Location essentials
How accurate is IP geolocation?
IP geolocation estimates where an address is used from network data. It is not GPS, and the marker on a map is not a verified personal address.
Why the city can be wrong
Traffic may leave your provider’s network in a different city. Mobile networks can cover large areas. VPNs, corporate gateways, satellite connections and recent address reassignments can all make the estimate less representative of where you are.
The circle matters
Where the database provides an accuracy radius, we show an area around the estimated coordinates. The centre is a reference point for that estimate, not a building to investigate. If no radius is available, we avoid street-level zoom and do not invent a distance.
Different addresses, different estimates
Your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses can belong to different ranges with different estimates. A lookup for another IP updates the map to that selected address; it does not change your own connection information.
Compare with your own device
You can explicitly request a one-time browser location and compare its separate marker and accuracy circle with the IP estimate. This requires external maps consent and browser permission. It does not run automatically or continuously track your movements. Browser location may use GPS, Wi-Fi or other sources and can also be inaccurate; it is not a guaranteed exact position.
When you look up someone else’s IP, the device marker still represents your own device, not the person behind the selected IP. Comparing two estimates does not prove who uses an address or whether a VPN protects every connection.
The comparison stays in page memory, but map requests can reveal the displayed areas to the map provider. Read about location choices and privacy.
What we do not do
We do not identify a person from an address or claim to find a household. Data can be incomplete or outdated. A missing result is displayed as unavailable.