Home As How to find your public and local IP address on Windows or Mac
Kishalaya Kundu-
An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to devices connected to the Internet or a local network within your organization. Now, we usually don't need to deal with IP addresses, since we can write to Apple.com, thanks to DNS. However, there may be times when you need to access your computer's IP address, for example, for gaming or other administrative purposes. If that's what you're looking for, there are several ways to find the IP address on Windows and Mac. Let's take a look at all the available methods.
Find your IP address on Windows or Mac (2021)
Windows, in particular, offers many ways to find your local (internal) IP address, including using Command Prompt and PowerShell. We will detail all the methods in this article. We will also tell you about third-party websites that help you find the IP address of your connected devices. So, without further delay, let's see how you can find the IP address on your Windows 10 and Mac computer.
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Public (or external) IP address versus local (or private) IP address
Before knowing how to find your IP address (Internet Protocol Address), it is imperative to know that there aretwo different types of IP addressesfor any connected device. one is thepublic IP(can be Static or Dynamic) assigned by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and is the same for all devices that use that connection. the other islocal IP addresses, which varies from device to device.
Unlike the public IP, it is your router that defines the local IP. Assign a different network identifier to each device on the network, such as your computers, phones, tablets, etc. While your public IP is visible to every website you visit (unless you're using a VPN or proxy), your local IP is more private because it can't be seen outside your private network (home or office).
In general, 'IP Address' refers to the external (public) IP, but we will show you how to find your public IP address and your local IP address on your Windows 10 and Mac computer. There are only one or two ways to find the first one. , while Windows offers multiple ways to check the latter.
Find a public IP address using third-party websites
There are many websites online that can show you your public IP address. You can visit these sites using astandard web browserand check your external IP. Keep in mind that those with a dynamic IP address will see their IP change every time they turn off their router. For people with static IP, your address will stay the same no matter how many times you reboot your router.
- Two of the most trusted IP check websites includeWhatIsMyIP.com(visit) yWhatIsMyIPAddress.com(visit). Go to any of the websites and you'll see your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses front and center.
Use:This method works regardless of the device or operating system and is applicable for both Mac and Windows 10 computers as well as Android and iOS devices..
Find local IP address in Windows 10
There are several ways to find your local IP address in Windows 10. You can do it using the built-in GUI options or via Command Prompt. Here are the easiest ways to find your local IP address in Windows 10:
Method 1: For Wi-Fi connection
- First of all,right click on the Wi-Fi icon[1] in the lower right corner of your Windows desktop and press "Open network and internet settings[2].
- Now click on "Properties” to see more details about the wireless network you are currently connected to.
Use:You can also access the network properties window by clicking the Wi-Fi symbol on the taskbar and selecting "Properties" for the network you are connected to.
- In the Wi-Fi Properties window, you will see your IPv6 and IPv4 addresses.
If you're not sure what IPv4 and IPv6 mean, check out ourdetailed article about IPv4 and IPv6, where we tell you what they mean and how they differ from each other.
Method 2: For Ethernet connection
- If your PC is directly connected to your modem via an Ethernet cable, you will see anetwork iconinstead of the Wi-Fi icon on your taskbar. Click on that and select the network you are connected to at the top.
- Next, in the "Network and Internet Settings" window, click on the name of your network.
- On the next page, scroll down to see your IP address in the Properties section.
Method 3 – Use Command Prompt
- To find your IP address using Command Prompt in Windows 10, copy and paste the following command into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:
ipconfig / all
Use:You can also use aloneipconfigwithout him/allqualifier. Also, if you don't know how to access Command Prompt, use thekeyboard shortcutWin key + R, and type "cmd", and press enter. Command prompt windows will open on your PC.
- Windows will now display all the IP information for all network adapters currently in use. Scroll down a bit and you can see your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Method 4: Use the Network and Sharing Center
- Another easy way to find your IP address in Windows is by opening the "Networks and shared resources” from the Control Panel. By the way, you can open Control Panel simply by searching for it with the Windows search bar.
- In the Network and Sharing Center window, click "Change adapter settings” in the left sidebar.
- Nowdouble click (or right click -> Status)in the network name.
- Finally, click on the 'Details' to see your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses in the next window.
Method 5: Using system information
- You can also check your IP address from Windows system information. To access the SysInfo window, open the Run box (Windows key + R), type 'msinfo32' (without quotes), and press 'OK' o Enter.
- Now, in the left pane of the SysInfo window, expand “Components -> Network” by clicking the “+” signs next to them. Now select “Adapter” under Network. Finally, in the right pane, find the adapter for your current connection. Scroll down and you will see the local IPv4 and IPv6 addresses listed together.
Method 6: Using Windows PowerShell
- To find your local IP address using Windows PowerShell, copy and paste the following command:
Get-NetIPConfigurationin the PowerShell window (open it simply by searching for it in the Windows search bar). Then press Enter. You will now see the local IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for your Windows computer.
Use:You can also use the commandgipto find your local IP address using Windows PowerShell.
Method 7 – Use Windows Task Manager
- Start Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and go to the "Performance" tab. Now, in the left sidebar, select "Wi-Fi" or "Ethernet", depending on how you are connected to the Internet. You will now see your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses at the bottom of the right pane.
Find the local IP address on Mac, MacBook and iMac
To find your public IP address on Mac, navigate to the IP check websites linked earlier in this article. As we already mentioned, they work perfectly for all desktop and mobile platforms. To find the local IP address on your Mac, use the following method:
- Click on theapple iconin the upper left corner of your screen and select "System preferences” in the dropdown menu.
- Now select “Red” in the System Preferences windows.
- Finally, in the left sidebar, click on the network you're currently connected to (if it's not already highlighted). You should now be able to see your network name and the local IP address of your Mac device. As usual, it will almost definitely start with 192.168.x.x.
Easily find your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address
So now that you know how to check your IP address on Windows and Mac using third-party websites, Command Prompt, PowerShell, and a variety of other methods, go ahead and find out the public and private IP addresses for your computer. In the meantime, if you're concerned about exposing your public IP address on every website you visit on the Internet, check out thebest VPN services for Windowsytu Android TV. Also, see how you canchange DNS settings in WindowsyAndroidto prevent your ISP from snooping on your online activities.
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FAQs
How to find your public and local IP address on Windows or Mac? ›
To find your IP address on a Mac, go to System Preferences > Network and select your connection in the left sidebar. Then click Advanced > TCP/IP and you will see your computer's IP address next to IPv4 Address and your router's IP address next to Router.
How do I find my public and private IP address on my Mac? ›To find your IP address on a Mac, go to System Preferences > Network and select your connection in the left sidebar. Then click Advanced > TCP/IP and you will see your computer's IP address next to IPv4 Address and your router's IP address next to Router.
How do I find my public IP address on Windows? ›- Open the Command Prompt. a. Click the Start icon, type command prompt into the search bar and press click the Command Prompt icon.
- Type ipconfig/all and press Enter.
- The IP Address will display along with other LAN details.
- Open the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Open View menu and select Network, or click Network in the System Preferences window.
- Choose your network connection from the menu on the left.
- For an Ethernet or USB connection, your local IP address will be shown.
In your computer's search bar, type cmd and press Enter. In the Command Prompt window, type ipconfig/all and press Enter. Locate the Ethernet adapter Ethernet section. The Physical Address is your computer's MAC address and the IPv4 Address is your computer's IP address.
What is my public and private IP address? ›A public IP address is an IP address that can be accessed directly over the internet and is assigned to your network router by your internet service provider (ISP). Your personal device also has a private IP that remains hidden when you connect to the internet through your router's public IP.
How do I find my public IP address? ›- Open a web browser (such as Chrome or Firefox).
- Visit one of the following websites: whatsmyip.org. whatismyip.com. Either of these web pages detects and displays the public IP address of your network.
The Internet Protocol address shown with the ipconfig or ifconfig command, however, is the private IP assigned to that device specifically. Ipconfig does not give public IP; ipconfig gives private IP.
Does my PC have a public IP address? ›For example, in Windows, you can open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, and press Enter. Then type ipconfig in the Command Prompt that appears and press Enter—you'll get to what you're looking for in no time.
How do I find all IP addresses on my local network Windows? ›On Windows, type the command “ipconfig” and press Return. Get more information by typing the command “arp -a.” You should now see a basic list of the IP addresses for devices connected to your network.
How do you ipconfig all on a MAC? ›
Open a Terminal app. Type /sbin/ifconfig this will list your IP address as well your MAC address. You can use cmd+a to select all, cmd+c to copy and it can be pasted to any text field.
Can we find IP with MAC address? ›So, if you have a device's MAC address, you can find the related IP address of that device using the protocol called ARP, which contains a table that dynamically maps the MAC address with the IP address of every device in the network.
How do I use ifconfig on MAC? ›To get your computer's Wired or Wireless MAC address from the Terminal Screen: Locate and open Terminal from Applications->Utilities->Terminal. At the Terminal Prompt, type ifconfig and press Enter. This will list all of your network settings, including the physical addresses of your wired and wireless hardware.
What is the command to check IP address on Windows & MAC systems? ›First, click on your Start Menu and type cmd in the search box and press enter. A black and white window will open where you will type ipconfig /all and press enter. There is a space between the command ipconfig and the switch of /all. Your ip address will be the IPv4 address.
What is your IP address and MAC address? ›On an Android phone, first navigate to the Settings screen. Then, select About Phone > Status / Hardware Information. Once there, scroll down to see your MAC address.
What does the MAC address FF FF FF FF FF FF indicate? ›The Ethernet broadcast address is distinguished by having all of its bits set to 1. As such, its MAC address is the hexadecimal value of FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF. This address is used to transmit data to all of the hosts on the local subnet.
Is 172.16 a public IP? ›An IP that starts with 172 could be public or private. However, if the second octet in the IP is 16 or 31, it's definitely a private address. 172.16. 1.1 and 172.31.
What is the public IP address of a router? ›Click on the “network icon” in the notification area. Select “Connection Information” or “Network Settings.” You should find your router's IP address listed next to “Default Router” or “Gateway.”
Is 192.168 public IP address? ›192.168.
Note that only a portion of the “172” and the “192” address ranges are designated for private use. The remaining addresses are considered “public,” and thus are routable on the global Internet.
No. There is no specific law that prevents someone from approaching you with an intellectual property seizure tool. Your IP address is pretty much public information at this point, as is your address or phone number. They have assigned you your current IP address so you can ask them to change it.
Which devices have a public IP address? ›
A public IP address is an IP address that your home or business router receives from your ISP; it's used when you access the internet. Public IP addresses are required for any publicly accessible network hardware such as a home router and the servers that host websites.
How do I find my local IP address without cmd? ›- Click the Start icon and select Settings.
- Click the Network & Internet icon.
- To view the IP address of a wired connection, select Ethernet on the left menu pane and select your network connection, your IP address will appear next to "IPv4 Address".
- From the desktop, navigate through; Start > Run> type "cmd.exe". A command prompt window will appear.
- At the prompt, type "ipconfig /all". All IP information for all network adapters in use by Windows will be displayed.
Type CMD in the search box and click Run as Administrator from the menu. Enter the net view command to view devices connected to your network You will then see a list of devices connected to your network in the output.
What is MAC address and private IP address? ›The physical address -- which is also called a media access control, or MAC, address -- identifies a device to other devices on the same local network. The internet address -- or IP address -- identifies the device globally. A network packet needs both addresses to get to its destination.
Is MAC address private IP? ›Starting with iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7, your device improves privacy by using a different MAC address for each Wi-Fi network. This unique MAC address is your device's private Wi-Fi address, which it uses for that network only.
Are MAC address and IP address the same? ›The main difference between IP and MAC addresses is that IP addresses are used to identify devices on a network, while MAC addresses are used to identify network interfaces.
How do I locate a device with a MAC address and an IP address? ›Enter the command “arp -a” and you'll get a list with all ARP entries to the ARP Table in your computer. The list will show a line with the IP address followed by the MAC address, the interface, and the allocation type, that means if they are dynamic or static.
Can I identify a device by its MAC address? ›Conclusion. All devices on a network may be found using their IP address and MAC address. A device on the internet or a local network is identified by its specific IP address, which is unique. The MAC address is the physical address that identifies each device on a network.