Definition: A private IP address is any IP address that falls within three IP address

ranges reserved for private network use:

10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

Devices with private IP addresses can communicate with other hardware within the
same network that also have private IP addresses but not directly with devices with
public IP addresses. A router is required for private and public networks to
exchange information.

Any IP address inside of a home or business network, like the IP address assigned
to one of your personal computers, is a private IP address, not a public IP address.

The IP address that your home or business router receives from your ISP is a public
IP address, as are the IP addresses of other devices on the Internet like the servers
that host websites.

Note: Another range of private IP addresses is 169.254.0.0 to 169.254.255.255 but

is for Automatic Private IP Addressing use only.

Also Known As: local IP address

Examples:
"My router's private IP address is 10.1.0.1 and my two computers have private IP
addresses assigned 10.1.0.2 and 10.1.0.3."

Definition: A public IP address is any IP address that is not in the range reserved
for private IP addresses.

The IP address that your home or business router receives from your ISP is a public
IP address. Other devices on the Internet like the servers that host websites and the
other network hardware involved in managing Internet traffic also use public IP
addresses.
Devices with public IP addresses can communicate with other devices with public
IP addresses but not directly with devices with private IP addresses. A router is
required for public and private networks to exchange information.

Any IP address inside of a home or business network, like the IP address assigned
to one of your personal computers, is a private IP address, not a public IP address.

Examples:
"My router's public IP address is 98.245.153.111 but it might change next time I
restart my cable modem."