A private IP address is a non-internet facing IP address used in an internal network. Private IP addresses are provided by network devices, such as routers, using network address translation.
Private IP addresses are:
- Used in an internal network
- Reserved for internal use behind a router or other Network Address Translation (NAT) device
- Non-routable
- Allow devices connected over the same network to communicate
- Can be reused by devices on another network
- Help bolster security within a specific network
Public IP addresses are public and can’t be used within a home or business network.
Private IP addresses are in the range:
- Class A – 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255
- Class B – 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
- Class C – 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255