Proxies, VPNs and NAT: How Your IP Appears
How Your IP Appears
When you use a proxy or VPN, the destination site sees the proxy/VPN server's IP, not your real one. The IP shown on this site's home page is whatever address finally exits to the Internet.
You → VPN server (203.0.113.9) → Website
Website sees: 203.0.113.9
The same applies to carrier-grade NAT: many subscribers share one public IP.
What an IP Tells
- Approximate region/country (from registration data or GeoIP; city-level accuracy is poor)
- ISP / organization — the netname and org from RDAP
- Whether it looks like a datacenter/VPN
See it for any address in the IP Lookup tool.
What an IP Doesn't Tell
- Your name, home address or phone — subscriber data is held privately by the ISP.
- Your exact location — nothing like GPS precision.
For ways to change the IP sites see, read how to hide my IP and what your IP can reveal.