Why does my IP address show the wrong location?
IP-based location is not measured like GPS coordinates; it is estimated from the region an internet provider registered an address block to, so it can differ from your real location. It is typically only accurate to a region or city, never to an exact street address.
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How is IP location calculated?
IP location databases do not receive GPS signals. Instead they estimate location from records of which region a provider has assigned a given address block to. This site also uses DB-IP data to show an approximate location.
The reference point a provider registers, such as a regional office or exchange location, can differ from where a user actually lives, so it is common for someone to be shown in the city where the provider's equipment sits rather than their own neighborhood.
Why is it only accurate to a city, not an exact address?
IP addresses are assigned to regions in large blocks managed by a provider, not per individual line. So the location database can only know the city or region that block belongs to, not an individual home.
Mobile data is even more prone to this, since the structure of cell towers and relay equipment can place users in a different city even when they are physically nearby.
Why does using a VPN or proxy change the location shown?
A VPN or proxy replaces the public IP the internet sees with the VPN server's IP, so the location database reports the region of that server rather than your actual location. See check that your VPN works for how to verify this.
Why does it still show my old location after I moved or switched providers?
IP location databases are built from data that providers register and update periodically, so even after your line actually changes, the old region can keep showing until the database catches up.
This limitation is not unique to this site — it applies to IP-based location services in general. If you need an accurate current location, your device's GPS or a carrier app will be more accurate than an IP lookup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fix my IP location to match where I actually am?
Not directly on this site. It is calculated automatically from region data providers register, so waiting for the database to update or using another location method such as GPS alongside it is the best approach.
Why is location especially inaccurate on mobile data?
Mobile networks route traffic from many regions through a carrier's relay equipment, so it is especially common to be shown in a city far from where you actually are.
Does the ASN tell me a more accurate location?
An ASN only identifies which provider or organization's network an address belongs to; it is not precise location data. What is an ASN explains this further.