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IP Address Basics

IPv6 Address Finder: Find Your Public or Local Address

IP Address BasicsUpdated 7 min readBy
An explorer follows a network path to a gateway, illustrating public and local IPv6 addresses.

An IPv6 address finder shows the IPv6 address your current internet connection presents to a website. Your device settings list the addresses assigned to its network interfaces. Open Loqmi’s IP tool for a quick public address check. If you need the local address or a diagnosis, use the steps below.

An IPv6 lookup captures one route at one moment. A device can list several IPv6 addresses, but a website sees only one, which is why the two results can differ.

Use an IPv6 address finder for a quick check

Open Loqmi’s IP tool. Colons and hexadecimal characters mean IPv6. Four dot-separated decimal numbers mean this visit used IPv4. The result is the address Loqmi saw for this request.

An IPv6 address finder shows the public address used for one website request. Device settings may list several addresses.
A website lookup shows the address used for that request; device settings may list several addresses on different interfaces.

Refresh after switching Wi-Fi, mobile data, or VPN, then compare the results. A change points to a different route or public exit. It does not prove IPv6 is unavailable, since each site may be reached over a different IP version.

For a device’s local address, use the network settings below. Loqmi’s speed test measures performance. It does not show which IP version carried the test.

What an IPv6 lookup shows, and what it does not

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) uses 128-bit addresses, usually written as eight hexadecimal groups separated by colons. IPv4 uses 32 bits. Many networks run both at once, a setup called dual stack. See RFC 4291 for IPv6 addressing and RFC 791 for IPv4.

A website lookup reports the source used for that request. Device settings list interface addresses. With IPv4, Network Address Translation (NAT) lets local devices share one public address. IPv6 can give interfaces globally scoped addresses, but a firewall still controls incoming traffic.

A DNS AAAA record maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. It does not prove your connection can reach that site over IPv6. Your router may configure addresses through Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) or DHCPv6 (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6).

What you seeTypical clueWhat it means
Global unicastPublicly assigned network prefixGenerally routable beyond the local network; a remote lookup can see it when the request uses IPv6
Link-localfe80::For communication on the local network link; not a public internet address
Unique localfc or fdPrivate-style IPv6 for local or connected networks, defined by RFC 4193; not expected to route across the public internet
Loopback::1Points back to the same device, like calling your own extension

IPv6 unique local addresses serve a purpose similar to the IPv4 private ranges in RFC 1918, such as 192.168.x.x. They use different ranges and rules. See public vs. private IP addresses.

Find the IPv6 address on your device

Choose the active Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or VPN interface. Ignore disconnected, virtual, and loopback adapters unless you are troubleshooting them. Some laptops list more virtual adapters than anyone asked for (thanks, software).

  • Windows 11: Open Start, type cmd, launch Command Prompt, and run ipconfig. Under the active adapter, look for “IPv6 Address” or “Temporary IPv6 Address.” A “Link-local IPv6 Address” beginning fe80:: is local only.
  • macOS: Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Network, select the connected service, then Details > TCP/IP. Read its IPv6 address; available settings depend on the service.
  • Linux: In Terminal, run ip -6 address show. Find inet6 under the active interface; scope link marks a link-local entry.
  • Android: Open Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the connected Wi-Fi or settings icon, then network details. Look for a colon-separated IPv6 value. Menus vary, which is a polite way of saying good luck. On Samsung, use Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, then tap the connected network’s gear, as shown in Samsung’s connection guide.
  • iPhone or iPad: Open Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the info button beside the connected network. Scroll for an IPv6 address if shown. This is the Wi-Fi interface; cellular uses another path.

See the Microsoft ipconfig reference, Apple’s Mac TCP/IP guide, Apple’s iPhone Wi-Fi guide, and the Ubuntu networking guide. Android settings vary by maker. For local IPv4, see how to find your local IP address.

Read an IPv6 address without counting every zero

Groups use hexadecimal digits from 0 to f. Leading zeros can be dropped, and one run of zero groups can become ::. For example, 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0042 shortens to 2001:db8::42. The :: is a shortcut, not a wildcard. Using it twice makes the address ambiguous, because you cannot tell how many zero groups each run holds.

A long IPv6 group sequence folds into a shorter form with one compressed run of zero groups.
IPv6 can drop leading zeros and replace one run of zero groups with a double colon.

A suffix like /64 is a CIDR prefix length: the number of leading network bits, not part of the address. RFC 4291 defines the format. Hexadecimal letter case does not change the address value, so you can skip the capitals debate.

Why several IPv6 addresses can appear

An interface can hold several addresses: link-local for nearby devices, a stable address, and temporary addresses for outgoing connections. A website sees only the source chosen for its connection, not the whole list.

A device can form temporary addresses through Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC), where it uses router announcements. They use randomized identifiers and limited lifetimes to reduce address-based activity correlation. RFC 8981 describes the mechanism. It does not make you anonymous. The network prefix can stay the same while the temporary part rotates, much like changing the return label on a letter without moving house.

If local and web results differ, compare scope and active interface. A fe80:: address is local, and a VPN may use a different route. See how to check whether your VPN is working.

Troubleshoot a missing or unexpected IPv6 result

SymptomLikely explanationNext check
Loqmi shows IPv4 onlyThis page request used IPv4; your network may still have IPv6Check the active adapter, then try an IPv6-only connectivity test or ask your ISP whether IPv6 is enabled
Only fe80:: appearsThe interface has link-local IPv6 but may not have a global addressReconnect to the network and check router or ISP IPv6 settings; do not treat link-local as public
Several IPv6 entries appearDifferent interfaces, scopes, or temporary addresses are listedMatch the active adapter and scope; use a web lookup for the address seen by a remote site
The result changes after switching networksThe route, VPN exit, or ISP-assigned prefix changedRepeat the check on each network and note which connection was active
The address looks right but an app cannot connectA valid address alone does not confirm DNS, routing, firewall, or server configurationCheck the destination’s IPv6 support and firewall rules; for a change to your internet address, see how to change your IP address

A local address shows that IPv6 is configured on an interface. It does not prove that packets can reach a public service. A failed test may involve the router, ISP, VPN, firewall, or destination. Change one connection at a time, because troubleshooting by interpretive dance is hard to reproduce.

What an IPv6 address can reveal

A self-lookup reports your request’s source. A lookup of a known address consults network records. IANA and Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) coordinate address allocations, which can identify an operator but not the subscriber’s home address.

Geolocation uses databases, not GPS, and may point to an ISP network or nearby city. An address does not reliably reveal a street address or name; see what someone can infer from your IP.

Use the public result for what a website sees, the local value for configuring a device, and the prefix for subnet details. Avoid posting an address without a reason. If a privacy or routing issue concerns you, compare networks and review VPN and router settings before disabling IPv6.

Key takeaways

  • A website lookup shows the address used for that request; device settings list interface addresses.
  • IPv6 devices can have multiple addresses with different scopes and purposes.
  • fe80:: is link-local, while fc or fd commonly indicates unique local space.
  • A missing public result calls for a connectivity check, not an assumption that IPv6 is absent.

Frequently asked questions

Can an IPv6 lookup reveal someone's name or home address?

No. A public lookup may identify the network operator and estimate a broad region, but it does not map an address to a person's name or reliable street address. The ISP may hold subscriber records, but an ordinary lookup tool does not have access to them. Treat an IP address as network information, not a complete identity.

Can I paste an IPv6 address into a browser address bar?

Only if a web server is listening at that address and the URL is formatted correctly. IPv6 literals in URLs need square brackets, such as https://[2001:db8::1]/, because colons also separate a port number. Many addresses are examples, local-only, or not configured for a website, so a syntactically valid address may still fail to load.

What does the slash number after an IPv6 address mean?

It is a prefix length: the number of leading bits that identify the network portion. For example, /64 means the first 64 bits are the prefix and the remaining bits identify interfaces within that subnet. The slash length is network configuration information; it is not a second address or a measurement of your connection speed.

Is a link-local IPv6 address enough for internet access?

No. An address beginning fe80:: is used for communication on the local network link and is not a public internet address. A device may have link-local IPv6 even when the router or ISP has not provided working internet IPv6. Check the address seen by a remote IPv6-capable service to confirm end-to-end access.

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