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What is my IP address? How to find your IP address location

Finding your IP address couldn't be simpler. In fact, we've already found it for you.
Brodie Fogg
Jul 11, 2022
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Here you will find information on your IP address, browsing location, device type (e.g. desktop or mobile), operating system (e.g. Windows OS or macOS), device and browser.

Need to hide your IP?

Follow the link to the right for some top VPN recommendations.

What is an IP address?

Your IP (or Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier that every network-connected device is assigned. It’s like a postal address for your computer, and in the same way your postal address is linked with all your utilities and accounts, your IP address is used every time you access any kind of network, including the Internet.

It’s how the Internet knows where to deliver and receive data from when you're thirty Miniature Cooking videos deep at 3am in the morning.

Who decides what my IP address is?

If you’re browsing the Internet from your home computer, you will be doing so with the IP address assigned to you by your network provider or Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Unlike your home address, however, your IP address is likely to change quite regularly. Simple actions, such as resetting your modem, can change your IP address. However, even when it does, it will still identify your location, browsing device, browser type, internet provider, and more.

There are two types of IP addresses: Static and dynamic IPs. IP addresses that change frequently are known as dynamic IP addresses, whereas static IP addresses remain the same. Some Internet providers, such as Internode, sell static IPs as a broadband plan add-on.

What's a static IP?

A static IP address is an IP address that doesn't change. When you opt for a static IP, your internet provider allocates you an IP address that's yours for the life of your plan. 

While static IPs aren't the norm, they're a common perk on business NBN plans. This is because they give a business the option of hosting a website internally, or hosting other types of servers. 

Similarly, any business that wants to have its workers log in remotely, via a VPN or other remote-access software, also needs a static IP address.

At home, a static IP address can also be helpful for monitoring security equipment, running your own server (including game servers), interacting with files stored on network-attached storage (NAS) drives, or accessing home-office files when you’re out and about.

The following NBN 50 plans all come with a static IP: 

Best VPNs for hiding my IP address

If you arrived on this page with the hope of masking your IP address, you've come to the right place. What you need is a VPN (short for virtual private network). VPNs act as an intermediary between you and the the wider internet, encrypting your traffic and hiding your IP address. 

For a quick glance at our recommended services, take a look at the table below.

Best VPN services

Brand
Details
Cheapest price
Number of VPN servers
Simultaneous connections
US$6.67/mth
US$99.95 1-year plan + 3 months free
3,000+
94
5
AU$11.99/mth
AU$143.88 1-year plan
1,800+
80+
5

Data effective of last page update. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Stock photograph of someone using Proton VPN, one of the best VPNs in Australia

The best VPN services available in Australia

While every VPN provides this basic security function, they’re not all created equal.

How can I change my IP address?

As mentioned above, resetting your modem might change your IP address, but it won’t change any of the previously linked information. Data like your browsing location and device transfer between dynamic IPs no matter how many times you reset your modem.

If you’re looking to change your IP address to, say, stream a movie that’s not available in your country, what you’re trying to do is browse from another location, which involves “masking” your IP address using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Why would I want to change my browsing location?

VPNs have plenty of use cases. They’re used as a security measure and to access remote networks (like an office or university). More and more, people are using VPNs to “spoof” their location to access international streaming services.

For example, HBO Max and Hulu are two American streaming services that house a lot of exclusive content that’s either not available or very expensive in other countries like Australia. In Australia, Foxtel and Binge get a lot of HBO’s content but not necessarily everything and not on the day of release. Many Australians use a VPN to trick HBO and Hulu into thinking they are browsing from within the U.S. to access exclusive content.

Conversely, it’s a way for Australians abroad to access content from home—things like live Rugby matches that aren’t streamed online in other countries. If you’re hoping to catch the NRL Grand Final from Germany, you could probably find a pub that’s screening it, but if that’s not an option, then a VPN can convince Kayo Sports that you’re streaming from within Australia.

If you're looking to try it out, many VPNs offer free trials.

Brodie Fogg
Written by
Brodie Fogg is the Australian editorial lead at Reviews.org. He has covered consumer tech, telecommunications, video games, streaming and entertainment for over five years at websites like WhistleOut and Finder and can be found sharing streaming recommendations at 7NEWS every month.

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