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Need to Get My IP? Use These Simple Online Tools and Commands

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Get My IP: Easy Ways to Find Your Public and Local IPKnowing your IP address can help you troubleshoot network problems, configure devices, set up remote access, or check privacy settings. This guide explains what public and local IP addresses are, why they matter, and gives step‑by‑step methods for finding both on Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, and Android — plus tips for reading results, common pitfalls, and when to contact your ISP.

Public vs. Local IP — the quick difference

  • Public IP: The IP address visible to the internet. It’s assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and used for traffic between your home/office network and external servers.
  • Local (private) IP: The IP address assigned to a specific device inside your network (router, phone, laptop). It’s used for communication within your local network and typically looks like 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x–172.31.x.x.

Why knowing your IP matters

  • Troubleshooting connectivity (ping, traceroute).
  • Remote access (SSH, remote desktop).
  • Port forwarding and router configuration.
  • Security and privacy checks (confirming VPN or proxy).
  • Setting up home servers, printers, or IoT devices.

How to find your Public IP

1) Use a web-based IP lookup (fastest)

Open any browser and visit a service that shows your public IP. Many sites display it immediately when you load the page.

Examples (type them into the address bar):

These sites will display the IPv4 and, if available, IPv6 public address assigned to your router or VPN endpoint.

2) Command-line methods

  • curl (macOS, Linux, Windows with PowerShell/WSL): 
    
curl ifconfig.me

    or 

    
curl https://ipinfo.io/ip
  • wget (Linux/macOS): 
    
wget -qO- ifconfig.me

These return the public IP seen by the lookup service.

How to find your Local IP

Windows (⁄11)

  1. Open Command Prompt (press Win + R, type cmd, press Enter).
  2. Run: 
    
ipconfig
  3. Look under the active network adapter (Ethernet adapter or Wireless LAN adapter). The IPv4 Address is your local IP (e.g., 192.168.1.12).

Alternatively, Windows Settings:

  • Settings > Network & Internet > Status > View hardware and connection properties.

macOS

  1. Open Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
  2. Run: 
    
ipconfig getifaddr en0   # typically Wi‑Fi ipconfig getifaddr en1   # sometimes different interfaces

    Or use: 

    
ifconfig

    Look for inet next to the active interface (en0, en1) — that value is your local IPv4.

Also: System Preferences > Network > select active connection (shows IP).

Linux

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run: 
    
ip addr show

    or the older: 

    
ifconfig

    Find the active interface (usually eth0, wlan0, or similar). The inet value is your local IPv4.

iPhone / iOS

  • Settings > Wi‑Fi > tap the (i) next to the connected network. Your IPv4 address is listed under IP Address.

Android

  • Settings > Network & internet (or Connections) > Wi‑Fi > tap the network name or gear icon > Advanced (or IP settings). Your IPv4 address appears there. On some phones: Settings > About phone > Status > IP address.

IPv6: what to expect

If your ISP and router support IPv6, you may see IPv6 addresses for both public and local. IPv6 addresses are longer (hexadecimal) and look like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334. Public IP lookup sites and the same local tools (ipconfig/ifconfig/ip) will show IPv6 entries.

Common situations & how to interpret results

  • Multiple entries: Devices with both Wi‑Fi and Ethernet will have separate local IPs for each interface.
  • Local IP in 169.254.x.x: This is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address; the device didn’t receive an IP from DHCP — try reconnecting or restarting the router.
  • Public IP shows a different location: Your ISP may use Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) or route traffic through a regional gateway; your router’s WAN IP might differ from the IP websites see.
  • Using VPN: Public IP will be the VPN server’s IP; local IP remains your device’s private address.
  • IPv6 privacy extensions: Your device may generate temporary IPv6 addresses for outgoing connections; these rotate over time.

Quick checklist for troubleshooting IP issues

  • Confirm cable/Wi‑Fi connection and router status lights.
  • Reboot device and router.
  • Check IP config: ipconfig / ifconfig / ip addr show.
  • If using DHCP, ensure DHCP server (router) is running and not out of addresses.
  • Disable VPN/proxy to check native public IP.
  • Contact ISP if public IP is missing or in CGNAT and you need a public IP for hosting.

Security & privacy notes

  • Your public IP reveals general location (city/region) and ISP — not precise home address in most cases, but it can be used to correlate activity.
  • Use a VPN or Tor to mask your public IP when needed.
  • Avoid posting your public IP publicly if you’re concerned about unwanted connection attempts.

Summary steps (fast reference)

  • Public IP: visit an IP lookup site or run curl ifconfig.me
  • Local IP (Windows): ipconfig
  • Local IP (macOS): ipconfig getifaddr en0 or ifconfig
  • Local IP (Linux): ip addr show
  • Mobile: check Wi‑Fi details in Settings

If you want, I can: provide short command snippets tailored to your OS, explain how to set up port forwarding with your router, or show how to check whether your IP is IPv4 vs IPv6.

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