Your IP address is a number that identifies your device on your network and the internet

An IP address is like a mailing address for your device. When your computer, phone, or tablet connects to the internet, it gets assigned a number so that websites and services know where to send information back to you. You actually have two IP addresses that matter: one for your home network (called a private IP) and one that the outside internet sees (called a public IP). Knowing both helps you troubleshoot network problems, set up security rules, and understand what information is visible when you browse.

Finding your IP address takes less than a minute and requires no special tools or software. The method depends on whether you want to find your private address (the one inside your home network) or your public address (the one the rest of the internet sees).

Key Takeaways

  • Your private IP address identifies your device on your home network and stays the same most of the time, making it useful for setting up security rules or connecting to printers.
  • Your public IP address is what websites see when you visit them, and it changes when your internet provider assigns you a new one.
  • Finding your private IP takes one or two steps in your device settings and does not require any special software.
  • Finding your public IP takes seconds and can be done from any web browser by visiting a site that displays it.

How to find your private IP address on Windows

On a Windows computer, the fastest way is to use the Command Prompt. Right-click the Start button, select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)", and type ipconfig then press Enter. Look for the line that says "IPv4 Address" under your network connection — that number (usually starting with 192.168 or 10.0) is your private IP.

If you prefer not to use the command line, you can also find it in Settings. Open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then Status. Scroll down and click "View your network properties". Look for "IPv4 address" in the list that appears.

How to find your private IP address on Mac or Linux

On a Mac, open System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions), click Network, select your connection, and click Advanced. The IP address appears on the TCP/IP tab. You can also open Terminal and type ifconfig then press Enter — look for "inet" followed by a number.

On Linux, open Terminal and type hostname -I then press Enter. Your private IP address will display when ready.

How to find your private IP address on phones and tablets

On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap Wi-Fi, then tap the information icon (the small "i" in a circle) next to your network name. Your IP address appears under the network details.

On an Android phone, go to Settings, tap About Phone (or About Device), then tap Status. Scroll down to find "IP address". On some Android versions, you may need to go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, tap your network name, and look for IP address in the details.

How to find your public IP address

Your public IP address is what the outside internet sees when you visit a website. To find it, open any web browser and visit whatismyipaddress.com or ipinfo.io. The page displays your public IP when ready — no login or software needed. Both sites show your IP in large text at the top of the page.

You can also search "what is my IP" in Google and the answer appears right in the search results. This public address is assigned by your internet service provider and changes periodically (usually when you restart your modem or after a set number of days).

Why you might need to know your IP address

Knowing your private IP helps when you set up security rules on your router, connect devices to a printer on your network, or troubleshoot why a device is not connecting. If a device keeps dropping from your Wi-Fi, your router's settings page (usually accessed by typing your router's IP into a browser) can show you which devices are connected and their signal strength.

Your public IP matters less for daily use, but it is useful to know if you are concerned about privacy or if you need to explain to technical support why a website is blocking you. Some websites block entire ranges of IP addresses, and knowing yours helps you understand whether that is the reason you cannot access something.

What your IP address does and does not reveal

Your public IP can be traced to your internet service provider and roughly to your city or region, but it does not show your exact home address or personal identity by itself. Websites can see your public IP when you visit them, which is why it is one piece of information that privacy-focused people think about. Using a VPN (a tool that routes your traffic through another server) masks your public IP and replaces it with the VPN provider's IP instead.

Your private IP is only visible to devices on your home network, so it carries no privacy risk to the outside internet. However, it is still worth keeping find because someone on your network could use it to target your specific device with attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my IP address the same every time I check it?

Your private IP usually stays the same unless you restart your router or your device has not connected in a long time. Your public IP changes periodically — sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly — depending on your internet provider's settings. You can check both multiple times and see if they change.

Can someone find my home address from my IP address?

Your public IP can be traced to your city or region, but not to your exact address. Someone would need additional information from your internet provider (which they cannot get without a legal order) to find your home. Your private IP is only visible inside your home network.

Why does my device show a different IP than my router?

Your router has its own IP address (usually something like 192.168.1.1), and each device connected to it gets a different private IP. This is normal. Your router acts as a middleman between your devices and the internet, assigning each one its own address on your home network.

What should I do if I see an unfamiliar IP address on my network?

Log into your router's settings page (usually by typing its IP address into a browser) and check the list of connected devices. If you see a device you do not recognize, you can disconnect it or change your Wi-Fi password. Most routers show the device name or type, which helps you figure out what it is.