IP Address Validator Tool
Quickly validate IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and identify private/public ranges with our free online tool.
IP Address Validation
Supports both IPv4 and IPv6 formats
Basic Information
Technical Details
IPv4 Specific Details
Private IP Address Range
This IP address falls within a private range and is not routable on the public internet.
Commonly used for local networks (LANs) behind NAT.
Public IP Address Range
This IP address is publicly routable on the internet.
Special Use IP Address Range
This IP address is reserved for special purposes.
Invalid IP Address
The entered value is not a valid IPv4 or IPv6 address.
About IP Address Validation
What is an IP Address?
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.
IPv4 vs IPv6
IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)
- 32-bit address (4 bytes)
- Typically represented in dotted-decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
- Approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses
- Most widely used version currently
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
- 128-bit address (16 bytes)
- Typically represented in hexadecimal notation (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334)
- Approximately 3.4×10³⁸ unique addresses
- Designed to replace IPv4 due to address exhaustion
Private vs Public IP Addresses
Private IP Addresses
Used for internal networks and not routable on the public internet. Common ranges:
- 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
- 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
- 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
- IPv6: fd00::/8
Public IP Addresses
Globally unique addresses routable on the internet. Assigned by IANA and regional registries.
All IP addresses not in private ranges are considered public, except for special/reserved ranges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this IP validator tool do?
This tool checks if an entered IP address is valid according to IPv4 or IPv6 standards. It also identifies whether the address is public, private, or reserved for special use, providing additional technical details about the address.
Why would I need to validate an IP address?
IP address validation is useful when configuring network devices, setting up firewalls, troubleshooting network issues, or developing network-related applications. It helps ensure you're working with properly formatted addresses and can identify potential issues with address ranges.
What's the difference between a valid IP and a public IP?
A valid IP follows the correct format for IPv4 or IPv6. A public IP is a valid IP that's routable on the internet. Private IPs are valid but only used within local networks, while some valid IPs are reserved for special purposes and shouldn't be used for general communication.
How can I tell if an IPv6 address is valid?
Our validator checks that IPv6 addresses follow the correct hexadecimal format with 8 groups of 16 bits each, represented as 8 groups of 4 hexadecimal digits separated by colons. It also validates compressed forms where consecutive zero groups can be replaced with ::.
What are some examples of special/reserved IP ranges?
Some notable reserved ranges include:
- 127.0.0.0/8 (IPv4 loopback, e.g., 127.0.0.1)
- 169.254.0.0/16 (IPv4 link-local)
- 224.0.0.0/4 (IPv4 multicast)
- ::1 (IPv6 loopback)
- fe80::/10 (IPv6 link-local)
- ff00::/8 (IPv6 multicast)