What an IP address is and why you might need yours

Your computer's IP address is a unique number that identifies it on a network — either your home Wi-Fi or the internet. It looks like four numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.5 (for your local network) or something like 203.45.67.89 (for the internet). You need to know your IP address when you're troubleshooting a connection problem, setting up a printer or security camera on your home network, or giving technical support to someone helping you.

There are two types: your local IP address (the one your router assigns to your computer at home) and your public IP address (the one the internet sees when you browse). Most of the time, you're looking for the local one. Finding either takes less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig to see your local IP address next to "IPv4 Address".
  • On Mac, go to System Settings, click Network, select your connection, and read the IP address shown on the right side.
  • On Linux, open a terminal and type hostname -I to display your local IP address when ready.
  • To find your public IP address (what the internet sees), search "what is my IP" in any browser or visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com.
  • Your local IP address changes only if you restart your router or your computer's network settings change; your public IP may shift when your internet service provider reassigns it.

Finding your IP address on Windows

Open the Start menu and type cmd or command prompt. Click the Command Prompt app when it appears. A black window will open.

Type ipconfig and press Enter. A list of information will appear. Look for the line that says IPv4 Address — the number next to it is your local IP address. It usually starts with 192.168 or 10.0. If you see multiple sections (one for each network adapter), find the one labeled with your active connection, such as "Ethernet adapter" or "Wireless LAN adapter".

If you need your public IP address instead, stay in Command Prompt and type curl ifconfig.me (this works on Windows 10 and later). The number that appears is what the internet sees when you connect.

Finding your IP address on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Click Network in the sidebar.

On the left, you'll see a list of connections. Click the one you're currently using — either Wi-Fi or Ethernet. On the right side of the window, you'll see your IP address listed next to IP Address. That's your local IP.

For your public IP on Mac, open any web browser and search for "what is my IP" or visit whatismyipaddress.com. The first result will show your public address.

Finding your IP address on Linux

Open a terminal window. Type hostname -I and press Enter. Your local IP address will appear on the next line. This works on most Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian.

If that command doesn't work, try ip addr show instead. 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.

To find your public IP, type curl ifconfig.me in the terminal and press Enter.

Understanding the difference between local and public IP addresses

Your local IP address is assigned by your router and only works within your home or office network. Other devices on the same Wi-Fi can see it, but the outside internet cannot. This is the address you use when connecting a printer, security camera, or game console to your network. It rarely changes unless you restart your router or manually adjust your network settings.

Your public IP address is assigned by your internet service provider and is what websites and online services see when you connect. It can change periodically — sometimes every few months, sometimes every few days — depending on your provider's policy. You don't usually need to know it unless you're setting up remote access to your computer or troubleshooting a connection issue with your ISP.

What to do once you have your IP address

If you found your local IP to set up a device on your network, enter that address into your web browser's address bar (for example, 192.168.1.5) to access that device's settings page. This works for routers, printers, security cameras, and many smart home devices.

If you're troubleshooting a connection problem, write down both your local and public IP addresses and share them with whoever is helping you. They may ask you to check whether your IP address has changed, which can reveal whether your router is resetting unexpectedly.

If you need to connect to your computer remotely from another location, you'll need your public IP address and a remote access tool like Remote Desktop (Windows), Screen Sharing (Mac), or SSH (Linux). Your local IP won't work from outside your network.

Why your IP address might change

Your local IP address is usually stable, but it can shift if your router restarts, if you move to a different network, or if your computer's network adapter is reset. Most home routers are set to assign the same local IP to the same device each time it connects, so this is rare.

Your public IP address changes more often. Your internet service provider may reassign it without warning, or it may change when your modem restarts. If you need a stable public IP for remote access or hosting, contact your ISP to ask about a static IP option — this usually costs extra but guarantees your address won't change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my IP address the same on Wi-Fi and Ethernet?

No. If your computer is connected to both Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time, it will have a separate local IP address for each connection. Your public IP address is the same regardless of which connection you use, because it comes from your internet service provider.

Can someone find my location from my IP address?

Your public IP can reveal your general location (usually your city or region), but not your exact address or home. Your local IP address is only visible to devices on your own network, so it poses no privacy risk to the outside internet.

What if I see 127.0.0.1 when I search for my IP?

That's your loopback address — it means your computer is talking to itself, not to your network. Run the commands again and look for an address starting with 192.168, 10.0, or 172.16 instead. If you still see only 127.0.0.1, your network connection may not be active.

Do I need to remember my IP address?

Not usually. You can look it up whenever you need it using the steps above. The only exception is if you're setting up remote access or a server, in which case you might write it down or set up a static IP so it doesn't change.