How to Find Out Your IP Address (On Any Device or Network)

Your IP address is one of the most fundamental pieces of your network identity — and knowing how to find it is a surprisingly practical skill. Whether you're troubleshooting a connection, setting up a server, configuring a router, or just satisfying curiosity, the method you use depends on which IP address you're actually looking for.

That distinction matters more than most guides let on.

Public IP vs. Private IP: Two Very Different Addresses 🌐

Before jumping to steps, it's worth understanding that you almost certainly have two IP addresses active at any given moment.

Your public IP address is assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It's the address the outside internet sees when your device makes a request — websites, streaming services, and remote servers all interact with this address. Every device on your home or office network typically shares a single public IP.

Your private IP address (also called a local or internal IP) is assigned by your router within your local network. It's how your router distinguishes your laptop from your phone, your smart TV, and everything else connected to the same Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Most troubleshooting scenarios require knowing one or the other — rarely both — so identifying which one you need is the right first step.

How to Find Your Public IP Address

This is the simpler of the two lookups, regardless of your device or operating system.

Using a browser: Search "what is my IP" in any search engine, or visit any IP lookup service in your browser. The page will display your public IP address immediately. No account or login is required.

Using the command line: On Windows, open Command Prompt and type curl ifconfig.me or nslookup myip.opendns.com resolver1.opendns.com. On macOS or Linux, the same curl command works in Terminal.

Your public IP is dynamic for most residential users — meaning your ISP can and does change it periodically, especially after router reboots. Businesses and people running servers often pay for a static public IP that doesn't change.

How to Find Your Private IP Address

This varies by operating system and device type.

Windows

Open Command Prompt (search "cmd" in the Start menu) and type:

ipconfig 

Look for the entry under your active adapter (usually "Ethernet adapter" or "Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi"). The IPv4 Address line shows your private IP. You'll also see your subnet mask and default gateway (your router's local address).

macOS

Open Terminal and type:

ipconfig getifaddr en0 

en0 is typically Wi-Fi; en1 may be Ethernet depending on your Mac model. Alternatively, go to System Settings → Network, select your connection, and the IP is shown in the details panel.

Linux

In Terminal, run:

ip addr show 

or the older ifconfig command if installed. Look for the inet value under your active interface (eth0, wlan0, etc.).

iPhone / iPad 📱

Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, tap the (i) icon next to your connected network. Your IP address appears under the IPv4 Address section.

Android

Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi, tap your connected network name, then expand the details. The IP address is listed there. The exact navigation path varies slightly by Android version and manufacturer skin.

Routers and Admin Panels

If you need to see the IPs of all devices on your network, logging into your router's admin interface (typically accessed at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a browser) will show a connected devices or DHCP client table with every assigned local IP.

IPv4 vs. IPv6: What You Might See

Modern devices often display two IP addresses — one in the familiar 192.168.x.x format (IPv4) and a longer, colon-separated address (IPv6). Both are valid. IPv6 was introduced to address the exhaustion of available IPv4 addresses globally. Many networks run both simultaneously (called dual-stack).

For most practical tasks like device identification or local network troubleshooting, the IPv4 address is the one typically referenced. But IPv6 is increasingly relevant, particularly for services that prioritize it or in networks where IPv4 is no longer assigned.

Why the "Right" Method Depends on Your Situation

A few factors shape which lookup approach is actually useful for you:

• What you're troubleshooting — remote access issues usually involve your public IP; local network conflicts involve private IPs
• Your OS and device — the command-line paths differ meaningfully between Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Whether your IP is static or dynamic — a dynamic public IP may have changed since you last checked
• Network configuration — corporate networks, VPNs, and mobile data connections behave differently than a standard home router setup
• IPv4 vs. IPv6 environment — some networks assign only IPv6, which changes how you read and use the address

Someone troubleshooting a home media server needs their local private IP and probably a static one. Someone checking whether a VPN is masking their identity needs their public IP. Someone on a corporate network may find their "public" IP routes through a company proxy that doesn't reflect their physical location at all.

The mechanics of finding your IP are straightforward — what varies considerably is which address matters, what the value actually tells you, and what you do with it next.