How to Find the IP Address of Your Router

Every device on your home network communicates through your router, and your router has its own address on that network — called an IP address. Whether you're trying to log into your router's admin panel, troubleshoot a connection problem, or set up port forwarding, knowing how to find that address is a fundamental networking skill.

Here's exactly how to do it, across every major platform.

What Is a Router IP Address?

Your router actually has two IP addresses:

• Local (private) IP address — the address your devices use to communicate with the router inside your home network. This is what you need to access the admin interface.
• Public (external) IP address — the address your internet provider assigns to your router, visible to the outside internet.

Most of the time, when people ask "what's my router's IP address," they mean the local/private one. The most common default local addresses are 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, though your router or ISP may have set something different.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on Windows

Using the Command Prompt:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and hit Enter
2. In the command window, type ipconfig and press Enter
3. Look for the section labeled "Default Gateway" under your active network adapter (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
4. The number listed there is your router's local IP address

The result typically looks something like 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1.

Using Windows Settings:

1. Go to Settings → Network & Internet
2. Click on your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
3. Scroll down to "Properties" or click "Hardware properties"
4. Look for "Default gateway" in the listed details

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on macOS

1. Click the Apple menu → System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions)
2. Select Network
3. Choose your active connection from the left panel
4. Click Details (or Advanced on older macOS)
5. Go to the TCP/IP tab
6. The "Router" field shows your router's IP address

Alternatively, open Terminal and type netstat -nr | grep default — the address next to "default" is your router's gateway IP.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on iPhone or iPad 📱

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi
2. Tap the ⓘ icon next to your connected network
3. Scroll down to the Router field under the IPv4 section
4. That number is your router's local IP address

This only works when you're connected to the network in question — it won't appear if you're on cellular.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on Android

Android varies more by manufacturer, but the general path is:

1. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi
2. Tap your connected network name or the gear/settings icon next to it
3. Look for "Gateway" or "Router" in the network details
4. Some devices require tapping "Advanced" to see this information

On some Android versions, you may need to switch the IP settings view from DHCP to Static temporarily just to see the full network details — without actually saving any changes.

Finding Your Router's IP Address Through the Router Itself

If you can't access the network from a connected device, check the physical router:

• Look for a sticker on the bottom or back of the device
• It often lists the default gateway IP, admin username, and password
• Labels may say "Default Gateway," "Router IP," or simply show the address like 192.168.0.1

This only shows the factory default address. If your network has been configured differently, the address may have been changed.

Finding Your Public IP Address

Your public IP address — the one assigned by your internet provider — is different from the local gateway address. To find it:

• From any browser, search: what is my IP address
• Google, DuckDuckGo, and many other search engines will display it instantly at the top of results

Your public IP may change periodically unless you've paid for a static IP from your ISP. This is worth knowing if you're setting up remote access or hosting anything from home.

Why the Router IP Address Might Be Different Than Expected 🔧

Not every router uses 192.168.1.1. Some factors that change the default:

The ipconfig (Windows) or netstat (macOS) methods always reflect the actual current address — not just the factory default — making them more reliable than guessing from a label.

What the Variables Actually Change Here

Finding the address itself is straightforward. What changes across different setups is what you do with it next:

• Admin panel access varies by router brand — the login interface for a basic ISP-provided router looks very different from a mesh system or a business router
• Network address ranges differ based on how the router was originally configured, whether it's in bridge mode, or whether a second router is running behind it
• Multiple routers or mesh nodes can mean several devices each with their own local IP — knowing which device you're connecting to matters
• VPNs or virtual adapters can add extra network interfaces that show up in ipconfig output, making it less obvious which gateway is the one you actually want

The mechanics of finding the IP are the same across these situations. How useful that IP is once you have it — and what you can actually do inside the router admin interface — depends on your specific router model, how your network is structured, and what level of access your ISP allows.