About this tool
Every public IP address is handed out by one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs): ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, LACNIC and AFRINIC. They record which organisation holds each address block. This tool finds the responsible registry through IANA's RDAP bootstrap data and asks it for the network record.
ARIN's terms do not allow its data to be republished by a commercial service, so for ARIN addresses we show the registry and link to ARIN's own lookup.
How to read the results
- Network name and range — the block the address belongs to, often an ISP, hosting company or cloud provider.
- Owner — the organisation the block is assigned to. It is not necessarily the person or website using the address.
- Abuse contact — where to report spam, scanning or attacks from the address.
- Country — the country in the registration record, which is not always where the server physically is.
- Reverse DNS — the PTR host name, often revealing the provider or the server's purpose.
Limitations
- Registry data describes address allocation, not the current user. Cloud and hosting providers re-assign addresses constantly.
- IP geolocation is not included: registration country and physical location often differ.
- Registries rate-limit automated lookups, so results are cached for an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find a person's name or home address from their IP?
No. Registry records show the ISP or organisation that holds the address block. Only the ISP can link an address to a customer, and only under legal procedures.
Where should I report abuse from an IP address?
Use the abuse e-mail address shown in the result. Include timestamps with time zone, the IP address and log excerpts.
What are RIRs?
Regional Internet Registries manage IP addresses and AS numbers for a region: ARIN (North America), RIPE NCC (Europe, Middle East, Central Asia), APNIC (Asia-Pacific), LACNIC (Latin America) and AFRINIC (Africa).
Does this work for IPv6?
Yes. Enter any public IPv6 address.
Is IP WHOIS the same as geolocation?
No. It shows the registered holder, not the physical location.
What is an abuse contact?
The address where a network accepts abuse reports.