IP Address Basics
Every device connected to the internet needs an IP address — it's the fundamental way computers find and communicate with each other. Think of it like a postal address for your device in the digital world.
IPv4 vs IPv6
- IPv4: The original format (e.g., 192.168.1.1) with about 4.3 billion possible addresses. We've nearly exhausted all IPv4 addresses.
- IPv6: The newer format (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334) with virtually unlimited addresses — 340 undecillion to be exact.
Public vs Private IP
Your public IP is what websites and services see — it identifies your network on the internet. Your private IP is used within your home or office network (typically starting with 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x).
Static vs Dynamic IP
- Static IP: Permanently assigned to your device. Used by servers and businesses. Can be a privacy risk since it never changes.
- Dynamic IP: Assigned temporarily by your ISP and changes periodically. Most home internet connections use dynamic IPs.
How Your IP Reveals Your Location
IP addresses are assigned in blocks to ISPs and organizations by regional registries. These assignments are geographically tied, allowing anyone to look up the approximate physical location associated with any IP address. This is known as IP geolocation.
Protecting Your IP with a VPN
When you connect to KernelVPN, websites see the VPN server's IP address instead of yours. This effectively masks your real location and identity, providing a critical layer of privacy.