Local IP, LAN IP, public IP and egress IP: what is the difference?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they answer different questions. Understanding the difference explains why “the IP on my computer” and “the IP a website sees” are frequently not the same.
| Concept | What it is | Who sees it | Common example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local IP | The address configured on a device interface; it may be private or public | The device and devices on the same LAN | 192.168.1.23 |
| LAN IP | A private address used inside a router or switch; it is not routed directly on the public internet | Devices in the same local network | 10.0.0.8, 172.16.0.5 |
| Public IP | A globally routable address assigned by an ISP or cloud provider | Services on the internet | 203.0.113.10 |
| Egress IP | The source address a destination website actually sees; it may pass through NAT, a proxy, an encrypted tunnel or a CDN | The website you visit | The source in a web server log |
In a typical home network, a computer receives 192.168.x.x and the router uses NAT to share one public address assigned by the ISP. The website sees the router’s egress, not the computer’s LAN address. Corporate networks, campus networks, cloud hosts and proxy services can add one or more additional egress layers.
Why is the IP on my computer different from the IP a website sees?
The local address usually describes only the network interface. The website sees the final egress of the whole path. If there is router NAT, a corporate gateway, a proxy, an encrypted tunnel, a CDN or carrier-grade NAT in between, the two addresses can differ.
When a proxy or encrypted tunnel is active, which IP should I use?
Use the egress IP that the target website actually sees. Check it in the detector at the top of this page and cross-check it on the target site or another IP lookup service. If the proxy applies only to one browser or application, the system settings do not necessarily represent that application’s egress.
What an IP lookup can tell you
A complete IP lookup returns more than the address itself. It usually adds location, network ownership and risk clues. These are the fields worth checking first.
Country, region, city, coordinates, time zone and currency. GeoIP usually resolves to a city or network node, not a street address.
An ASN identifies the autonomous system that carries the address. The ISP and ASN are important clues for network type and ownership.
Residential, mobile, datacenter, enterprise or CDN. Platforms treat these differently; none of them is automatically “good” or “bad”.
Proxy, encrypted tunnel, Tor, hosting, abuse history or shared egress. These are heuristic signals and should be read with context and retests.
Whether the registration country and the actual usage region align. A non-native address is not automatically unusable, but region-sensitive tasks need extra checks.
Whether the browser time zone, language, DNS location and WebRTC addresses match the egress. Some of this requires browser-side checks.
A standard IP check flow
Do not stop after a single lookup. Separate “address facts” from “risk judgement” and work through the steps below; it is easier to find the source of a problem.
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1
Check the current public or egress IP
Use the detector on this page or the full toolkit to read the browser’s egress. Record the IP, ASN, ISP, city and time as a baseline.
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2
Confirm that the proxy or encrypted tunnel is working as intended
If a proxy is active, verify that the egress has moved to the target region. If only one app should use it, make sure browser traffic is not bypassing the rule.
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3
Review risk and blocklist signals
Check proxy, encrypted-tunnel and Tor flags, hosting, abuse history, sharing level and native IP. Record the individual flags, not only a total score.
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4
Run DNS and WebRTC leak checks
Use the full toolkit to make sure no DNS resolver or WebRTC address exposes a location that contradicts the egress.
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5
Assess IP purity for the actual use case
Combine network type, history, environment consistency and the target platform’s requirements. For the complete framework, read the IP purity guide.
How to check your IP on different devices
Windows
Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig to see the LAN IPv4 address, default gateway and other adapter details. This is usually not the public egress a website sees.
macOS
Run ifconfig in Terminal to inspect network interfaces; ipconfig getifaddr en0 often returns the Wi-Fi LAN address. Use a browser-based lookup to confirm the public egress.
Mobile devices
iOS and Android show the local Wi-Fi address in network settings. On mobile data, carriers commonly use large-scale NAT, so the device UI does not reveal the real public egress.
Browser-based lookup
The simplest method is the current-IP report at the top of this page. It reflects the path the browser is actually using, which is useful for verifying a proxy or encrypted tunnel.
Command-line lookup
Commands such as curl ifconfig.me or curl ipinfo.io/ip return an egress address quickly. Remember that the command line and the browser may use different proxy settings.
How to read an IP lookup result
Imprecise location is normal
GeoIP databases map addresses to a city or network node; they do not provide a street address. Mobile networks, enterprise links and dynamically assigned addresses can be even less precise. A different city does not mean the lookup failed, and it does not expose your exact home address.
Dynamic IPs, CDNs and IPv6 can change the result
- Dynamic IP: a reconnect or lease change can change the egress and its history.
- CDN: a website may see a CDN node rather than your original egress. That is server architecture, not your IP being replaced.
- IPv6: a browser may prefer IPv6, making an IPv4 lookup disagree with the actual path. Check both protocols.
“High risk” does not mean “definitely blocked”
Risk flags describe probabilities and patterns, not a platform verdict. A hosting IP may be perfectly fine for API calls; a low-risk residential IP can still be restricted because of account behaviour. Use the report as a clue, not a guarantee.
IP check vs. IP purity check
An IP check is about facts: who owns the address, where it is, which ASN carries it, what network type it belongs to and which public flags it has. It answers “what am I looking at?”
IP purity is about judgement: whether the address is suitable for sign-up, payments, advertising, social accounts or streaming. It combines facts, history, environment consistency and business requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is my IP address: local or public?
It can be either. Devices on home and office networks usually receive a private LAN address and share a public egress through router NAT. Cloud servers or some dedicated links may have a public address directly. A website sees the final egress, which is not necessarily the address on the network adapter.
Why is my IP lookup still wrong after I enable a proxy?
Common causes include the browser not using the proxy, split-tunnel rules excluding the target domain, the proxy applying to only some applications, IPv6 bypassing the proxy, or the proxy service exiting in a different region. Confirm the browser’s actual egress first, then check DNS and IPv6.
Can an IP lookup find my exact street address?
No. Public GeoIP data generally resolves to a city or network node, not a precise home address. Any tool that claims to turn an ordinary IP lookup into a street address should be treated with suspicion.
What is the difference between an IP check and an IP lookup?
The terms are often used interchangeably. A lookup usually focuses on the address and its ownership or location; a check often adds risk flags, network type, proxy detection and DNS/WebRTC consistency. The useful distinction is what the tool actually returns.
What is an IP checker?
An IP checker is a tool that reads an address and returns its public ownership, location, network type and risk signals. Use it to confirm the egress a website sees, then combine the result with DNS, WebRTC and real-scenario testing. No checker can guarantee how a third-party platform will treat an address.
Check your current IP, egress and risk report
Start with the current egress, then look up any address. If you need to judge whether the IP fits sign-up, payments or long-term accounts, continue with the purity and testing guides.