What distinguishes public IP addresses from private IP addresses?

Public IP addresses are distinct from private IP addresses primarily because they are routable on the internet. This means that devices assigned a public IP address can directly communicate with other devices across the global internet without any special configuration or translation. Public IPs are unique across the entire internet, allowing services and servers to be accessed from anywhere in the world.

In contrast, private IP addresses are intended for use within local networks, such as a home or office. They cannot be routed on the internet, which means that any device with a private IP address can only communicate with other devices within the same private network unless a network address translation (NAT) process is implemented. This is crucial for maintaining the limited number of available public IPs and for enhancing network security within local networks.

Public IP addresses are assigned and managed by internet service providers (ISPs) and must comply with the global standards set by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). In comparison, private IP addresses fall within specific ranges defined by these standards and can be reused across different local networks without conflict, which reinforces their nature as internal addresses. It's important to note that while private IP addresses can potentially be shared among many devices in different networks, public IPs cannot be shared in a similar manner without