What is My IP?

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a network. It serves two main purposes:

• Identification: Uniquely identifies your device on the internet
• Location addressing: Enables routing of data to and from your device

There are two versions:

• IPv4: Uses 32-bit addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1) - most common
• IPv6: Uses 128-bit addresses (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334) - newer, more addresses

Your public IP is visible to websites you visit, while your private IP is only used within your local network.

VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and proxies both hide your real IP address by routing your traffic through an intermediary server:

• VPNs:
  • Encrypt all your internet traffic
  • Work at the operating system level (all applications)
  • Provide better privacy and security
  • May reduce connection speed due to encryption overhead
• Proxies:
  • Route traffic for specific applications (e.g., browser)
  • Usually don't encrypt traffic (except HTTPS proxies)
  • Faster than VPNs but less secure
  • Good for accessing geo-restricted content

Important: Both can leak your real IP through WebRTC, DNS, or IPv6 if not configured properly.

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that enables peer-to-peer communication in browsers for video calls, file sharing, etc. However, it can leak your real IP address:

• How it happens: WebRTC creates direct connections between browsers, bypassing VPN/proxy tunnels
• What gets leaked:
  • Your public IP address (even when using VPN)
  • Your local IP address (reveals network configuration)
  • IPv6 address (if available)
• Why it's dangerous:
  • Reveals your real location despite VPN usage
  • Can be used for tracking and fingerprinting
  • Exposes network topology information

Protection methods:

• Browser extensions that block WebRTC (uBlock Origin, WebRTC Leak Prevent)
• Disable WebRTC in browser settings (Firefox: media.peerconnection.enabled = false)
• Use browsers with built-in WebRTC protection (Brave, Tor Browser)

Websites use multiple techniques to detect VPN and proxy usage:

• IP Reputation Databases:
  • Maintain lists of known VPN/proxy server IP addresses
  • Check if IP belongs to hosting providers (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.)
  • Track IPs associated with suspicious activity
• IP Characteristics:
  • Reverse DNS lookups (VPN servers often have distinctive hostnames)
  • Unusual port activity or connection patterns
  • IP addresses with multiple simultaneous users
• Timing Analysis:
  • TCP/TLS handshake timing patterns
  • Unusual latency for geographic location
  • Inconsistent timezone vs. IP location
• WebRTC Leaks:
  • Detected IP doesn't match VPN IP
  • Local IP reveals actual network configuration

Best practices to avoid detection:

• Use residential VPNs (harder to detect than datacenter IPs)
• Disable WebRTC completely
• Ensure DNS doesn't leak (use VPN's DNS servers)
• Match timezone and language settings to VPN location