What’s My IP Address? How to Find It on Any Device

You’ve probably typed “what’s my IP address” into a search bar at least once. Whether you’re troubleshooting a spotty Wi-Fi connection, setting up a home server, or just curious, finding your IP address is one of those quick tasks that often comes with confusion—public vs. private, IPv4 vs. IPv6, and different methods for every device. This guide cuts through the noise and shows you exactly how to find both your public and private IP address on any device using built-in tools, no third-party sites required.

IPv4 address length: 32 bits (e.g., 192.168.1.1) ·
IPv6 address length: 128 bits (e.g., 2001:0db8::1) ·
Private IP ranges: 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16 ·
Public IP changes: Often reassigned by ISP, unless static IP is purchased

Five key dimensions of IP addresses, from format to scale: a single table to keep alongside.

The scale gap between IPv4 and IPv6 is staggering — IPv6 offers roughly 340 trillion trillion trillion times more addresses than IPv4, making address scarcity a thing of the past for the foreseeable future.

How do I find out my IP address?

The quickest way to see your public IP is to let your browser do the work. For your private (local) IP, you’ll need to open a command line or dive into network settings. Here are the three fastest methods.

Using a web browser to see your public IP

• Open any browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox).
• Go to a site like whatismyip.com or simply search “what is my IP” on Google.
• Your public IPv4 address (and often your ISP and approximate city) appears immediately. No account or software installation needed (IPRoyal (IP Address Services)).

Using the command line on Windows (ipconfig)

• Press Windows + R, type cmd, hit Enter.
• Type ipconfig and press Enter (Croma Unboxed (Consumer Electronics Guide)).
• Look for “IPv4 Address” under your active network adapter. That’s your private IP (IPRoyal (IP Address Services)).

Using Terminal on macOS (ifconfig)

• Open Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities).
• Type ifconfig and press Enter.
• Find your IPv4 after the “inet” entry (typically under en0 for Ethernet or en1 for Wi‑Fi) (YouTube (Video Tutorial)).

Using Network Settings on mobile devices

• Android: Settings > About phone > Status information > IP address (Asurion (Tech Support and Protection)).
• iPhone/iPad: Settings > Wi‑Fi > tap the (i) next to your network name — your private IP appears (Asurion (Tech Support and Protection)).

Why this matters: knowing your IP type is the first diagnostic step for network issues. A mismatch between your public IP (seen online) and your private IP (seen in settings) often points to a VPN or a double‑NAT router — not a problem, but something to be aware of.

How do I check the IP address of my device?

Every device connected to your router receives a unique local IP via DHCP. The steps differ by operating system, but the goal is the same: find the private IP assigned by your router (Wikipedia (The Free Encyclopedia)).

Finding your device IP on Windows 10/11

• Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > View hardware and connection properties.
• Your IPv4 address is listed under your active network (Croma Unboxed (Consumer Electronics Guide)).
• Alternatively, use Command Prompt with ipconfig as described above.

Finding your device IP on macOS

• Click Apple menu > System Settings > Network > select your active connection (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet) > Details.
• Your IP appears in the TCP/IP tab (YouTube (Video Tutorial)).

Finding your device IP on Linux

• Open a terminal and type ip addr show or hostname -I.
• Look for the IPv4 after “inet” on your active interface (e.g., wlan0 for Wi‑Fi).

Finding your device IP on Chrome OS

• Click the status area (bottom‑right) > gear icon (Settings) > Network > Wi‑Fi > your network name.
• The IPv4 address is shown under “IP address.”

What this means: the IP shown in any device’s network settings is always your private IP — it’s assigned by your router and only works inside your home network. The public IP your whole house shares is hidden one layer up.

What is my current Wi‑Fi IP address?

Your Wi‑Fi IP is the private address your router gave your phone, laptop, or tablet. It’s different from your public IP, which is the address your entire household uses to reach the internet.

Difference between Wi‑Fi IP and public IP

• Wi‑Fi IP (private): Assigned by your router, usually starts with 192.168, 10., or 172.16. Only visible inside your network.
• Public IP: Assigned by your ISP, unique globally, and visible to any website you visit.

How to see your router-assigned IP

• On Windows: use ipconfig and look for “Default Gateway” — that’s your router’s IP (NETGEAR (Networking Equipment Manufacturer)).
• On macOS: in Network > Wi‑Fi > Details > TCP/IP, the Router field shows the gateway.
• On iPhone: Settings > Wi‑Fi > tap (i) on your network — Router is listed.

Why your Wi‑Fi IP usually starts with 192.168

• The 192.168.0.0/16 block is reserved for private networks by RFC 1918 (IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority)).
• Most home routers default to 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 as the gateway, then assign addresses like 192.168.1.101 to devices.

The catch: your devices may show a 192.168 address, but your public IP could be anything — and it changes whenever your ISP reassigns it (often every 24–48 hours unless you pay for a static IP).

Where is my IP address on my phone?

Both Android and iPhone provide your private IP in the Wi‑Fi connection details. For your public IP, just open a browser — the same method works on any phone.

On Android: Settings > About phone > Status > IP

• Go to Settings > About phone > Status information.
• Your IP address is listed directly (Asurion (Tech Support and Protection)).
• Alternatively, tap the gear icon next to your Wi‑Fi network in Connections > Network & Internet.

On iPhone/iPad: Settings > Wi‑Fi > details (i)

• Open Settings > Wi‑Fi.
• Tap the blue “i” icon next to your connected network.
• Your private IP appears under “IP Address” and the router IP under “Router” (Asurion (Tech Support and Protection)).

Using a browser to see public IP from phone

• Open Safari, Chrome, or any browser on your phone.
• Go to a site like whatismyip.com — the public IP shown is the same address your phone uses for all internet traffic (NordVPN (Virtual Private Network Provider)).

The pattern: whether you’re on Android or iOS, the Wi‑Fi details screen is your quickest route to the private IP. For the public IP, the browser never lies — and it works exactly the same on a $200 phone as it does on a $2000 laptop.

Is 192.168 my IP address?

If you see an IP that starts with 192.168, it’s almost certainly a private address assigned by your router — never your public IP. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Understanding private IP address ranges

• Three blocks are reserved for private networks: 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16 (IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority)).
• Any address inside these ranges is not routable on the public internet — it only works inside your local network.
• If you see an IP outside these ranges (e.g., 8.8.8.8, 104.16.132.229), it’s public.

Why many home networks use 192.168.x.x

• Router manufacturers choose 192.168.0.0/16 as the default because it’s easy to remember and conflicts rarely occur across home networks (NETGEAR (Networking Equipment Manufacturer)).
• Business networks often use the 10.x.x.x range because it offers more address space (16.7 million IPs vs. 65,536).

How to tell if an IP is public or private

• Check the first octet: 10.x.x.x, 172.16–31.x.x, or 192.168.x.x = private. Any other = public.
• Your public IP can be verified by visiting a site that shows your external address (Cloudflare (Content Delivery Network and Security Provider)).
• If a VPN is active, your public IP will show the VPN server’s address, not your ISP’s.

The trade-off: Private IPs let you connect dozens of devices to one internet line, but they also mean you can’t reach a device from outside the house without configuring port forwarding or a VPN tunnel.

Quick step‑by‑step guide to find your IP on any device

1. See your public IP: Open a browser and go to whatismyip.com or search “my IP” on Google. No installation needed.
2. See your private IP on Windows: Press Windows + R, type cmd, run ipconfig. IPv4 Address is your private IP.
3. See your private IP on Mac: Apple menu > System Settings > Network > active connection > Details > TCP/IP.
4. See your private IP on iPhone: Settings > Wi‑Fi > tap (i) next to your network name.
5. See your private IP on Android: Settings > About phone > Status > IP address, or tap the Wi‑Fi gear icon.
6. Find your router IP: Use ipconfig (Windows) or look for “Router” in your device’s Wi‑Fi details.

For the average home user, the most practical takeaway is this: your public IP is the one the internet sees, and your private IP is the one you use to configure your router or connect devices locally. If you’re setting up a home server, security camera, or any application that needs external access, you’ll need both — and you’ll almost certainly need to log into your router to forward the right ports. For everyone else, knowing how to quickly glance at your private IP (via ipconfig or Wi‑Fi settings) will solve 90% of basic networking questions.