Finding Your IP Address on Windows
The fastest way on Windows is to open Command Prompt and type a single command. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and press Enter. In the black window that opens, type ipconfig and press Enter. Look for the line that says "IPv4 Address" — that is your local IP address, the one your home network uses to identify your computer.
If you want to see it without opening Command Prompt, you can also go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet if you are wired), click your connection name, and scroll down to find "IPv4 address" listed under the connection details.
The address you see will usually start with 192.168 or 10.0 — these are private addresses that only work inside your home network. If you need your public IP address (the one the outside internet sees), that is different and requires a different method, covered below.
Finding Your IP Address on Mac
On Mac, go to System Settings > Network. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) in the left sidebar, then look for "IP Address" in the right panel. That is your local IP address.
If you prefer the terminal, open Applications > Utilities > Terminal, type ifconfig, and press Enter. Look for "inet" followed by a number — that is your local IP address. You will see several entries if you have multiple network connections; the one under "en0" or "en1" is usually your active connection.
Finding Your IP Address on Linux
Open a terminal and type ip addr show or the older command ifconfig, then press Enter. Look for "inet" followed by your IP address. On most Linux systems, your local address will appear under the connection labeled "eth0" (wired) or "wlan0" (wireless).
If you are using a desktop environment like Ubuntu with a graphical interface, you can also right-click the network icon in the system tray and select connection details to see your IP address without opening a terminal.
Key Takeaways
- Your local IP address (the one your home network uses) appears in Windows Command Prompt when you type ipconfig, in Mac System Settings under Network, or in Linux terminal with ip addr show.
- Local IP addresses usually start with 192.168 or 10.0 and only work inside your home network.
- Your public IP address (what the outside internet sees) is different from your local address and requires checking a website or using a different command.
- If you have both wired and wireless connections, you will see multiple IP addresses — check which connection you are actually using.
Understanding Local vs. Public IP Addresses
Your computer actually has two IP addresses. The local IP address is assigned by your home router and only works on your home network — it is how your printer, phone, and other devices find your computer at home. The public IP address is assigned by your internet service provider and is how websites and servers on the internet identify your connection.
When you use the commands above (ipconfig, ifconfig, or System Settings), you are seeing your local address. Your public address changes depending on your internet provider and sometimes changes on its own. To find your public IP address, visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com or icanhazip.com in any web browser — they will display it when ready.
Why You Might Need Your IP Address
You need your local IP address when you are setting up devices on your home network — for example, to access your printer's settings page, to log into your router, or to connect to your computer remotely from another device on the same network. Some games and applications also ask for your local IP to set up local multiplayer or network connections.
You need your public IP address less often, but it matters if you are troubleshooting internet problems with your provider, setting up remote access from outside your home, or checking whether your connection is being blocked by a website or service.
What to Do If You See Multiple IP Addresses
If you run ipconfig or ifconfig, you will see multiple entries. This is normal — your computer may have a wired connection, a wireless connection, and virtual network adapters all at once. Look for the one labeled as "active" or the one that matches how you are actually connected (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). On Windows, the active connection is usually listed first. On Mac and Linux, check which adapter (en0, eth0, wlan0) is actually in use.
If you are only connected one way (just Wi-Fi or just Ethernet), you will have fewer entries, but you may still see loopback addresses (usually 127.0.0.1) which are internal to your computer and not useful for network purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my IP address the same as my MAC address?
No. Your IP address is a number like 192.168.1.5 that identifies your computer on a network. Your MAC address is a different identifier that looks like 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E and is built into your network card. They serve different purposes — IP addresses route data across networks, while MAC addresses identify devices on the same local network.
Will my local IP address change?
Usually not, but it can. Most home routers assign the same local IP to the same device every time it connects. However, if you restart your router or your computer does not connect for a long time, the router may assign a different address. If you need a permanent local address for something like a printer or server, you can set a static IP in your router settings.
Can someone harm me if they know my IP address?
Your public IP address is visible to every website you visit, so it is not secret. Knowing your public IP alone does not let someone access your computer — your router and firewall block incoming connections by default. Your local IP address only works on your home network and is useless to someone outside it.
Why does my IP address start with 192.168 instead of something else?
Your router assigns addresses from a range reserved for private networks. Most home routers use 192.168.x.x, but some use 10.x.x.x or 172.16.x.x. These ranges are set aside specifically so home networks do not conflict with each other or with the public internet. Your router chooses which range to use.