Everyday Internet & Troubleshooting
Why Does My IP Address Keep Changing?
If your IP address looks different from yesterday, that's usually normal. Here's what's going on behind the scenes.
Most home IPs are dynamic
ISPs assign most home connections a dynamic IP from a shared pool using DHCP. Your address is leased for a while, then may change when the lease renews. It's cheaper for ISPs and fine for everyday use.
Common reasons it changes
- Your modem/router restarted — a reboot or power cut often triggers a new address.
- The DHCP lease expired — leases renew periodically; you might get a new IP.
- You switched networks — Wi‑Fi to mobile data, or a different Wi‑Fi, means a different public IP.
- Your ISP re-provisioned — maintenance or address management can reassign you.
What about IPv6?
IPv6 uses privacy extensions that rotate the address your device presents over time — by design, to make tracking harder. So your IPv6 address changing regularly is expected behavior.
When it doesn't change
A static IP (usually a paid add-on) stays fixed — useful for hosting servers or remote access. Learn the trade-offs in static vs. dynamic IP, and keep a private timeline of your addresses with the IP history tool.