IP Whois Lookup
Our IP Whois lookup tool helps you find detailed ownership and allocation information about any IP address. Get country, state, city, ISP, ASN, and Regional Internet Registry (RIR) data. Supports both IPv4 and IPv6.
What Data Do We See? Understanding IP Information
When you perform an IP Whois lookup, various data points are collected and displayed. Here's what each piece of information means, where it comes from, and what you should know about its accuracy:
IP Address Information
| Data Field | Description | Source | Accuracy Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP Address | A unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network. | User input or your current connection | 100% accurate as provided |
| IP Version | Indicates whether the IP is IPv4 (e.g., 192.168.1.1) or IPv6 (e.g., 2001:db8::1). | Determined by IP address format | 100% accurate |
Geographical Information
| Country | The country where the IP address is registered or located. | IP geolocation databases | Generally reliable at country level (90-99% accurate) |
| Continent | The continent where the IP is located. | Derived from country information | As accurate as the country determination |
| Region/State | The regional division within the country. | IP geolocation databases | Moderately reliable (70-90% accurate), less accurate than country data |
| City | The city where the IP is likely located. | IP geolocation databases | Less reliable (50-80% accurate), can often show nearest major city |
| ZIP/Postal Code | The postal code for the area. | IP geolocation databases | Limited accuracy (50-70%), often approximated |
| Latitude/Longitude | Geographic coordinates used to place the IP on a map. | IP geolocation databases | Often represents a city center or ISP location rather than exact device location |
Registration & Network Information
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) | The company providing internet services for this IP. | IP geolocation databases and RIR WHOIS data | Generally accurate (80-95%), though may show parent company rather than local provider |
| Organization | The entity that owns or operates the IP address. | RIR WHOIS data | Highly accurate for allocation data (90-99%) |
| AS Number/Name | Autonomous System number and name, indicating which network operates the IP. | Global routing tables and RIR data | Very accurate (95-99%) |
| Regional Internet Registry (RIR) | The organization responsible for allocating IP addresses in a region (ARIN, RIPE, APNIC). | WHOIS database queries | 100% accurate |
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) Explained
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are organizations that manage the allocation and registration of Internet number resources within a particular region of the world. These resources include IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs).
The Five RIRs
ARIN
American Registry for Internet Numbers
Covers: North America (US, Canada, parts of the Caribbean)
RIPE NCC
Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre
Covers: Europe, Middle East, Central Asia
LACNIC
Latin America and Caribbean Network Information Centre
Covers: Latin America and parts of the Caribbean
Why RIRs Matter
The RIR information shown in IP WHOIS lookups is important because it:
- Indicates the official regional body that allocated the IP address
- Helps trace the ownership chain of the IP address
- Provides authoritative contact information for addressing network abuse issues
- Confirms the legitimate allocation of IP resources
About IP WHOIS Lookup
What does this tool do?
Our IP WHOIS Lookup tool reveals detailed ownership and allocation information about any IP address. It provides country, state, city, ISP, ASN (Autonomous System Number), and Regional Internet Registry (RIR) data for both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Why is this useful?
IP WHOIS data helps identify the organization responsible for an IP address, understand geographic location, verify legitimate traffic sources, and investigate potential security threats. It's essential for network administration, security analysis, and compliance purposes.
Who uses this tool?
- Security analysts - Investigate suspicious IP addresses and potential threats
- Network administrators - Trace network issues and verify IP ownership
- Law enforcement - Track down sources of malicious activity for investigations
- IT professionals - Verify the legitimacy of network traffic and connections
- Webmasters - Analyze visitor traffic sources and identify potential threats
How to perform an IP WHOIS lookup
- Enter any public IPv4 or IPv6 address in the input field
- Click "Lookup" to query the WHOIS databases
- Review the summary information showing key details
- Explore detailed views for comprehensive technical information
- Check the map view to see the approximate geographic location
Example
Looking up 8.8.8.8 shows it's owned by Google LLC, registered through ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers), and located in the United States. The ASN information reveals it belongs to Google's network infrastructure.
Understanding your results
- Country & Location
- Geographic location where the IP address is registered or where the controlling organization is based.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider)
- The organization that owns or manages the IP address range, such as a telecommunications company or hosting provider.
- Organization
- The specific company or entity that the IP address is allocated to, which may differ from the ISP.
- ASN (Autonomous System Number)
- A unique identifier for a network on the internet, used for routing purposes between different networks.
- RIR (Regional Internet Registry)
- The regional authority responsible for allocating IP addresses in different geographic regions.
Regional Internet Registries
- ARIN: North America (United States, Canada)
- RIPE: Europe, Middle East, Central Asia
- APNIC: Asia-Pacific region
- LACNIC: Latin America and Caribbean
- AFRINIC: Africa
Important considerations
- Privacy services: Some IPs may have privacy protection, limiting available information
- Proxy/VPN services: May show the service provider's information rather than the end user
- Geographic accuracy: Location data is approximate and may not reflect actual physical location
Important notes
- WHOIS data accuracy depends on the information provided by registrants
- Some organizations may not make all information publicly available
- Dynamic IP addresses may show the ISP's information rather than the current user
- Geographic location is based on registration data, not actual device location
Common use cases
Security Investigation
Identify the source of suspicious network activity, investigate potential threats, and trace malicious IP addresses for incident response.
Network Troubleshooting
Verify IP ownership when diagnosing connectivity issues, confirm legitimate traffic sources, and identify network path problems.
Compliance Verification
Ensure traffic originates from expected geographic regions, verify user locations for regulatory compliance, and audit network access.
Business Intelligence
Analyze visitor traffic patterns, understand customer geographic distribution, and identify potential business opportunities by region.
Privacy and ethics
While WHOIS information is publicly available, it should be used responsibly and ethically. Respect privacy rights and use this information only for legitimate purposes such as security, network administration, and compliance.