Is localhost the same as 127.0.0.1?

Yes in practice. localhost is the name and 127.0.0.1 is the IPv4 address it points to.

Is my router 127.0.0.1?

No. Your router has a private network address, such as 192.168.1.1.

Plain explanation of localhost, 127.0.0.1, your local network address and your public IP, and which one to use for what.

Four kinds of address cause most confusion. They differ in who can reach them.

Running a project on your computer? Use localhost.
Want your phone to open it? Use the computer’s address on your network. See open localhost from your phone.
Want the router page? Use its gateway address. See the router IP finder.
Want people on the internet to reach you? You need a public address or a tunnel.

Address	Means	Who can reach it
localhost or 127.0.0.1	This device itself	Only the device
192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x	A device on your home network	Devices on the same network
Your public IP	Your connection to the internet	The whole internet, if allowed
169.254.x.x	No address was given	Nothing useful

Is localhost the same as 127.0.0.1?: Yes in practice. localhost is the name and 127.0.0.1 is the IPv4 address it points to.
Is my router 127.0.0.1?: No. Your router has a private network address, such as 192.168.1.1.

Last checked 2026-10-02. Default logins differ by model, so always check the label on your router first. Sources: RFC 1918: private address ranges

Subnet calculatorEnter an IPv4 address with a prefix or netmask to get the network, broadcast, host range, wildcard mask and usable hosts. Split into subnets.