Public IP Visibility
See which public IP your server is using for domain checks and where it came from, with a Force-refresh control to re-detect when your cloud provider changes the address.
Public IP Visibility: Step by Step
No documentation needed. Public IP Visibility guides you through each step visually.
Open the IP Address tab
Under Server Advanced. The page shows 'Public IP (used for DNS)' alongside a source badge: SSH host, Network interface, or Outbound check.
Read the resolution source
SSH host means your configured host is already a public IPv4. Network interface means Server Compass found a public address from ip addr show. Outbound check means it ran a curl probe on the server (api.ipify.org → ifconfig.me → icanhazip.com) to discover the egress IP.
Inspect Network Interfaces
The table below lists every interface with type and purpose so you can see what your server actually has — useful for confirming whether the provider exposes a public IP at all or only NATs traffic outbound.
Force a refresh
Click Refresh Public IP after changing the SSH host, switching providers, or when DNS verification mysteriously starts failing. This bypasses the 24-hour cache and re-runs the outbound check.
The Terminal Way: No Public IP Visibility
Without Public IP Visibility, you're back to the dark ages of server management. Here's what that looks like.
SSH into your server
Figuring out which IP your domain should point at starts on the host. Sometimes.
ssh root@your-server-ipCheck the network interfaces and hope one is public
On a bare-metal VPS the public IP is on eth0. On NAT-based providers like Hetzner Cloud it is not — you only see private addresses, and the public IP lives somewhere outside the VM.
ip addr show
# 1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> ...
# inet 127.0.0.1/8 ...
# 2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> ...
# inet 10.0.0.5/24 ... <-- private. Not what DNS wants.
# Now what?Pasting a private IP into your DNS A record will silently break domain verification with no helpful error.
Run an outbound check to discover your egress IP
When the interface trick fails, your only option is to ask the internet what your IP looks like from the outside.
curl -4 -fsS --max-time 5 https://api.ipify.org
# 5.223.74.101
# Or fall back to:
curl -4 -fsS --max-time 5 https://ifconfig.me
curl -4 -fsS --max-time 5 https://icanhazip.com
# All three? Belt and suspenders.On a host behind a corporate proxy or a misconfigured NAT, the egress IP can differ from the inbound IP. Without knowing which mode your provider uses, you cannot tell which one to trust.
Re-check whenever something changes
Cloud providers reassign IPs. Floating IPs detach. NAT gateways move. There is no notification. The only signal you get is "DNS verification suddenly stopped working."
# Was that IP from a week ago still valid? Re-run all of the above.
# Cache the result somewhere — but where? In your head?
# Three months later you'll be debugging this from scratch.No timestamps, no source attribution, no record of which IP was being used when. Just the current value, every time, with no history.
Manually paste it into your DNS verification flow
Whatever tool you are using to verify domain → IP mappings now needs the IP you just discovered, copy-pasted in by hand.
# Open your DNS provider, find the A record, eyeball the value:
dig +short example.com
# 5.223.74.101
# Compare to whatever you found above.
# If they don't match, retry the curl probes, the interface check, both.Multiply this by every server you run.
Your Time is Worth More
Public IP Visibility in Server Compass does all of this with a single click. No terminal. No memorizing commands. No 3 AM debugging sessions.
- One-click actions
- Real-time feedback
- Automatic backups
- Zero CLI knowledge required
Public IP Visibility: Full Feature List
Everything you need for domains & ssl in one integrated tool, replacing complex CLI commands and manual configuration.
Get StartedThe Power of Public IP Visibility
Server management shouldn't require a DevOps team. Public IP Visibility makes professional-grade domains & ssl accessible to everyone.
Automatic HTTPS
Public IP Visibility handles SSL certificate provisioning and renewal automatically via Let's Encrypt.
Instant Propagation
Public IP Visibility verifies DNS settings and configures routing instantly once records are pointing correctly.
Certificate Monitoring
Public IP Visibility tracks certificate expiry and health so you never face an unexpected SSL error.
Zero Downtime Changes
Public IP Visibility applies domain configuration changes without interrupting live traffic.
Public IP Visibility: Frequently Asked
Common questions about Public IP Visibility in Server Compass
How do I access Public IP Visibility in Server Compass?
Public IP Visibility is available in the Domains & SSL section of Server Compass. Simply connect to your server, navigate to Domains & SSL, and you'll find Public IP Visibility ready to use. No additional setup or plugins required.
Does Public IP Visibility require any server-side installation?
No. Server Compass operates as a desktop application that connects to your server via SSH. Public IP Visibility works through this connection without installing any agents or packages on your server (except the optional monitoring agent for resource tracking).
Is Public IP Visibility included in all Server Compass plans?
Yes. Every Server Compass feature, including Public IP Visibility, is included with the one-time $49 payment. There are no tier restrictions, add-ons, or per-server fees. You get all 102+ features for all your servers.
Can I use Public IP Visibility with any VPS provider?
Public IP Visibility works with any VPS or dedicated server that supports SSH access and Docker. This includes DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, Linode, AWS EC2, Google Cloud, Azure, and any other provider. It also works with local servers and homelab setups.
What makes Public IP Visibility different from command-line alternatives?
Public IP Visibility provides a visual, intuitive interface that replaces complex CLI commands and configuration files. You get real-time feedback, safety confirmations, and a consistent experience across all your servers without memorizing syntax or writing scripts.
More Domains & SSL Features
Explore other domains & ssl capabilities in Server Compass
Visual Domain Management
Add and configure domains with an intuitive UI. Built-in Traefik reverse proxy handles routing and load balancing.
Automatic SSL Certificates
Free SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt with automatic renewal. HTTPS for all your domains with zero configuration.
DNS Verification
Automatic DNS verification checks ensure your domain is correctly pointed before configuring SSL and routing.
Certificate Viewer
View detailed SSL certificate information including issuer, expiry, and chain. Renew certificates with one click.
Try Public IP Visibility Today
Download Server Compass and get access to Public IP Visibility along with 101 other features. One-time $49 payment. No subscriptions. No per-server fees.