No. Typical usage is for the I/O Monitor to sit behind your firewall and obtain a private IP address via DHCP (similar to all the other devices you want protected from the Internet).
A private IP address will be in the ranges:
10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
The only exceptions to this would be:
- You have purposely and temporarily connected the I/O Monitor directly to your cable/DSL modem in place of your router as part of ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING (to determine if an issue is inside or outside your home).
- You actually have public IP addresses allocated to you and intentionally use them behind your firewall.
Note: If the I/O Monitor is properly connected to a LAN port on your router but is still obtaining a public IP address (i.e., not in the ranges listed above), it could be because a port is configured to allow direct (DMZ) access from the Internet. On Comcast routers this can happen when the "Associate Ethernet Port 4 to XFINITY HOME Network" option is enabled. It is also worth mentioning that on some routers it is possible to grant a DHCP client, with a private IP address, direct (DMZ) access from the Internet. However, regardless of how it might occur, we do NOT recommend operating with any holes in your firewall as it not only limits your monitor-io service capabilities but can be potentially dangerous.