Public versus private IP addresses

Before you go looking, it helps to know there are two different addresses, and which one you need depends on the task. A public IP address is the single address the wider internet sees for your whole home or office. It is assigned by your internet provider. A private IP address is the address your router hands to each individual device on your local network, such as your laptop, phone, and smart TV.

Almost every home network uses a process called NAT, or Network Address Translation, which is why your devices share one public address while each keeps its own private one. Private addresses usually start with 192.168 or 10., and they are only meaningful inside your own network. You will need your public IP for things like remote access or gaming, and your private IP for tasks like setting up a printer or troubleshooting a device on the local network.

Find your public IP address on any device

This is the easiest address to find because it does not depend on your operating system. The method below works on a phone, tablet, or computer.

  1. Open any web browser.
  2. Type what is my IP into the search bar and press Enter.
  3. Your public IP address appears at the top of the results, or visit a trusted lookup site that displays it directly.

One important caveat: if you are connected through a VPN, the address shown will be the VPN server’s address, not your own. That is by design, since hiding your real public IP is one of the main reasons people use a VPN.

Find your private IP on Windows

Windows gives you two routes to your private address. The command line is fastest, but the Settings app is friendlier if you prefer clicking.

  1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
  2. Type ipconfig and press Enter.
  3. Find your active connection, either Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
  4. Read the number next to IPv4 Address. That is your private IP.

You can also open Settings, go to Network and internet, select your active connection, and scroll to the IPv4 address. While you are in the ipconfig output, note the Default Gateway line too, since that is your router’s address.

Find your private IP on a Mac

On modern macOS the setting lives in System Settings, though older versions call it System Preferences.

  1. Open the Apple menu, then choose System Settings.
  2. Click Network in the sidebar.
  3. Select your active connection, such as Wi-Fi.
  4. Click Details, then the TCP/IP tab, where your IP address is listed.

If you prefer the Terminal, you can type ipconfig getifaddr en0 to see the Wi-Fi address directly. On older macOS the path runs through Network and then the Advanced button, where the same information appears under the TCP/IP tab.

Find your private IP on an iPhone or iPad

Apple keeps this inside the Wi-Fi settings for the network you are on.

  1. Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
  2. Tap the information icon, the letter i in a circle, next to your connected network.
  3. Scroll down to the IP Address field.

On the same screen you will usually see a Router entry, which is your gateway address. If you need your public IP on an iPhone, use the browser search method described earlier, since the Settings app only shows the private address.

Find your private IP on Android

Android menus vary by manufacturer, so the exact wording differs between a Samsung, Pixel, or other phone, but the path is similar.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Network and internet, or Connections on some phones.
  3. Tap Wi-Fi, then your connected network.
  4. Look for the IP address entry in the network details. You may need to tap an advanced or details option to reveal it.

If you cannot find it in the network details, many Android phones also list the device’s IP under Settings, then About phone, then Status information. Because menu names change between Android versions, look for a similarly named option if these do not match your screen exactly.

Find your router’s address, the default gateway

Your router’s address, known as the default gateway, is what you type into a browser to open the router’s admin page for tasks like changing the Wi-Fi password.

  1. On Windows, run ipconfig and read the Default Gateway line.
  2. On a Mac, open Network details and look at the Router field under TCP/IP.
  3. On a phone, the gateway usually appears in the same Wi-Fi details screen, sometimes labelled Router or Gateway.

Common gateway addresses are 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, but always confirm with the steps above rather than guessing, since providers set their own ranges.

A few privacy notes

Treat your public IP like a rough location marker rather than a secret, but there is no need to post it publicly. If a website or service asks you to enter your IP address to grant access, double-check that the request is legitimate first. And remember that if the address you see does not match what a website reports, a VPN or proxy is likely the reason, because those services deliberately substitute their own public address for yours.

IPv4 versus IPv6 addresses

When you look up your address, you may notice two different formats. An IPv4 address is the familiar style made of four numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.5. An IPv6 address is much longer and uses groups of letters and numbers separated by colons, which looks unfamiliar at first. IPv6 exists because the world ran short of IPv4 addresses, and many networks now hand out both.

For most everyday tasks, the IPv4 address is the one you want, since it is what older guides, routers, and troubleshooting steps refer to. If a tool or setup screen shows both, and does not specify which, start with the IPv4 value. You do not need to understand IPv6 in depth to use your network; just be aware that seeing a long colon-separated string is normal and not a sign that anything is wrong.

Finding a specific device’s IP

Sometimes you need the address of another device on your network rather than the one in your hand, for example a printer or a smart speaker. The simplest approach is to check that device’s own settings screen, where network details usually appear. Alternatively, log in to your router’s admin page using the gateway address from earlier, where most routers list every connected device along with its assigned private IP. That list is the quickest way to match a device to its address when you are setting up sharing or diagnosing a connection.