How To Find Your IP Address On Windows Or Mac: Follow These Steps

One of the initial steps in network setup or connectivity troubleshooting often involves determining your computer's IP address. While it may initially appear daunting, finding your computer's IP address is actually quite straightforward.

What Is An IP Address?

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique sequence of numbers that identifies all devices connected to the Internet and your local network. Similar to a mailing address, an IP address ensures that data packets are correctly routed to the intended devices.

IP addresses are categorized as either private or public. Private IP addresses are allocated to devices within your local area network (e.g., your WiFi network), while public IP addresses are assigned to devices connected to the wider area network, i.e., the Internet.

Finding your computer’s IP address does not have to be a daunting task. Whether you’re troubleshooting a network problem, setting up a new device, or simply curious, knowing where to look for this important information can come in handy. Also, knowing how to find your computer’s IP address is an important skill in today’s digital age.

Before we begin looking for the IP address, ensure that your computer is turned on and connected to the network you want to check. Open the Command Prompt on a Windows PC by typing “cmd” (without quotes) and pressing ‘Enter’. Meanwhile, Mac users can open the Terminal app by clicking the magnifying glass icon (Spotlight Search) in the upper-right corner and typing “Terminal”.

How To Find IP Address On Windows

– Type “ipconfig” into the Command Prompt and press Enter.

– Search for the “IPv4 Address” or “IPv6 Address” associated with the network connection you are using. This is the IP address assigned to your computer.

How To Find IP Address On Mac

– Type “ifconfig” into the Terminal window and press Enter.

– Find the section (often labelled “en0” or “en1”) that corresponds to your active network connection.

– Now look for the “inet” line; the IP address of your computer is the number that appears next to it.

Once you’ve found the IP address of your computer, be sure to either write it down or remember it.

Now that you know your computer’s IP address, you can use it to do a variety of things, like setting up a printer, troubleshooting network problems, or configuring network settings.

It is important to note that when you switch networks, your IP address may also change, so it’s a good idea to verify it each time you need to use it for a particular purpose.