You've switched Wi-Fi, but your IP address still looks the same. Your public IP usually changes when the new network uses a different internet connection, but a different Wi-Fi name alone doesn't guarantee it. Here's how to switch networks on your device and check what actually changed.
Compare your public IP before and after switching
Open Proton's public IP checker while connected to your current Wi-Fi. Record the displayed address. This is the public IP visible to that website, including a VPN or relay address when those services carry its traffic.
Connect to Wi-Fi that uses another internet connection, such as a café's network instead of your home network, using the instructions for your device below. Reload the same IP-check page. Compare the displayed address with the one you recorded. Keep your VPN, proxy, and iCloud Private Relay settings consistent throughout the comparison.
Choose another network on your phone or tablet
Use these steps when you have another Wi-Fi network available. Joining it normally changes your public IP when it uses a different internet connection.
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Wi-Fi. Turn on Wi-Fi. Then tap the destination network's name.
Enter its password when requested. Complete the terms-and-conditions screen if the network presents one.
On Google's Android interface, open Settings > Network & internet > Internet. Manufacturer interfaces vary, and some steps require Android 12 or later. Select the network you want to join.
For a hidden Android network, tap Add network. Enter the hidden network's details.
Move your computer to another Wi-Fi connection
This switches your computer to the alternative network for your IP comparison. In Windows 11, select the taskbar's Network, Sound, or Battery area. Open Manage Wi-Fi connections.
Select the destination network. Click Connect. Enter the network password. Select Next.
On a Mac, click the menu-bar Wi-Fi icon. Open Other Networks if the destination network isn't in the initial selection. Choose the destination network.
Enter its password. Click Join.
On a Chromebook, select the time. Open Settings > Network > Wi-Fi. Choose the destination network.
Enter its password if required. Select Connect. Complete the browser sign-in page if the public network requests it.
Try a cellular hotspot as your second network
On an iPhone or cellular-capable iPad with carrier support and an eligible plan, open Settings > Personal Hotspot. The alternative path is Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot. Enable Allow Others to Join. On the device you're testing, select the hotspot's name from its Wi-Fi network list.
Enter the password displayed on the hotspot device. Your connection now uses that device's cellular internet service.
Reload the public IP checker. Compare the displayed address with your original result. A hotspot supplies a different internet connection, but it doesn't guarantee a different public IPv4 address.
Find out why the public address stays the same
An unchanged address doesn't mean the switch failed. Multiple Wi-Fi names, bands, and access points can share the same internet connection.
Try a network using a separate internet connection instead of another access point on your existing network. Moving between points in a home mesh network does not establish a different internet connection.
Check whether a VPN, proxy, or relay carries the traffic you're measuring. These services determine the address websites see for covered traffic without changing your ISP-assigned address; iCloud Private Relay primarily protects Safari browsing and isn't an all-app VPN.
To compare the underlying connections with Proton VPN on Windows, select Disconnect in its connection panel. Traffic returns to the underlying connection when no other VPN, proxy, or blocking policy intervenes.
Repeat the IP-check comparison on both networks with those settings kept consistent. Separate connections can still share a public IPv4 address through carrier-grade NAT, which lets providers share public addresses among customers.
Contact your internet provider to request a public-IP change if you want a different address while staying on your home connection. The provider controls assignment, and even a dynamic address can remain unchanged for a long time.
Check local addresses separately
Your device's local network address and the public address a website sees are separate things. Unrelated networks reuse private addresses, so the same local number doesn't mean you're still using the same internet connection.
On Windows, run ipconfig in Command Prompt and inspect the active adapter's IPv4 and IPv6 information. On a Chromebook, select the time > Wi-Fi network > Information. Record these separately from the public IP checker's result.
Renewing a DHCP lease or assigning a manual local address does not normally change your home's public IPv4 address. A DHCP renewal can return the same local address, too.
The familiar explanation of a home sharing one public address mainly describes IPv4 NAT. Devices aren't limited to one IP address, and IPv6 doesn't work identically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will restarting my router give me a new public IP address?
A restart does not guarantee a new public IP. Reassignment depends on the upstream network, and restarting a mesh point alone does not create a different internet connection.
Does Private Wi-Fi Address on my iPhone change my public IP?
No. Private Wi-Fi Address changes the MAC address used for Wi-Fi identification. It is not a public-IP changer.
Does flushing DNS change my IP address?
No. The Windows ipconfig /flushdns command clears the DNS resolver cache. It does not change your device's IP address or your connection's public IP.
Can I switch my iPhone to cellular instead of joining another Wi-Fi network?
Yes, when cellular data is available and enabled. Open Settings > Wi-Fi, then turn off Wi-Fi. The Control Center Wi-Fi button only disconnects temporarily. A Wi-Fi-only iPad cannot independently switch to cellular data.