FAQ

An IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to the internet. It works like your home address - it helps identify where data should be sent and received.

Think of it this way: when you visit a website, your IP address tells that website where to send the information back to you. Without IP addresses, computers wouldn't know how to find each other on the network.

Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) assigns an IP address to your internet connection. Depending on your service agreement, this address may be permanent or change periodically when you restart your router.

IPv4 is the older standard that uses 32-bit addresses (displayed as four numbers separated by dots, like 192.0.2.1). It can support approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses.

IPv6 is the newer standard using 128-bit addresses (displayed in hexadecimal with colons, like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334). It provides approximately 340 undecillion unique addresses - enough for every device on Earth and beyond!

IPv6 also offers improved security features and better support for mobile devices. However, IPv4 is still widely used today. Many networks now use both IPv4 and IPv6 (called dual-stack).

Public IP addresses are assigned by your ISP and are visible to the entire internet. They uniquely identify your device on the public network. This is the address you can use our IP lookup tool to find.

Private IP addresses are used within your local network (home or office) and are not routable on the internet. They typically start with 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x through 172.31.x.x, or 192.168.x.x.

Your router assigns private IP addresses to devices on your network, then translates them to your public IP address when communicating with the internet.

You can find your public IP address in several ways:

• Visit IP-Toolbox.com - Your IP address is displayed automatically on the homepage and in our IP lookup tool
• Search "what is my ip" in Google
• Visit websites like ipinfo.io or whatismyipaddress.com
• Use terminal commands like curl ifconfig.me or nslookup myip.opendns.com

To some extent, yes. Your IP address can be traced to your general geographic location (city/region) and ISP. This information is stored in databases and can be looked up using IP geolocation tools.

However, the level of precision varies - it's usually accurate to a city or neighborhood, not your exact home address. Your ISP and law enforcement can obtain more precise information if needed.

For privacy: You can use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to mask your IP address and appear to be in a different location.

DNS (Domain Name System) is like the phonebook of the internet. It translates human-readable domain names (like www.google.com) into IP addresses (like 142.250.185.46) that computers use to communicate.

Without DNS, you would need to remember and type IP addresses to visit websites instead of easy-to-remember domain names.

A DNS lookup is the process of querying DNS servers to find the IP address associated with a domain name. When you:

• Type a domain into your browser
• Send an email
• Access a website

...a DNS lookup happens automatically to translate that domain name into an IP address. You can also perform manual DNS lookups using our DNS lookup tools to see different types of DNS records.

DNS records contain information about a domain. Common types include:

• A Record: Maps domain to IPv4 address
• AAAA Record: Maps domain to IPv6 address
• MX Record: Specifies mail servers for the domain
• CNAME Record: Creates alias for another domain
• TXT Record: Contains text information (often used for verification)
• NS Record: Identifies nameservers for the domain

Our DNS lookup tools let you query these records to diagnose domain configuration issues.

Nameservers are DNS servers that store and serve DNS records for your domain. When someone tries to access your domain, their computer contacts the nameservers to find out where your website is hosted.

When you register a domain, you specify which nameservers it should use. This allows your domain registrar or hosting provider to manage your DNS records.

If DNS isn't resolving, try:

• Check your internet connection
• Restart your router and modem
• Change your DNS servers (try 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1)
• Clear your browser's DNS cache
• Check that your domain's nameservers are configured correctly
• Use our DNS lookup tool to verify your DNS records are set up properly

Our IP Lookup tool analyzes any IP address and provides information including:

• Geographic location (city, region, country)
• ISP and organization details
• Timezone
• Reverse DNS hostname (if available)

Simply enter an IP address and click submit. The information comes from public IP geolocation databases.

Ping is a network utility that tests connectivity to a host. It measures:

• Whether a host is reachable
• How long it takes for packets to reach the host (latency)
• Packet loss percentage

Use it to troubleshoot connection issues. Enter a domain or IP address to test connectivity.

Traceroute maps the network path packets take from your computer to a destination. It shows:

• Each hop (router) along the path
• Response time at each hop
• Where connections might be failing or slow

Use it when you need to diagnose connection issues or understand network topology. Enter a domain or IP to trace the path.

Our DNS lookup tools query public DNS servers to retrieve specific DNS records for a domain. We offer lookups for:

• A Records - IPv4 addresses
• AAAA Records - IPv6 addresses
• MX Records - Mail server information
• TXT Records - Text records (DKIM, SPF, verification)
• CNAME Records - Domain aliases
• All Records - Comprehensive DNS information

Enter a domain name to see its DNS configuration.

Use our Website Availability Test tool! It checks if a domain or IP is accessible by attempting to connect to port 80 (HTTP). You'll get a result showing whether the site is accessible or down.

Note: This checks basic connectivity on port 80. Some sites may only be accessible on port 443 (HTTPS) or may have additional access restrictions.

The Htpasswd Generator creates password hashes for Apache's .htpasswd file, which provides basic HTTP authentication for websites.

Use it to:

• Protect certain directories on your website
• Require usernames and passwords to access content
• Add a layer of security to sensitive areas

Simply enter your desired username and password, and the tool generates the properly hashed credentials.

Your public IP address is somewhat like your phone number - it's necessary for internet communication, but you should still be cautious about sharing it.

Generally safe: Sharing it with trusted services or individuals for legitimate reasons

Be cautious: Posting it publicly online, giving it to unknown people, or entering it on unverified websites

Protection tips:

• Use a firewall to filter incoming connections
• Keep your router firmware updated
• Use strong passwords for your router
• Consider using a VPN for additional privacy

A .htpasswd file stores usernames and passwords for basic HTTP authentication on Apache web servers. The passwords are hashed for security.

How to use:

• Use our Htpasswd Generator to create password hashes
• Upload the .htpasswd file to your web server (outside public_html)
• Create a .htaccess file to reference it and specify protected directories
• When visitors try to access that area, they'll need to enter the username/password

Network security is multi-layered. Here are best practices:

• Router Security: Change default password, enable WPA3 encryption, disable WPS
• Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts and devices
• Firewall: Enable both hardware (router) and software (OS) firewalls
• Updates: Keep router firmware, OS, and apps updated
• DNS: Use secure DNS providers (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, Google 8.8.8.8)
• VPN: Use a VPN for public Wi-Fi access
• Access Control: Use .htpasswd for web directories needing protection

These are email security technologies configured via DNS TXT records:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Specifies which servers can send mail for your domain
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Digitally signs your emails to prove authenticity
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication): Combines SPF and DKIM, tells receivers how to handle suspicious emails

You can view these records using our DNS TXT record lookup tool.

Several things could prevent website access:

• Website is down: Use our Website Availability tool to check
• DNS issue: Try using our DNS lookup tools to verify records
• Internet connection: Check your connection or try another device
• Firewall/Security: Check if a firewall is blocking the connection
• Cache: Clear your browser cache and try again
• Wrong URL: Verify you're using the correct domain name

Slow internet can have many causes. Try these steps:

• Restart your router and modem: Wait 30 seconds before powering back on
• Move closer to the router: Check if you're getting weak signal
• Reduce interference: Keep router away from microwaves and cordless phones
• Check bandwidth: See what's using your connection (downloads, uploads, updates)
• Update router firmware: Check manufacturer for updates
• Change WiFi channel: Use a WiFi analyzer to find less congested channels
• Contact your ISP: If issues persist, your ISP may need to investigate

Use our network tools:

• Ping: Tests connectivity and latency
• Traceroute: Shows the path to a destination and where delays occur
• DNS Lookup: Verifies DNS resolution is working

These tools will help identify whether the issue is with your connection, DNS, or the destination.

Try these troubleshooting steps:

• Check your connection: Restart your router/modem
• Check DNS settings: Your ISP's DNS may be down. Try Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)
• Flush DNS cache: Your device may have cached bad data
• Check domain status: Use our DNS tools to see if the domain has valid records
• Wait for propagation: New DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to fully propagate

IP-Toolbox.com is a free, web-based collection of network diagnostic and utility tools. We provide easy-to-use tools for:

• IP address lookups and information
• DNS resolution and record queries
• Network diagnostics (ping, traceroute)
• Website availability testing
• Security utilities (htpasswd generator)

All tools are completely free and no registration is required.

IP-Toolbox.com does not store or permanently log your queries. However, standard web server logs may temporarily contain access information as part of normal server operations.

For detailed privacy information, please review our Privacy Policy.

Yes! IP-Toolbox.com is safe to use. Our tools:

• Don't require any personal information
• Don't install any software or plugins
• Don't track you or store personal data
• Run securely on our servers

The information you query (IP addresses, domains) is all public information.

IP-Toolbox is designed for legitimate network diagnostics, troubleshooting, and information gathering. Please use our tools responsibly:

• ✅ Troubleshooting connection issues
• ✅ Learning about networking
• ✅ Diagnosing DNS problems
• ✅ Testing website availability
• ❌ Attempting unauthorized access
• ❌ Launching attacks or exploits
• ❌ Using for illegal purposes

Misuse of our tools is prohibited and may violate laws in your jurisdiction.

We appreciate security researchers helping keep IP-Toolbox safe! If you discover a vulnerability, please report it responsibly:

• Don't publicly disclose the vulnerability
• Contact us directly with details
• Give us time to fix the issue
• Allow time for deployment before disclosure

See our Legal Details page for contact information.