The fiber optic router s IP address is the external network address

A fiber optic router's IP address can refer to either an internal (private) IP used within your network or an external (public) IP visible to the Internet, but the external network address is specifically the public IP assigned by your ISP.

Internal vs External IP

• Internal IP (Private IP): This is the address your devices use to communicate with the router within your home or office network. It is not visible to the Internet and typically falls within reserved ranges like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x . You use this IP to log into your router's configuration page and manage settings such as port forwarding .
• External IP (Public IP): This is the IP address assigned to your router by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is visible to the outside world. It is used for Internet communication, allowing websites and external devices to identify your network . All devices behind the router share this external IP when accessing the Internet due to Network Address Translation (NAT), .

Key Points

• The external IP is not the same as the router's internal IP; it is the public-facing address used for Internet traffic .
• On home networks, the router typically has two interfaces: one for the internal network (LAN) and one for the external network (WAN). Each interface has its own IP address .
• To find your external IP, you can use online tools (e.g., searching “my IP” in a browser) or check the WAN section of your router's web interface .

Summary

While a fiber optic router has an internal IP for local network management, the external network address refers specifically to the public IP assigned by your ISP, which is used for all Internet-facing communications. Understanding this distinction is crucial for configuring network services, remote access, and troubleshooting connectivity issues .