Dictionary · Networking Fundamentals
Private IP Address
Addressing · Beginner
An address from a range reserved for use inside networks, not for routing across the public Internet. Common 32-bit ranges are 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16.
Home and office devices often receive these addresses. They can talk locally, but a translator or proxy has to be involved before they communicate with the public Internet.
Example: A home router may hand out 192.168.1.20 to a phone. That address can be reused in millions of other homes.
Common misconception
- Private does not mean secret or encrypted. It means the range is reserved for internal use.