How to find your IP address in Command Prompt

Open Command Prompt on your computer and type ipconfig, then press Enter. The tool will display a list of network adapters and their settings. Look for the line labeled IPv4 Address — that is your device's current IP address on your home network. It usually starts with 192.168 or 10.0 if you are on a private home network.

Command Prompt is the text-based tool built into Windows that lets you run commands directly instead of clicking through menus. The ipconfig command (short for "IP configuration") reads your network settings and prints them to the screen. This is faster than hunting through Settings menus, and it shows you details that the graphical interface hides.

If you have multiple network adapters — for example, both Ethernet and Wi-Fi — ipconfig will show all of them. Each one has its own IPv4 Address. The one you are currently using is the one connected to your router. If you are plugged in with an Ethernet cable, look under the Ethernet adapter. If you are on Wi-Fi, look under the wireless adapter (often labeled "Wireless LAN adapter" or with your Wi-Fi card's name).

Key Takeaways

  • Type ipconfig in Command Prompt and press Enter to see all your network adapters and their IP addresses.
  • Your IPv4 Address is the number you need — it is the one your devices use to talk to each other on your home network.
  • If you have both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connected, you will see two different IP addresses, but only one is active at a time.
  • The ipconfig command also shows your gateway address (usually your router) and your DNS servers, which are useful for troubleshooting network problems.

Opening Command Prompt on Windows

Press the Windows key and type cmd. Click on "Command Prompt" when it appears in the search results. A black window will open with a blinking cursor. You are now ready to type commands.

Alternatively, press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, type cmd, and press Enter. Both methods open the same tool. If you want to run commands that affect your network settings, right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator" — this gives the tool permission to make changes if you need to later.

Understanding what ipconfig shows you

When you run ipconfig, you will see several sections, each one representing a network adapter. The most important lines are IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway. The IPv4 Address is your device's identity on the network. The Subnet Mask tells your device which other addresses are on the same local network. The Default Gateway is your router — the device that connects your home network to the internet.

You will also see DHCP Enabled listed as "Yes" or "No". DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. When it is enabled (Yes), your router automatically assigns your device an IP address. When it is disabled (No), you manually set the address. Most home networks use DHCP, so you will usually see "Yes" here.

Below that are the DNS servers — the addresses your device uses to look up website names and turn them into IP addresses. Your router usually provides these, or your internet provider does. You do not need to change these unless you are troubleshooting a specific problem.

Getting more detailed network information

Type ipconfig /all (with a space and forward slash) to see extended details about every network adapter. This shows MAC addresses, DHCP lease times, and DNS suffixes — information that is hidden in the basic ipconfig output. Use this command when you need to troubleshoot a connection problem or when you are setting up a device on your network and need its full hardware address.

The MAC address (Media Access Control address) is different from your IP address. It is a permanent identifier built into your network card that your router uses to recognize your device. If you are trying to set up port forwarding or restrict which devices can connect to your Wi-Fi, you will need the MAC address from this extended view.

Refreshing your IP address from Command Prompt

If you want to ask your router for a new IP address, type ipconfig /release and press Enter. This tells your router you are done with your current address. Then type ipconfig /renew and press Enter. Your router will assign you a new IP address, usually within a few seconds.

This is useful when your internet is not working and you suspect your device has an invalid address, or when you are moving your computer to a different part of your home network. Most of the time you do not need to do this — your router handles it automatically — but it is a quick troubleshooting step that sometimes fixes connection problems.

After you run /renew, type ipconfig again to confirm you have a new address. The new address will usually be close to your old one (for example, if you had 192.168.1.50, you might get 192.168.1.51), because your router assigns addresses from a range it has set aside for DHCP.

Finding a specific device's IP address on your network

If you need to find the IP address of another device on your home network — a printer, a security camera, or another computer — type arp -a in Command Prompt. This shows a list of all devices your computer has recently communicated with and their IP addresses and MAC addresses. Look for the device name or MAC address you recognize.

The arp command (Address Resolution Protocol) works by checking your computer's cache of devices it has talked to recently. If a device has not communicated with your computer in a while, it may not appear in this list. If you do not see the device you are looking for, try pinging it by name or IP address, or check your router's admin panel for a complete list of connected devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my IP address sometimes change?

Your router assigns IP addresses temporarily through DHCP. When your device reconnects to the network or when the lease expires (usually after several days), your router may assign a different address from its available pool. This is normal and does not affect your connection. If you need a device to always have the same address, you can set a static IP or reserve an address in your router settings.

Is my IP address the same as my internet address?

No. Your IPv4 Address from ipconfig is your private address on your home network only. Your internet address (the one websites see) is different — it is assigned by your internet provider and is shared by all devices in your home. To find your internet address, search "what is my IP" in a web browser.

What if ipconfig shows 169.254 as my IP address?

This means your device could not reach your router to get an address through DHCP. Check that your Ethernet cable is plugged in or that you are connected to your Wi-Fi network. Restart your router and your device, then run ipconfig again. If the problem continues, your network adapter may need a driver update.

Can I use Command Prompt to find my router's IP address?

Yes. Run ipconfig and look for the line labeled Default Gateway. That address is your router. Type it into a web browser's address bar to access your router's settings page, where you can change Wi-Fi passwords, set up port forwarding, or see all connected devices.