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I was able to see my private IP address in my Android phone. While goggling what is my ip I got my public IP. As per my knowledge, In case of broadband connection Public IP is assigned by ISP and router holds the private IP address. whenever the packet is received by router via public IP it transfers to the private IP.

What happens in case of mobile data network? is there is any concept called router in Android mobile. If not what is difference for private and public IP concept in Android mobile

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  • Why do you think it’s a private IP? They are not internet routable, by definition.
    – Daniel B
    Jan 3, 2015 at 11:11
  • yes, the provider network does implement routers/gateways between their network and their upstream bandwidth providers. you may pass through many private/internal networks as your communication travels from gateway to gateway across the internet. Only the gateways between providers networks need public IPs. everything within their network however is likely private. Jan 3, 2015 at 11:17
  • @DanielB He didn't say the private IP was sent out on the internet did he. In theory it's possible to have a public IP and a private IP. Why don't you download a terminal app and see for yourself. On my phone I have a private IP. And I don't see why that shouldn't be possible. A device could get a public IP do NAT provide a private IP to itself. In doing that it would block incoming connections which is more secure.
    – barlop
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:19
  • Ah, guess I misread, sorry about that.
    – Daniel B
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:22
  • @DanielB You're probably right re carrier grade NAT. And To Vinoth can you state what you are using to view this private IP?
    – barlop
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:57

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Your mobile phone will usually have only one IP address at all times.

When you are connected using Wifi, you connect to a router which hosts a local area network using private (internal) IP addresses, thereby supplying you with an internal address.

The router itself is usually connected to the internet using a public IP, in which case you would see a private IP address (which is unique in your network) on your phone, while you'll be using the routers public IP address when surfing on the internet and visiting a "what-is-my-IP" website.

However, when you are connected to a mobile data network, most carriers supply you with a public IP address directly. There is no (intermediate) router in place, and therefore no private IP addresses either. Actually the ISP at your home does the same, but there you'd like to share the broadband connection with multiple devices, while your mobile data connection is only used by your phone.

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  • The last paragraph is not necessarily true anymore. Especially in former third-world countries, where mobile internet access is the only internet access, there may not be enough IP addresses available for all users.
    – Daniel B
    Jan 3, 2015 at 11:12
  • Very true, I tried to keep it simple and work around that by using "most". You could say the same about traditional broadband ISP's, in Asia some gigantic NAT's are already in place and it might not take long till those are needed in Europe and the US.
    – Evianon
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:00
  • Unfortunately, they’re already in place, for example with o2 in Germany. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember.
    – Daniel B
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:05
  • You write "However, when you are connected to a mobile data network, most carriers supply you with a public IP address directly" <-- Not all carriers? Could you state which if any carriers provide a private IP and how? Have you seen any mobile were going to www.whatismyip.com shows a private IP? I have never seen any device do that.
    – barlop
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:21
  • Furthermore, and i'm not sure I understand this, but my mobile has a private IP and a public IP. I have a terminal app I downloaded to my nexus(runs android), I ran 'ifconfig' and it showed a 10/8 address. But I have a public IP as shown by going to a whatismyip type website(understandable). But ifconfig shows a private IP.
    – barlop
    Jan 3, 2015 at 12:22

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