What is the difference between a public IP and a private IP?

Your public IP is the address your internet provider assigns to your home or mobile connection — it is visible to websites and remote servers. Your private (local) IP is assigned by your router and only works inside your own network. Carbide's IP Info tool shows you both.

Why does my IP address change sometimes?

Most home internet plans use a dynamic public IP, meaning your provider can assign you a different address each time your router reconnects. Mobile networks change your IP even more frequently. If you need a fixed address, ask your provider about a static IP plan or use a reputable VPN with a dedicated IP.

Can I use these tools without an internet connection?

Carbide's Network Info and IP Info tools can read your local network details entirely offline. DNS Lookup and WHOIS Lookup do need a live connection to query remote DNS servers and WHOIS registries — but the tools themselves are free, install nothing extra, and do not log your queries.

What should I look for in a WHOIS result to spot a suspicious domain?

Check the creation date first — domains registered within the past few weeks are a common phishing signal. Also look at the registrar name (low-cost registrars are often abused), whether privacy protection is hiding all contact details, and whether the name servers match the claimed brand. A mismatch between any of these and the site's apparent identity is a red flag.

Guide

How to find your IP address and network details

Every device on a network has at least two IP addresses — one visible to the internet and one used only inside your home or office. Knowing the difference, and understanding what DNS and WHOIS data tell you, helps you diagnose problems and stay informed about your connection. This guide walks you through each concept and shows you exactly where to look.

Public IP vs local IP: what is the difference?

Your public IP address is assigned by your internet service provider and is what websites and remote servers see when you connect. Your local (private) IP address — typically something like 192.168.1.x — is assigned by your router and is only visible inside your network. To see both at once, open Carbide's IP Info tool. It runs entirely on your device, so nothing is logged or sent to a third-party server. Knowing your public IP matters when setting up port forwarding, a VPN, or remote access; your local IP matters when connecting devices on the same network.

What DNS does and why it matters

DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable names like example.com into the numeric IP addresses computers actually use. When DNS is slow or misconfigured, websites fail to load even when your connection is otherwise fine. Carbide's DNS Lookup tool lets you query any domain's A, AAAA, MX, TXT, and CNAME records directly from your phone — no browser needed, no data leaves your device. If you suspect a DNS problem, compare the result you get against a known-good resolver such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 to see whether your ISP's DNS is returning stale or incorrect records.

Reading a WHOIS lookup

A WHOIS record shows the registration details behind a domain name or IP address: the registrar, registration and expiry dates, name servers, and sometimes contact information. This is useful when you receive a suspicious email, want to verify who owns a site, or need to track down an abuse contact. Open the WHOIS Lookup tool in Carbide, type in any domain or IP, and you get the raw registry data instantly — offline, private, and free. Focus on the registrar name, creation date (very new domains can signal phishing), and the name-server entries to confirm a domain is pointing where it should.

Basic connectivity troubleshooting

If a site or service is unreachable, work through these steps in order. First, use Carbide's Network Info tool to confirm you actually have a connection and check signal strength, gateway address, and assigned DNS servers. Second, use DNS Lookup to check whether the domain resolves correctly. Third, check your public IP with IP Info — if it has changed unexpectedly, a VPN or proxy may be interfering. Fourth, run a WHOIS lookup on the destination domain to confirm it is not expired or recently transferred. Most connectivity problems are caused by DNS misconfiguration, an incorrect gateway, or a blocked port — and each of these tools surfaces that information without installing anything extra or connecting to a cloud service.

Tools in this guide

IP Info DNS Lookup Network Info WHOIS Lookup

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a public IP and a private IP?: Your public IP is the address your internet provider assigns to your home or mobile connection — it is visible to websites and remote servers. Your private (local) IP is assigned by your router and only works inside your own network. Carbide's IP Info tool shows you both.
Why does my IP address change sometimes?: Most home internet plans use a dynamic public IP, meaning your provider can assign you a different address each time your router reconnects. Mobile networks change your IP even more frequently. If you need a fixed address, ask your provider about a static IP plan or use a reputable VPN with a dedicated IP.
Can I use these tools without an internet connection?: Carbide's Network Info and IP Info tools can read your local network details entirely offline. DNS Lookup and WHOIS Lookup do need a live connection to query remote DNS servers and WHOIS registries — but the tools themselves are free, install nothing extra, and do not log your queries.
What should I look for in a WHOIS result to spot a suspicious domain?: Check the creation date first — domains registered within the past few weeks are a common phishing signal. Also look at the registrar name (low-cost registrars are often abused), whether privacy protection is hiding all contact details, and whether the name servers match the claimed brand. A mismatch between any of these and the site's apparent identity is a red flag.