Why Do People Need IP Lookup Services?
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are specific numerical identifiers of a router, switch, or hub which can be issued in 32-bit IPv4 or 128-bit IPv6 formats. IP addresses identify the host source that is providing the connection and pinpoint where on earth this source is located.
The main purposes of an IP address lookup include combating cyberattacks or overcoming the shortfalls of foreign communication or marketing, like language barriers or time zone differences.
Criteria of Good IP Lookup Tools
Internet Provider Information
As we’ve discussed, IP addresses signify two main things: the identity and whereabouts of your network provider. IP lookup tools should therefore offer comprehensive details on both. These include the name of the organization, internet service provider (ISP), and anonymous system (AS) that supplies the internet you use.
Information regarding location includes the country, state or province, city, zip code, and coordinates where the network is originally from. Providing this information requires complete access to international IP address catalogs and archives that compile IP data from millions of sources worldwide.
Security Details
IP addresses differ from physical addresses as they identify software rather than actual places. Therefore, aside from the details that we’ve discussed, they should also be able to disclose if there is any suspicious or malicious technology, like trackers, bots, or crawlers, associated with a device.
Furthermore, as they must have access to comprehensive IP lists and databases, these tools should be able to tell if a certain address has been blacklisted for security or other violations.
Other Facilities
Apart from these, IP lookup sites should also fulfill other useful needs including
- Precise information regarding IPv4 as well as IPv6 addresses
- Immediate, accurate response
- Free and widespread access
- Safe operation
Top 3 Free Online IP Lookup Sites
Although there are countless IP lookup servers and hosts available online, the vast majority of them only provide limited services. Many of these sites lack accurate geolocation, IPv6 support, visual mapping, free access, or other features.
As such we’ve looked around and narrowed this list down to the three best sites for performing IP lookups and related tasks based on their capabilities and certain unique qualities.
iplocation.io
Best for: Overall IP tools and services across multiple servers
This website includes one of the top-visited online IP lookup pages through the most popular search engines. IPLocation.io provides accurate and thorough IP information compiled from several third-party servers rather than just one search program for comparability, and it does so quickly and free of cost.
Apart from searching an IP’s sources, this website also hosts several other IP-related tools like self-address lookup, address extraction, IP conversion software, reverse lookup, and a variety of other tools.
Features
- Support from geolocation databases and APIs
- IPv4 and IPv6 support
- Visually-mapped results
- Blacklist checking
- Free of charge; no registration is needed
- Convenient Interface
WhatIsMyIPAddress.com
Best for: Accurate Geotracking
Another top-searched site, this server hosts a fairly simple set of features and a user-friendly interface. It is a popular choice among users for digging up information regarding a network’s address, provider and organization, geological data, as well as services associated with the IP.
However, its best feature is its accurate geolocation capabilities. It is able to target host nations with near-perfect precision, and host cities with no less than 80% accuracy, something most other IP lookup servers are not capable of.
Features
- Decent geolocation database support
- Precision tracking
- IPv4 and IPv6 support
- Visually-mapped results
- Blacklist checking
- Free of charge
- Convenient Interface
Melissa Lookups
Best for Advanced, premium services
Although this website requires registration and premium accounts to access some of its services, like advanced global geo-tracking technology, it still hosts several helpful tools completely free of charge. Among them is its IP lookup tool.
This tool is easy to use and provides relevant information after a single click. It allows data to be presented in XML or JSON formats, and its geo-tracking capabilities can be viewed on Maps or Street View.
Features
- IPv4 and IPv6 support
- Visually-mapped results
- Blacklist checking
- Convenient Interface
- Credits are required for some facilities like XML/JSON lookup, multiple lookup inquiries, API access, etc.
Verdict – The Best General Site for IP Tracking
Although most IP lookup tools and sites are offering acceptable address tracking services, these three tools are arguably ahead of the rest thanks to their useful features.
However, thanks to its fully free service, comprehensive database and API support, suitable geo-tracking, and use of multiple third-party servers, iplocation.io has to be the superior site for unmatched convenience and detailed results.
Conclusion
Without IP addressing, navigating the internet safely and sustainably would be impossible. Internet users today have the fortunate opportunity to benefit from IP address lookup websites from across the web to monitor the safety and efficiency of their network services with just one click.
