Help / Learn
Practical guides on IP concepts, diagnostics, and network signals.
What Is an IP Address?
Plain-language overview of what IP addresses are, how IPv4/IPv6 work, and why they matter for routing and security.
Read articleWhat Is an ASN?
Explains Autonomous System Numbers, how they identify network operators, and why ASNs matter for routing and analysis.
Read articleDatacenter vs Residential IPs
Compares datacenter vs residential IPs, how they’re classified, and why services treat them differently.
Read articleTor / Proxy Flags Explained
Explains Tor and proxy flags, how they’re detected, legitimate uses, and limits of using them as risk signals.
Read articleHow IP Risk Scores Work
Breaks down IP risk scores, the signals behind them, real-world uses, and common limitations.
Read articleAnycast IPs: Why the Same IP Can Be in Many Places
Understand anycast routing used by CDNs and DNS providers, and why IP location tests can look inconsistent.
Read articleCDN Explained: How Content Delivery Networks Change What You See
Learn how CDNs speed up websites, why the IP you see is often an edge server, and how to troubleshoot CDN-related issues.
Read articleCIDR and Subnets: Reading IP Ranges Like a Pro
A beginner-friendly guide to CIDR notation and subnets, with examples, practical uses, and common mistakes to avoid.
Read articleDHCP Explained: How Your Devices Get an IP Address
Learn how DHCP assigns local IP settings, what a lease means, and how to fix common home network problems like IP conflicts.
Read articleDNS Propagation: How Long Does It Really Take?
Understand DNS propagation, TTL, caching layers, and how to verify DNS changes correctly when updates don’t show up.
Read articleWhat Is DNS? (And Why It Affects Every Website You Visit)
Learn how DNS turns domain names into IP addresses, why DNS failures break websites, and how to troubleshoot common DNS issues.
Read articleEmail IP Reputation: Why Some Mail Goes to Spam (High-Level Guide)
Learn how sending IP reputation affects deliverability, why shared IPs struggle, and what SPF/DKIM/DMARC do at a high level.
Read articleHTTPS and TLS Basics: What Your Browser Security Lock Really Means
Learn what HTTPS/TLS protects, why certificate errors happen, and what the browser lock icon really means (and doesn’t mean).
Read articleLatency, Jitter, and Packet Loss: What They Mean for Real Users
A practical guide to latency, jitter, and packet loss—what’s normal, what causes problems, and what you can do to improve stability.
Read articleMTU and Fragmentation: The Hidden Cause of “Some Sites Won’t Load”
Understand MTU and fragmentation, why VPNs/tunnels can cause partial loading, and what safe fixes users can try.
Read articleNAT and CGNAT: Why Many People Share the Same Public IP
Learn how NAT and carrier-grade NAT work, why multiple users share one public IP, and how it affects bans, gaming, and troubleshooting.
Read articlePorts and Protocols: TCP vs UDP in Plain English
Learn what ports are, how TCP and UDP differ, and how NAT/firewalls affect common apps and troubleshooting.
Read articleReverse DNS (PTR): What It Is and Why It Matters
Understand reverse DNS (PTR records), who controls it, and how rDNS is used in troubleshooting, security, and email systems.
Read articleHow Traceroute Works (And How to Read It Without Guessing)
Learn what traceroute measures, why some hops time out, and how to identify where a connection problem starts.
Read articleWhat Is WHOIS / RDAP? How to Read IP Ownership Data
Learn how IP ownership is recorded via WHOIS/RDAP, what fields mean, and why the registered organization isn’t always the end user.
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