1
Public IP
- Ranges
- Everything not reserved
- Assigned by
- Your ISP (from its registry block)
- Unique
- Yes, worldwide
- Seen by websites
- Yes
- Find it
- A What Is My IP page
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Trustpilot
TrustpilotWhat Is a Public vs Private IP Address?
A public IP address is reachable on the internet and is the address websites see when you connect. A private IP address is used only inside a home, office or carrier network, and many private addresses share one public IP through NAT.
- Session Control
- High Speed
- Privacy First
how it works
How public and private IPs fit together
Your laptop, phone and TV each get a private address from the router, such as 192.168.1.23. These addresses are reused in millions of homes, so they cannot be routed on the internet. When a device opens a connection, the router swaps the private source address for its own public IP through NAT and remembers which reply belongs to which device.
RFC 1918 sets aside three private IPv4 ranges. A fourth, 100.64.0.0/10, is reserved for carriers that put customers behind carrier-grade NAT.
- 2
Private IP
- Ranges
10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16- Assigned by
- Your router or IT team, usually by DHCP
- Unique
- Only within one network
- Seen by websites
- No
- Find it
ipconfig(Windows) orip addr/ifconfig(macOS, Linux)
why it matters
Why the difference matters for proxy users
A proxy only replaces your public IP. Your private address never leaves your network, so there is nothing to hide there, and changing it does not change what a website sees.
CleanProxies static ISP proxies accept IP authentication for up to 20 public IPv4 addresses per order, or username and password from anywhere.
Public vs private IP: what it means for you
- For IP whitelisting, register your public IP, the one a What Is My IP page shows, never a 192.168 or 10.x address.
- If your router's WAN address is in
100.64.0.0/10or differs from the address websites see, your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT and your public IP is shared. - WebRTC can expose local and public addresses to a page; a WebRTC leak test shows what a browser reveals.
- Servers on a cloud network often have a private address plus a separate public one; allowlist the public egress IP.
Static ISP proxies from $0.75/IP
The CleanProxies proxy that fits best here, with a $4.99 trial to test it first.
Best fit
Dedicated IPs on US carrier ASNs with unlimited bandwidth and threads, never shared.
starting from$0.75/IP
Dedicated static IPs registered to US and Canadian ISPs. The address stays the same for as long as you hold it, with unlimited bandwidth and HTTP(S) or SOCKS5 access.
Guides from the blog
Setup guides and best practices from the CleanProxies blog.
- GuidesOct 30, 2026
Shared vs Dedicated ISP Proxies: Differences, Risks and a Free Audit Script
Shared vs dedicated ISP proxies explained: what each model means, what providers publish about sharing, when shared is enough, cost per successful request, and a tested Python script to audit your proxy list.
19 Min ReadRead article - GuidesOct 27, 2026
How to Test Proxy Quality: Fraud Score, Blacklists, Speed and Leaks
A step-by-step guide to testing proxy quality before you use it: connectivity, exit IP, ASN, blacklists, fraud score, speed and WebRTC/DNS leaks, with free tools, cURL commands and what good results look like.
13 Min ReadRead article - GuidesNov 1, 2026
Best Oxylabs Alternatives in 2026: 6 Providers Compared
Oxylabs' best rates need a $2,500/month enterprise plan. We priced five workloads on Oxylabs and five alternatives on 1 November 2026, with screenshots. CleanProxies ranks #1: dedicated US ISP proxies as low as $0.75/IP, residential from $0.63/GB that never expires.
21 Min ReadRead article - GuidesNov 1, 2026
Best Smartproxy (Decodo) Alternatives in 2026: 6 Providers Compared
Smartproxy is now Decodo. We priced the same workloads on Decodo and six alternatives on 1 November 2026, with screenshots. CleanProxies ranks #1: residential as low as $0.63/GB that never expires, US ISP proxies as low as $0.75/IP, mobile from $0.79/GB.
20 Min ReadRead article - GuidesOct 31, 2026
Best IPRoyal Alternatives in 2026: 6 Providers Compared (Prices Checked)
The best IPRoyal alternatives in 2026, compared on prices read from each provider's pricing page on 31 October with screenshots. CleanProxies ranks #1: residential as low as $0.63/GB that never expires, US ISP proxies as low as $0.75/IP with unlimited bandwidth, mobile from $0.79/GB.
16 Min ReadRead article - GuidesOct 31, 2026
How Many IPs Are in a /24 Subnet? (256 Addresses, Explained)
A /24 subnet has 256 IPv4 addresses: 254 usable on a LAN, 251 in AWS or Azure, and 255 dedicated proxy IPs per block at CleanProxies. CIDR cheat sheet, Python examples and a tested script that audits your proxy list by /24.
19 Min ReadRead article
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Related terms
Terms that come up alongside Public vs private IP.
Public vs private IP FAQs
Straight answers about Public vs private IP.
Open a What Is My IP page or run curl https://api.ipify.org. It shows the address websites see, which is your router's or your carrier's public IP, not the one on your device.
Got more questions?All FAQs