What Your Computer's Internet Address Is and Why You Need It

Your computer's internet address is a set of numbers that identifies it on a network — either your home Wi-Fi or a larger network at work or school. There are two types: your IP address (Internet Protocol address), which is how devices find each other online, and your MAC address (Media Access Control address), which identifies your device on a local network. Most of the time when someone asks for your "internet address," they mean your IP address.

You might need this information to troubleshoot a connection problem, set up port forwarding on your router, join a network, or give technical support to someone helping you fix something. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux, and whether you want your local IP address (the one your home router assigns) or your public IP address (the one the outside internet sees).

Key Takeaways

  • Your local IP address is assigned by your router and looks like 192.168.1.100 or 10.0.0.50 — find it through your network settings or by typing a command in your terminal.
  • Your public IP address is what websites see when you visit them — find it by searching "what is my IP" in any browser or visiting a site like whatismyipaddress.com.
  • On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig to see your local IP in seconds.
  • On Mac or Linux, open Terminal and type ifconfig or ip addr to find your local IP address.
  • Your MAC address appears in the same places as your IP address and is useful for network troubleshooting or device identification on a local network.

Finding Your Local IP Address on Windows

The fastest way on Windows is through Command Prompt. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and press Enter. A black window opens. Type ipconfig and press Enter. Look for the line that says "IPv4 Address" — that is your local IP address, usually a number like 192.168.1.100 or 10.0.0.50.

If you prefer not to use Command Prompt, you can find it through Settings instead. Open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then Wi-Fi (or Ethernet if you are wired). Click on your network name, scroll down, and look for "IPv4 address" in the DNS settings section. This method takes longer but shows the same information.

The ipconfig command also shows your MAC address on the same screen — it appears as "Physical Address" and looks like a series of letters and numbers separated by hyphens, such as 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E.

Finding Your Local IP Address on Mac

Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight or find it in Applications > Utilities). Type ifconfig and press Enter. Scroll through the output and look for the section labeled with your connection type — either en0 for Ethernet or en1 (or similar) for Wi-Fi. Next to "inet" you will see your local IP address.

Alternatively, go to System Settings, click Network on the left, select your connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and click Details. Your IP address appears in the TCP/IP tab. Your MAC address is listed as "Wi-Fi Address" or "Ethernet Address" depending on your connection type.

Finding Your Local IP Address on Linux

Open a terminal window. Type ip addr and press Enter. Look for the section labeled with your connection name (often eth0 for Ethernet or wlan0 for Wi-Fi). Your IP address appears next to "inet" and looks like 192.168.1.100/24 — the number before the forward slash is your address.

On older Linux systems, you may need to type ifconfig instead. The output format is similar: find your connection name and look for "inet addr" to see your IP address. Your MAC address appears as "HWaddr" in the ifconfig output.

Finding Your Public IP Address

Your public IP address is different from your local one — it is what the outside internet sees when you visit a website. The easiest way to find it is to open any web browser and search for "what is my IP address." Google will display it at the top of the results page, usually in large text.

You can also visit websites like whatismyipaddress.com, ipchicken.com, or iplocation.net. These sites show your public IP address when ready, and some also show your approximate location and other details. All of these methods work the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux because they use your browser, not your operating system.

Your public IP address changes periodically depending on your internet service provider — sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly. If you need a stable public address for something like remote access to your computer, you may need to set up a static IP through your ISP or use a service like dynamic DNS.

Understanding the Difference Between Local and Public IP Addresses

Your local IP address is assigned by your router and only works on your home or office network. Devices on the same network use it to find each other. It usually starts with 192.168, 10.0, or 172.16. If you move to a different network, your device gets a different local IP from that network's router.

Your public IP address is assigned by your internet service provider and is how the outside internet identifies your connection. Websites, online services, and other computers outside your network see this address. It is the same for all devices on your network when they go out to the internet — your router translates between your local addresses and this one public address.

For most troubleshooting, you need your local IP. For checking if a website can reach you, or for understanding why a service blocked you, you need your public IP. If someone asks for your "IP address" without specifying which one, they usually mean your local IP.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not confuse your IP address with your MAC address. Your IP address is a number that changes; your MAC address is a hardware identifier that stays the same. If you type the wrong one into a form, the system will not find your device.

Do not assume your local IP address is permanent. Every time your computer restarts or reconnects to the network, your router may assign it a new local IP address. If you need a device to stay at the same address (for port forwarding or remote access), you may need to set a static IP in your router settings, not on the computer itself.

Do not share your public IP address with untrusted sources. While it is not as sensitive as a password, it can be used to target your network or attempt to access services you have exposed. Your local IP address is safe to share because it only works on your own network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my IP address keep changing?

Your router assigns a new local IP address each time your computer connects, usually from a pool of available addresses. This is normal and expected. If you need the same address every time, you can set a static IP in your router settings by reserving an address for your device's MAC address. Your public IP changes on your ISP's schedule, not because of anything you do.

Is it safe to share my IP address?

Your local IP address is safe to share — it only works on your own network. Your public IP address should not be shared with untrusted sources, though it is not as sensitive as a password. Websites already know your public IP when you visit them. If you are concerned about privacy, consider using a VPN, which masks your public IP.

What if ipconfig or ifconfig does not show an IP address?

If you see "No IP address" or a 169.x.x.x address, your device is not connected to the network properly. Check that Wi-Fi is turned on or your Ethernet cable is plugged in. Restart your router and your computer. If the problem continues, your router may not be assigning addresses — restart the router and wait two minutes for it to fully boot.

Can I change my IP address myself?

You can change your local IP address by setting a static IP in your network settings or by reserving an address in your router. You cannot change your public IP address directly — it is assigned by your ISP. You can request a new one by unplugging your modem for 10 minutes, or you can use a VPN to mask it.

What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?

IPv4 addresses look like 192.168.1.100 and are the older standard. IPv6 addresses look like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334 and are the newer standard with many more possible addresses. Most home networks still use IPv4, but newer systems support both. Your computer may have both addresses at the same time.