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how to find ip address

To find your IP address, you first need to decide whether you care about your public (external) IP or your local (private) IP on a given device.

Quick Scoop

An IP address is like your device’s street address on a network:

  • Your public IP is what websites see when you visit them.
  • Your local IP is how your device is identified inside your home or office network.

Knowing both can help with gaming, remote access, or troubleshooting Wi‑Fi issues.

Find your public IP (fastest methods)

Use these when a website, game server, or friend asks “what’s your IP?” and they mean the one the internet sees.

1. Use a search engine

  1. Open any browser.
  2. In the search bar, type: what is my IP?
  3. The public IP will appear at the top of the results page.

2. Use an IP lookup site

  1. Go to a reputable IP checker (examples include major VPN providers or “what is my IP” services).
  1. The site will show your public IP , and often your ISP and approximate city.

Privacy tip: Treat your IP like a semi‑sensitive identifier; don’t post it in public forums and prefer using a VPN when testing sites.

Find your local IP on Windows

Method A – Through Settings (Windows 10/11)

  1. Click Start → Settings.
  1. Go to Network & Internet.
  1. If you use Wi‑Fi, click Wi‑Fi and then your connected network.
    If you use cable, click Ethernet and your active connection.
  1. Look for IPv4 address – that’s your local IP.

Method B – Using Command Prompt

  1. Press Windows key + R.
  2. Type cmd and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
  1. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
  1. Under your active adapter, find IPv4 Address – that’s your local IP.

Find your local IP on Mac

  1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions).
  1. Click Network.
  1. Select your active connection (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet).
  1. Click Details (or Advanced on older macOS). Your IP appears under IPv4.

Find your IP on iPhone and Android

iPhone / iPad

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Wi‑Fi.
  3. Tap the “i” icon next to your connected network.
  4. Your IP Address is listed under the IPv4 section.

Android (general steps)

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Network & Internet or Connections (name varies by brand).
  3. Tap Wi‑Fi , then your connected network.
  4. Look for IP address in the details. (Most vendors follow this pattern.)

Other devices: routers, Chromebooks, and more

  • Router public IP: Sign in to your router’s web interface (type its gateway IP in a browser, like 192.168.0.1). Look under Status , WAN , or Internet for the public IP.
  • Other devices’ IPs on your network: In the router interface, look for Attached devices , Device list , or similar; it shows each device and its assigned IP.
  • Chromebook: Open network settings from the Wi‑Fi icon, select your network, and view IP information (IP address, subnet, gateway).

Forum-style note & trending angle

In tech forums and Q&A sites, “how do I find my IP address?” is still one of the most common beginner networking questions, often answered with “just Google ‘what is my IP’ or run ipconfig.”

There are even lighthearted posts where people joke about struggling to look it up, which shows how confusing the term can be if you’re not used to network jargon.

“When in doubt, type ipconfig on Windows or check your Wi‑Fi details on your phone, and you’ll usually get exactly what you need.”

Quick recap (TL;DR)

  • For public IP :
    • Search what is my IP? in a browser or use an IP lookup site.
  • For local IP :
    • Windows: Settings → Network & Internet → Wi‑Fi/Ethernet → IPv4 address, or use ipconfig in Command Prompt.
* **Mac:** System Settings → Network → active network → Details → IP.

* **iPhone/Android:** Wi‑Fi settings → tap your network → view IP address.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.