networks, corporate networks, proxies and VPNs can also change the location that appears. See our complete guide to why an IP location may be wrong for the most common causes and troubleshooting steps.
Can an IP lookup identify a person?
No. A public lookup does not normally provide a person's name, exact home address or precise GPS location. It identifies the network information associated with an IP address, not the person or device using it at a particular moment.
Why can’t private IP addresses be located?
Addresses such as 192.168.1.1 and 10.0.0.1 are used inside local networks and can be reused by millions of routers and devices. They are not uniquely routed on the public Internet, so they do not have a meaningful public geolocation. Read our public vs private IP guide for more information.
IPv4 and IPv6 lookup support
This tool supports valid public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. If you want to understand their different formats and uses, see our IPv4 vs IPv6 comparison.
To locate the current address directly on a phone, computer or router, follow our device-by-device IP address guide. You can also use our Reverse DNS Lookup to check whether an IP address has an associated hostname.
Useful and responsible ways to use this tool
An IP lookup can help confirm whether a VPN changed the network visible to websites, identify the provider routing an address, compare Wi-Fi and mobile connections, investigate an unfamiliar address found in your own logs or add context to a DNS or reverse DNS check. Because allocations and users change, save the date and time when documenting a result.
A lookup result is technical context, not proof that a particular person performed an action. Do not use approximate location, organization or ASN data to identify, threaten or harass someone. For questions about the methodology or a reproducible error, review About My IP or contact the site maintainer.