1. What the WAN observation means
The WAN address is the address assigned to that router by its upstream network. With two routers in series, the downstream router WAN may itself be private. A website observes the final outward source, so disagreement with a downstream WAN value can be expected. Identify which router page you are reading first.
A phone and PC using the same internet connection can share an exit. A phone silently switching to mobile data is a different path, even if it is physically beside the PC. Check the active network during the comparison and keep IPv4 observations separate from IPv6. Physical proximity does not identify a network path.
2. Investigating possible CGNAT
A WAN value between 100.64.0.0 and 100.127.255.255 belongs to RFC 6598 shared address space. It is a useful clue when asking a provider about address translation, not proof of the entire upstream topology. A private WAN value also needs investigation: it could come from your own second router or a provider-side network.
If you need inbound access to a home service, ask the provider whether a public address and incoming connections are available. Forwarding a port on one downstream router does not configure the upstream NAT or firewall. Enabling DMZ or broad port access first can create exposure without solving the actual path issue.
3. Visiting a site behind the same router
When the browser and server share a LAN, opening the server through its external domain may cause router loopback translation to present a private router peer, such as 192.168.0.1. That peer alone does not reveal the browser public egress. Substituting the server own external address would risk returning the wrong address for other visitors.
myIP uses an observed public peer when available. If only a private peer is visible, the browser connects directly to ipify; the page identifies that lookup source. A blocked external lookup produces an unavailable message. The IP API cannot reproduce a browser external path and therefore returns HTTP 503 when its public peer is unresolved.
4. A checklist before resetting anything
- Record the browser network, VPN state, address family and myIP result.
- Read the WAN address only on a router you are authorized to manage, then classify it in the address analyzer.
- Identify a second router, a same-LAN server or a provider modem that also routes traffic.
- Ask the provider about unresolved inbound restrictions and preserve settings before changes. A public IP alone does not prove a port is open.
Technical sources and references
Content and correction principles
myIP provides practical information for understanding IP observations and network settings. Guides refer to the technical sources below, while examples use private or documentation addresses. We do not reproduce external articles or invent interviews, expert credentials or visitor experiences. Standard definitions are distinguished from this service behavior, with limitations stated. See the contact page for correction channels.
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