What Is my IP Address

You have plenty of devices that connect to the internet. Each one of these has its own IP address. Knowing this address might be necessary when troubleshooting internet issues. You also need it to utilize remote services to control machines on your network. The setup of some devices requires you to know your IP address as well. In this resource, you will learn more about IP addresses and how to locate them on your network setup.

What Is an IP Address?

IP addresses are unique numbers assigned to networks and their connected devices to help properly identify them on the network. Without this identifier, gadgets could not properly send and receive data over the internet or a local network. See our resource page for more information related to IP addresses, including different types, categories, and versions.

Is My IP Address Secure?

Your IP address is public and tied to your location. If someone knows your IP address, they can find out the location it is assigned to. That is a scary thought and you might be wondering what security risks come along with having your IP address location public. 

Rest assured, it is difficult for someone to hack your network using your public IP address due to protection via internet service providers (ISPs) and router firewalls. While it may be difficult, it is certainly possible, and this can expose your personal information for hackers to use for their benefit. Using a VPN (virtual private network) can help ensure your internet privacy, thus putting a safety net around virtual belongings.

This is mostly used for online ad tracking purposes. A local business might want to advertise to a certain area. With IP-targeted advertising, commonly referred to as geofencing, they can reach potential customers in a particular zip code or subdivision. This type of outreach can generate a better return on ad expenditures.

What is My IP?

There is more than one way to locate your IP address, depending on if you are looking for your public or local IP. The quickest way is to do a Google search for “what is my IP address.” The search engine will provide you with your public IP address. 

There are a couple of ways that you can obtain your local IP address for your router, which will be covered below.

Public IP Address

The public IP address is the primary one your network uses to connect to the internet that is assigned by your ISP. The quickest way to find your public IP is to do a Google search for “what is my IP address,” “how to find my IP address,” or simply “my IP address.” The search engine will provide you with your public IP address. 

Local IP Address

The local IP address is the identifying number assigned to a device by your router. This includes all devices connected to your local network. 

Finding My IP for Windows Users

If you are a Windows 10 user, you can find the local IP address in your settings. The easiest way is to type “network properties” in your Windows search bar and click on View your network properties. 

Your IP address is displayed in the Properties section under IPv4 address.

If this shortcut is not available to you, follow these steps to access your local IP address.

1. Right-click on the Windows icon and select Settings from the populated options. 

2. Select Network & Internet.

3. Depending on how you are connected to the internet, choose either Wi-Fi or Ethernet from the column on the left.

3. Select the network you are connected to in the center column and your IP address will be displayed under IPv4 address in the Properties section.

Finding My IP Using Windows Command Prompt

Using command prompts is another quick and easy way to locate your IP address. If you prefer to use command prompts (CMD), type “cmd” in the Windows search bar. 

At the prompt, type: Enter “ipconfig” at the command prompt. A window will open, displaying the IP address along with other beneficial IP information. 

Finding My IP for Mac Users

Mac users can locate the IP address in the device’s System Preferences. To do this, follow the proceeding steps.

1. Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.  

2. Select the Network icon. 

3. Select the network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) from the column on the left, depending on the device’s connection. 

• Ethernet connection - the IP address will be displayed
  

• Wi-Fi connection -  Click on the Advanced button to display more options and the IP address can be found under the TCP/IP tab.
  

Finding My IP Using the MacOS Terminal

Command prompts can also be used to your IP address on a Mac device. To use command prompts, start the MacOS Terminal app and enter one of the following commands:

• “Ipconfig getifaddr en1” - The system will return the IP address for a wired Ethernet connection.
•  “ipconfig getifaddr en0” - This will return the IP address of your wireless connection.
• “Curl ifconfig.me” - This command returns the public IP address of the Mac Terminal.

Finding My IP for Linux Users 

There are a few ways to find your IP address using Linux. It can be located in the network settings via the application menu or using a command-line utility. 

In the terminal enter one of the following commands:

•  “hostname -I” - The system will return your internal IP address.
• “ip addr” - This will return the address in either the Ethernet (ether) or wireless (link) information, depending on how the device is connected to the network. 
• “ip addr” - This command will display the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of all of the network-connected devices. The IP address you need can be found under one of the following labels: UP, BROADCAST, RUNNING, MULTICAST.
  

The Recap

IP Addresses are used to properly identify your network and connected devices. Your ISP assigns your public IP address and your router assigns an identification number to each device connected to your network. Without having this process in place, you would not be able to connect to the internet to send and receive data. Being able to locate this information can assist in connecting gadgets and troubleshooting those connections.

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