Wait, so if private ips are just for local networks… how does my phone get internet?
Great Q! Your router uses NAT (Network Address Translation) to map your private ip (like 192.168.1.5) to the public ip address when you go online. It’s like a translator—your private ip asks for a website, the router swaps it with the public ip, and boom, you get cat videos.
This is why you can’t directly access a device’s private ip from outside your network (without port forwarding).
Tools like Angry IP Scanner can help you see all private ips on your network if you’re curious.
Great Q! Your router uses NAT (Network Address Translation) to map your private ip (like 192.168.1.5) to the public ip address when you go online. It’s like a translator—your private ip asks for a website, the router swaps it with the public ip, and boom, you get cat videos.
This is why you can’t directly access a device’s private ip from outside your network (without port forwarding).
Tools like Angry IP Scanner can help you see all private ips on your network if you’re curious.