Ever wanted to find out what your IP Address is?
And What Is An IP Address Anyway?
An Internet Protocol Address (IP Address) is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network
that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves two main purposes:
identifying the host or network interface, and providing the location of the device in the network.
IP addresses are essential for devices to communicate with each other over the internet,
enabling data to be sent and received between them. There are two primary versions of IP addresses in use today:
Internet Protocol version 4(IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6(IPv6).
IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numerical addresses expressed as four numbers separated by full stops,
while IPv6 addresses are 128-bit hexadecimal addresses expressed as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits
separated by colons.
Here’s how to find your IP Address.
The method you choose will depend on your operating system:
Using Command Prompt (Windows):
Open Command Prompt.
Type ipconfig and press Enter.
Look for the "IPv4 Address" under the network adapter you're using (usually labelled as Ethernet or Wi-Fi).
Using Terminal (MacOS/Linux):
Open Terminal.
Type ifconfig and press Enter.
Look for the "inet" address under the network adapter you're using (e.g., en0 for Ethernet, or en1 for Wi-Fi).
Using Settings (Windows/MacOS):
On Windows, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) > Click on your connection > Properties. Your IP address will be listed there.
On MacOS, go to System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) > Advanced > TCP/IP. Your IP address will be listed there.
Using a Website:
You can visit a website like
whatismyip.com or
ipchicken.com from your browser.
It will display your public IP address.
Remember, there are two types of IP addresses: public and private. The methods above will give you your private IP address, which is specific to your local network. If you want to find your public IP address (the one visible to the internet), you'll need to use one of the methods above or use an online service.