Guides
Why is my IP labelled datacenter or cloud?
A site calls your address “datacenter”, although you are using home Wi-Fi. This can reflect the network that carries your request, rather than the connection you pay for.
When this applies
Use this guide when two sites disagree about an IP label or an unfamiliar cloud label appears. A label alone cannot explain a blocked account.
Checks, in order
Record the observation
Run the network explainer and note the time, ASN, evidence basis and database dates. Keep addresses private. An unknown value means the available evidence is insufficient.
Separate the operator from the access line
An ASN groups an operator’s routing activity. PeeringDB allows multiple network types. A hosting label does not establish whether an individual user is residential or using a VPN.
Compare one reversible change
If you control the connection, compare the result with your proxy disconnected, then restore it. Do not interrupt managed or essential connections. A change shows a different observed route, not its quality.
Check the affected service’s evidence
If only one service blocks access, record its error and ask which policy or database it uses. Avoid repeatedly signing in or purchasing another service solely to change a label.
How to interpret the result
Matching ASN data can explain the category but cannot prove safety, fraud, VPN use or eligibility for a third-party service. Different sources may use different categories.
When to stop and ask for help
Stop if the request cannot be observed or the service will not explain its restriction. Share the date and a redacted error, not credentials, with the relevant operator.
Related tool
Explain my IP and networkOfficial references
Based on the linked official documentation, checked 8 September 2026. No client version or device import has been tested for these articles.