How to Find Out the IP Address of Your Router

Every device on your home network — your laptop, phone, smart TV — communicates through your router. And at the center of that communication is your router's IP address. Whether you're troubleshooting a connection issue, setting up port forwarding, or accessing your router's admin panel, knowing how to find this 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 has two IP addresses, and it's worth knowing the difference before you go looking.

• Local (private) IP address — This is the address your router uses inside your home network. Devices on your network use this to communicate with the router. It's typically something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
• Public (external) IP address — This is the address your internet service provider (ISP) assigns to your router. It's how the rest of the internet sees your connection.

In most cases, when people ask "what's my router's IP address," they mean the local/private address — the one you'd type into a browser to access your router's settings page. That's what this guide focuses on.

The Most Common Default Router IP Addresses

Most routers ship with one of a handful of default local IP addresses:

You can try typing one of these into your browser's address bar (not the search bar) and see if a login page appears. But your router's address may have been changed from the default — so it's better to look it up directly from your device.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on Windows 🖥️

Method 1: Using the Command Prompt

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Enter
2. Type ipconfig and press Enter
3. Look for your active network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
4. Find the line labeled Default Gateway — that's your router's local IP address

Method 2: Through Network Settings

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet
2. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
3. Scroll to the Properties section
4. Look for Default gateway in the listed details

Both methods show the same result. The command prompt approach tends to be faster.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on macOS

1. Click the Apple menu → System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS)
2. Go to Network
3. Select your active connection from the left panel
4. Click Details (or Advanced on older versions)
5. Open the TCP/IP tab
6. Your router's IP will be listed as Router

Alternatively, open Terminal and run:

netstat -nr | grep default 

The IP address next to default is your router's address.

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

This only works when connected to Wi-Fi — there's no router IP visible on cellular.

How to Find Your Router's IP Address on Android 📱

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

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi (or Connections → Wi-Fi)
2. Tap and hold your connected network, or tap the network name
3. Select Manage network settings or tap the gear/info icon
4. Look for Gateway or Router under the network details

On some Android versions, you may need to switch from DHCP to Static to see gateway details — but don't save if you do this, just note the address and cancel.

How to Check the Router Itself

If you can't find the IP address through software, check the physical router:

• Look at the label on the bottom or back of the router
• Many routers print the default admin IP, username, and password directly on the device
• The label may say "Admin IP," "Router IP," or simply show a URL like 192.168.1.1

This is especially useful if the router's settings have been reset to factory defaults.

Finding Your Public IP Address

If you need your external IP address — the one visible to websites and online services — that's different from the router's local address. The fastest way is to search "what is my IP" in any browser. Google, Bing, and most search engines display it immediately at the top of results.

Your public IP is assigned by your ISP and can change over time unless you've paid for a static IP. It's the same for every device on your network, since they all share a single connection to the internet through your router.

Why the Router's IP Address Matters

Access to the router's local IP address opens up your router's admin interface — a web-based control panel where you can:

• Change your Wi-Fi name (SSID) and password
• Set up port forwarding for gaming or remote access
• View connected devices
• Update firmware
• Configure DNS settings or parental controls

The level of control available varies significantly depending on your router model, firmware version, and whether your ISP has locked down certain settings (common with ISP-provided equipment).

When the Default IP Doesn't Work

If you type the gateway IP into your browser and nothing loads, a few things could be happening:

• You're on a different subnet — your network may use a non-standard IP range
• The router admin interface is disabled remotely — some ISP routers restrict browser access
• A VPN is active — VPNs can reroute traffic and interfere with local network access
• You typed it in the search bar instead of the address bar — a common mistake

In these cases, running ipconfig (Windows) or checking TCP/IP settings (Mac) will always show you the actual current gateway address, regardless of what the router's default was.

What you do with the router's IP — and how deeply you need to configure your network — depends entirely on your setup, your hardware, and what problem you're trying to solve.