Learn about IP addresses & online privacy
Plain-language guides on IP addresses, IPv6, ASNs, DNS leaks and how to protect your privacy online.
- What is an IP address? A plain-language guide
What an IP address is, the difference between public and private addresses, how they are assigned, and what others can learn from yours.
Read guide - IPv4 vs IPv6: what's the difference and why it matters
How IPv4 and IPv6 differ in address size, notation, NAT, security and performance, and how to check whether your connection supports IPv6.
Read guide - What is an ASN (autonomous system number)?
How autonomous systems and BGP stitch the internet together, what an ASN tells you about an IP address, and how to look one up.
Read guide - How to hide your IP address: VPN, Tor, proxies compared
Five practical ways to hide your IP address, what each one protects against, and how to verify that it actually works.
Read guide - How IP geolocation works — and how accurate it is
Where IP location data comes from, why it is accurate to the country but not the street, and what the accuracy radius means.
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