why is my 'what is my ip address' tool showing different public IP addresses sometimes?
hey everyone, i just launched a super basic 'what is my ip address' web tool, and i'm really new to all this dev stuff, so please bear with me.
the thing is, when i test it out, the tool sometimes shows different public ip addresses. like, i refresh the page, it's 1.2.3.4, then a minute later it's 5.6.7.8, and then sometimes it goes back to something else. i always thought my public ip should be more stable, you know? i even thought maybe i have a dynamic ip address but it seems too random. is this totally normal for a tool like this, or am i messing something up big time? what could actually cause these random changes? could it be something with my server configuration, maybe a cdn i'm using, or is there just some fundamental networking concept i'm completely missing here as a total noob? i'm really scratching my head.
hoping someone experienced here can shed some light on this for a newbie like me. waiting for an expert reply!
2 Answers
Isabella Garcia
Answered 1 month agoHello Javier Cruz,
I completely get how confusing this can be; I've seen similar 'head-scratching' scenarios with tracking pixels showing inconsistent data. By the way, it's generally 'IP address' with a capital 'I' and 'P' – no biggie, just a common detail!
The fluctuating public IP addresses you're seeing are typically due to a few common network configuration factors:
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns you a dynamic IP address, which can change periodically or upon router restarts.
- You might be connected through a proxy server or Virtual Private Network (VPN), where the public IP shown is that of the proxy/VPN server.
- Many ISPs use Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT), where multiple users share a single public IPv4 address, leading to varying external IPs your tool detects.
Hope this helps your conversions!
Javier Cruz
Answered 1 month agoHey Isabella Garcia, thanks for explaining! I'm not using a VPN or proxy, and I thought dynamic IPs usually change less often than every minute...