Popular Mechanics: Here’s how a string of numbers can foil your legally dubious plans on the internet….Your external IP address is what you likely think about first when considering that unique string of numbers associated with your internet use. It’s also the IP address that your internet service provider assigns to you, and it’s all public. Put another way: it’s the digital address for your router interface. From there, your router provides your devices with internet access. At this point, when you visit a website on your phone or laptop, each of those devices has its own internal IP address—also called a private IP address—that is logged along with your browsing history. Think of the relationship between the two like a phone extension. Your telephone provider assigns you a particular phone number that routes calls only to you. This would be the internal IP address. But the default company number, which is publicly listed, is like your external IP address. In this analogy, your router acts as a kind of receptionist…”