Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Digital Literacy How the Web Works The World Wide Web The Big Picture

Joseph Martin Nograles
Joseph Martin Nograles
4,696 Points
Posted by Joseph Martin Nograles
Joseph Martin Nograles
4,696 Points

Own computer's IP address

From what I understand, my own laptop/computer has it's own IP address provided by my internet service provider. Does my IP address change if I go to a different location to use the internet. Ex. do I have a different IP address when I'm at home vs when I'm at a local Starbucks?

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points

The short answer is "Yes", but it's a bit more complicated than that.

Anyplace you connect using Dynamic IP, you'll get a different number assigned by the local network. But more than that, the IP number assigned to your machine will be different from the IP number that machines you connect to out in the world will see. This is due to a networking process called "Network Address Translation" (or "NAT").

At home, based on your provider, you may or may not also use NAT. But either way, your IP will be different from what it is when you're at Starbuck's.