Contents
In one sentence
Local IP
Used inside your home, office, or private network.
Public IP
Used toward the internet and visible outside your network.
The IP a website shows
Usually your public IP, not your device local IP.
The IP a printer or NAS uses
Usually a local IP inside your network.
What the difference is
The essential difference is simple:
- Local IP: identifies a device inside your private network.
- Public IP: identifies your internet connection to the outside web.
Put without network fog: one helps things work inside your house, the other represents your connection beyond it.
Quick comparison table
Real example inside a home
Imagine this network:
Phone
Local IP 192.168.1.23
Laptop
Local IP 192.168.1.41
Printer
Local IP 192.168.1.55
Router toward the internet
Public IP visible from outside
Inside the house, each device is recognized by its local IP. But when any of them opens a website, the outside world usually sees the same public IP for the whole connection.
Practical idea: ten devices can have ten different local IPs while still sharing a single public IP when browsing the web.
Practical conclusion: if you want to reach a printer, NAS, or router, you usually need a local IP. If you want to know what address a website sees, you need the public IP.
Which IP a website shows
A website like ip-local.com normally shows your public IP, because that is the address your connection presents to the internet. If you want a direct check, use What is my IP. If you need the local IP of your phone, PC, or Mac, you must look in the device network settings or use the operating-system guides.
Shortcut: website = public IP. Device settings = local IP.
Use the direct guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Android, and macOS.
Where to see your real public IP
If you want to compare both without detours, the fastest path is this: look at the local IP on your device, then open What is my IP to see the public IP the website detects.
For the local IP
Use device network settings or the Windows, Android, iPhone, or macOS guide.
For the public IP
Use a website that detects your outward-facing connection. Here, What is my IP.
Fast rule: device or settings = local IP. Website opened in the browser = public IP.
When local and public IPs change
Local IP
- It can change after restarting the router.
- It can change when the device reconnects.
- It can change when the router renews the DHCP assignment.
Public IP
- It may be static or dynamic, depending on the provider.
- It can change after connection resets or according to the ISP policy.
- Some networks add extra complexity through CG-NAT.
If a device should keep the same local IP, the usual solution is a DHCP reservation in the router or a setup explained in how to set a fixed local IP.
Common mistakes and confusion points
“A website shows one IP and my laptop shows another”
That is normal. The website sees your public IP. Your laptop shows its local IP inside the network.
“I want to open router settings, but I am looking at the public IP”
To open the router panel from home, you normally need the router local IP, often the default gateway.
“The IP in my router does not match what the website shows”
That can happen because of the provider setup, CG-NAT, or the way the router and ISP expose connection information.
“My printer does not answer and I am using the IP shown by a website”
That IP is usually the public IP. Printers, NAS devices, cameras, and the router normally use a local IP inside your network.
Mental shortcut: if an address helps you reach a printer, NAS, or router at home, think local. If a website shows it in the browser, think public.
Next step depending on what you need
Find your local IP on Windows
The most direct guide if you want your PC IPv4 address right now.
Understand what a local IP is
The clean base if you want the concept, purpose, and real use inside a network.
Understand why it changes
DHCP usually assigns the device local IP and explains many automatic changes.
Stop it from changing
Useful for printers, cameras, NAS devices, and anything that benefits from a stable local address.
Open your router
The next step if you want to review DHCP, reservations, or the local gateway.
See your public IP
Useful if you want to compare immediately what the internet sees against the address used inside your home network.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a local IP and a public IP?
A local IP works inside your private network. A public IP identifies your connection to the outside internet.
Which IP does a website show?
A website usually shows your public IP, not the local IP of your device.
Where can I see my real public IP?
The most direct option is What is my IP. A website normally shows your public IP, not your device local IP.
Can a local IP change?
Yes. It commonly changes through DHCP when the device reconnects or the router restarts.
Can a public IP change?
Yes. It depends on your provider and the type of connection. A public IP may be dynamic or static.
Why does my computer show one IP while a website shows another?
Because one is usually the local IP of the device inside your network, while the other is the public IP used to reach the internet.
Is 192.168.x.x a local or a public IP?
It is local. Addresses such as 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, and 172.16-31.x.x are used inside private networks.
Can I have a local IP and a public IP at the same time?
Yes. Your device has a local IP inside the network and reaches the internet through the public IP of the connection.
Are local IP and private IP the same thing?
In practice, yes. Local IP and private IP usually refer to the internal address of a device inside a private network.
Is the router IP local or public?
The address you use to open the router from home is usually a local IP. The router also manages the public side of your internet connection. For the clean breakdown, see Router IP.