Internal IP address

Updated: 08/02/2020 by Computer Hope

Alternatively called the local IP address, the internal IP address is the address that is assigned by your local network router that often begins with 192.168.x.x. These IP addresses are only seen by other computers in your local network and not by computers connected to an external network, such as the Internet.

To reach the Internet or another network computer, your computer is often assigned an external IP address, which identifies the computer in your local network.

Internal IP address

In the picture above, the three computers in the local network are assigned an internal IP address by the router. The ISP (Internet service provider) is connected to the router and gives the router an external IP address for communicating with the Internet. On the Internet, everyone sees your external IP address, but any information coming from the router is routed from the external IP address to the internal IP address.

External IP address, IP address, Network terms