What Does an IP Address Look Like? IPv4 and IPv6 Examples

An IP address usually looks like 192.0.2.25 in IPv4 or 2001:db8:4a2::25 in IPv6. IPv4 uses four decimal numbers separated by dots. IPv6 uses hexadecimal groups separated by colons and can be shortened with a double colon.

What Does My IP Address Look Like?

Your IP address is a group of numbers and, for IPv6, letters that identifies a network connection. The two common formats look very different:

• IPv4 example: 203.0.113.42
• IPv6 example: 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334

An address may appear beside labels such as IP address, IPv4 address, IPv6 address, Internet address, WAN IP, or public IP. A slash and number may follow it, such as 192.168.1.25/24. That slash number describes the network range and is not a separate address.

The examples in this guide use ranges reserved for documentation where possible. Your real address will probably contain different values. You can open the IP Lookup tool on ipdnslookup to see the public address visible to websites.

What an IPv4 Address Looks Like

An IPv4 address contains four decimal sections separated by dots. Each section is called an octet and must be a whole number from 0 through 255.

IPv4 is often easy to recognize because it contains only decimal digits and three dots. The displayed numbers may be short or long. All of these have the basic shape of IPv4:

• 8.8.8.8
• 10.0.0.15
• 172.16.24.101
• 203.0.113.250

The format alone does not tell you whether an address is public, private, reserved, or usable for your task. For example, 192.168.1.25 has valid IPv4 formatting, but it belongs to a private range used inside local networks.

How to Read the Four IPv4 Numbers

Each IPv4 octet represents eight binary bits. Four octets provide 32 bits in total. This is why an IPv4 address can also be written as a long binary value, although people normally use dotted decimal form.

The address is divided into a network part and a host part. A subnet mask or CIDR prefix tells you where that division occurs. Consider 192.168.1.25/24:

1. Read the address: The IPv4 value is 192.168.1.25.
2. Read the prefix: /24 means the first 24 bits identify the network.
3. Find the network: In this example, the network address is 192.168.1.0.
4. Find the device portion: The final value, 25, identifies a position inside that subnet.

This simple reading works neatly for a /24, but other prefix sizes can split the address inside an octet. Use the Subnet Mask Calculator when you need the exact network, broadcast, usable range, and capacity.

What an IPv6 Address Looks Like

An IPv6 address normally contains hexadecimal groups separated by colons. Hexadecimal uses digits 0 through 9 and letters a through f. Letter case does not change the address, so ABCD and abcd represent the same value.

A complete IPv6 address has eight groups with four hexadecimal characters available in each group. The address contains 128 bits under the IPv6 addressing architecture, which gives IPv6 a much larger address space than IPv4.

Why IPv6 Sometimes Contains Two Colons

The double colon in IPv6 is a compression mark. It replaces one or more groups containing only zeros. The recommended text format is documented in RFC 5952.

Follow these rules when reading compressed IPv6:

• Leading zeros can be removed from any group. For example, 0042 can become 42.
• A continuous set of zero groups can be replaced by ::.
• The double colon can appear only once in one address because a second one would make the missing groups unclear.
• A single colon separates normal groups. It does not replace missing groups.

The IPv6 loopback address can be written as ::1. The unspecified IPv6 address is ::. These are special local values, not ordinary public destination addresses.

IPv4 and IPv6 Format Comparison

The quickest way to identify the version is to look at its separators and characters.

• IPv4 uses dots: It has four decimal numbers, such as 198.51.100.20.
• IPv6 uses colons: It has hexadecimal groups, such as 2001:db8::20.
• IPv4 is 32 bits: Its familiar text form is usually shorter.
• IPv6 is 128 bits: Its text form can be much longer but supports compression.
• Both can use a prefix: Examples include 198.51.100.20/24 and 2001:db8::20/64.

Your device can show both versions at the same time. This is called dual stack. One website may receive your IPv4 address while another connection uses IPv6, depending on network support and routing.

What Public and Private Addresses Look Like

A public and private IPv4 address use the same dotted format. You identify a private address by checking its range, not by counting dots or looking at its length.

The three private IPv4 ranges are:

• 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255
• 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255
• 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255

Addresses in these ranges commonly appear in Wi-Fi settings, router pages, and local network commands. They can be reused in many homes and offices because they are not routed directly across the public internet.

IPv6 also has different address types. Addresses starting in the fe80::/10 range are link-local and work only on the local network link. Unique local IPv6 addresses use fc00::/7. A normal browser lookup generally reports the public address used for the internet connection rather than a local address.

Why My IP Address Has a Slash Number

A value such as 192.168.1.25/24 combines an address with a CIDR prefix. The prefix says how many bits describe the network. It helps software and network administrators understand the size and boundaries of the subnet.

• /32 identifies one IPv4 address.
• /24 covers 256 total IPv4 addresses.
• /16 covers 65,536 total IPv4 addresses.
• /128 identifies one IPv6 address.
• /64 is a common IPv6 subnet prefix.

The slash number is not a port. Ports are normally shown after a colon, such as 192.0.2.25:443. In a web address, square brackets may surround IPv6 before a port, such as [2001:db8::25]:443.

How IP Addresses Appear in Different Places

The same connection information can be presented with different labels. Check the label before copying a value:

• Browser lookup: Usually shows the public IPv4 or IPv6 address visible to websites.
• Device Wi-Fi settings: Usually shows a private or local address assigned to that device.
• Router status page: A LAN address identifies the router locally, while a WAN or Internet address describes its provider-facing connection.
• Command output: May list loopback, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, VPN, virtual, and temporary addresses together.
• Server logs: May include an address followed by a port, request time, method, and path.

If several values appear, identify the active network interface and decide whether you need a public or private address. The article How to Find Your IP Address on Any Device provides steps for common devices.

Valid and Invalid IP Address Examples

An address can look close to correct but still be invalid. Here are common examples:

• Valid IPv4 shape: 192.0.2.50
• Invalid IPv4: 192.0.2.300, because 300 is greater than 255.
• Invalid IPv4: 192.0.2, because one octet is missing.
• Valid compressed IPv6 shape: 2001:db8::50
• Invalid IPv6: 2001:db8::50::1, because it uses the double colon twice.
• Invalid IPv6: 2001:db8::xyz, because x, y, and z are not hexadecimal characters.

Formatting validity does not prove that an address is active, reachable, public, or assigned to a particular device. It only tells you whether the text follows the address rules.

How to Check What Your Public IP Looks Like

1. Open the lookup: Visit the IP Lookup tool.
2. Read the main address: Dots indicate IPv4, while colons usually indicate IPv6.
3. Check the address version: Confirm that the version matches the task you are completing.
4. Review network context: Treat provider and location information as approximate network data.
5. Copy carefully: Do not include nearby labels, spaces, punctuation, or a port unless the receiving form requests them.
6. Check after changing networks: A VPN, mobile connection, or different Wi-Fi network may show another public address.

The lookup on ipdnslookup can also show the likely provider, ASN, and approximate location for a public address. It cannot confirm a person's identity or exact street location.

Common Mistakes When Copying an IP Address

• Copying the subnet mask: A value such as 255.255.255.0 may be the mask, not the device address.
• Including a port: Remove :443 or another port when a form asks only for an IP address.
• Dropping IPv6 colons: The colons are required parts of an IPv6 address.
• Confusing zero and the letter O: IP addresses use the digit zero. IPv6 hexadecimal letters stop at f.
• Using a local address for a public task: A private address such as 192.168.1.25 cannot identify your connection on the wider internet.
• Assuming every shown address is active: Virtual adapters and disconnected interfaces may keep old values.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an IP address contain letters?

IPv4 does not contain letters. IPv6 can contain the hexadecimal letters a, b, c, d, e, and f in either upper or lower case.

Why does my IP address start with 192.168?

It is probably a private IPv4 address assigned inside your local network. Websites normally see a separate public address used by your router or provider.

Can an IPv4 address start with zero?

An octet can have a value of zero, but address meaning depends on the full range and context. Avoid adding leading zeros because some software may interpret them differently.

Why is my IPv6 address so long?

IPv6 uses 128 bits and therefore has more address space. Zero compression can make many IPv6 addresses shorter without changing their value.

Is 127.0.0.1 my public IP address?

No. 127.0.0.1 is the IPv4 loopback address and points back to your own device. It is commonly called localhost.

Is 255.255.255.0 an IP address?

It has IPv4 formatting, but it is commonly used as a subnet mask. Read the label beside the value before deciding what it represents.

Why does an IPv6 address appear inside square brackets?

Applications use brackets to separate an IPv6 address from a port. In [2001:db8::25]:443, the address is inside the brackets and 443 is the port.

Can my public IP address change its appearance?

Yes. Your provider can assign a new IPv4 or IPv6 address, and switching networks or enabling a VPN can change the address visible to websites.

Recognize the Address Before You Use It

Look for four dotted decimal numbers when identifying IPv4 and colon-separated hexadecimal groups when identifying IPv6. Then check the surrounding label to learn whether the value is public, private, local, a mask, or an address with a prefix or port.

Use the IP Lookup tool to inspect a public address, the CIDR Notation Calculator to understand an address with a slash prefix, or the Subnet Mask Calculator to compare CIDR and dotted masks. These pages provide clear results without requiring an account.