Quick answer

An RIR registry lookup shows registration information for an IP address block, such as the registered network and organization. It does not identify the individual using an address, establish a person's home or exact location, or prove which device is currently using it.

How to check an address

1. Get the public IPv4 or IPv6 address from a network test you trust. A private or local address is not a public Internet registration lookup; the IP and DNS guide explains what a browser test observes.
2. Use IANA's IPv4 Address Space registry or IPv6 Global Unicast Address Space registry to find the listed registry and its WHOIS/RDAP service for the address block.
3. Open that registry's lookup service and search the IP address. ARIN's Whois/RDAP search accepts IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and CIDR ranges. If the IANA record points to another RIR, use the corresponding service shown in the registry.
4. Read the network range and registration organization in context. A more-specific record may describe part of a larger allocation; use the registry's parent or related records when needed. Save the address, lookup time, and relevant record details if you are reporting a network issue.

What the record means

WHOIS and RDAP are ways to retrieve Internet number resource registration data. ARIN describes its service as a public resource for information about IP number resources and associated organizations and contacts. The record is about the registered network resource. It is not a live map, subscriber directory, or proof that the listed organization directly operates a particular device or service at the time you check.

RIR data and geolocation estimates answer different questions. A registry record can help you identify a network operator or the registry responsible for a block; a geolocation database estimates where an address may be used. Neither is a reliable way to locate a person. See the IP geolocation accuracy guide for interpreting location results and VPN endpoints.

Privacy and reporting

This page has no IP lookup field and does not query a registry. If you use an external registry, the address you search is sent to that service as a query. Avoid posting an address publicly if you consider it sensitive. For abuse or security reports, contact the network or service through a published reporting channel and include relevant timestamps; registration data alone does not establish who caused an event.

For subnet boundaries rather than registration ownership, use the local IPv4 subnet calculator. It performs address arithmetic and does not query a registry.