Editing IP address (section)

== Public address ==
A public IP address is a globally routable unicast IP address, meaning that the address is not an address reserved for use in [[private network]]s, such as those reserved by {{IETF RFC|1918}}, or the various IPv6 address formats of local scope or site-local scope, for example for link-local addressing. Public IP addresses may be used for communication between hosts on the global Internet.
In a home situation, a public IP address is the IP address assigned to the home's network by the [[ISP]]. In this case, it is also locally visible by logging into the router configuration.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=What Is a Public IP Address? (and How to Find Yours) |url=https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-public-ip-address-2625974#mntl-sc-block_1-0-38 |website=Lifewire}}</ref>

Most public IP addresses change, and relatively often. Any type of IP address that changes is called a dynamic IP address. In home networks, the ISP usually assigns a dynamic IP. If an ISP gave a home network an unchanging address, it is more likely to be abused by customers who host websites from home, or by [[hacker]]s who can try the same IP address over and over until they breach a network.<ref name="auto" />