Our step by step guide explains how to find out the IP address of your PC, iPhone, iPad or Android device. An IP address is the number which makes a device identifiable on a network. Compters, network printers, smartphones, tablets, media streamers and all other devices on your home network have an address in the format 192.168.1.10. The first two numbers should always be the same for home networks, but the third may be different depending on your router. Some use 1, some use 2, and some use 0. The final number is the unique number of the connected device, ranging from 0 to 255. Typically, your computer will have an IP address only if it’s connected to a router. Otherwise you won’t see much information when you follow the instructions below. Only computers which have been assigned a static (fixed) IP address will report an address when they’re not actually connected to a network.
How to find your IP address in Windows (and how to find your router’s IP address)
In the Start menu (or start screen in Windows 8) type cmd.exe and press Enter. This will launch Command Prompt – a black window like the one below. We’re using Windows 8 here, but it’s basically the same in previous versions of Windows.
Make sure you click on this new Window and then type ipconfig and press Enter as below.
What you’ll see is a load of information about your computer’s network adapters. In the screen below you can see the IPv4 address is 192.168.3.40. This is the computer’s IP address. The Default Gateway is the router to which the computer is connected, and its address is 192.168.3.1.
If you need extra details such as the network adapter’s physical address (also known as the MAC address), then type ‘ipconfig /all’ (without the quotes) at the prompt and press Enter. The physical address of our laptop’s Ethernet adaptor is F0-4D-A2-DE-41-B5:
How to find your IP address on an iPhone or iPad
First, tap on the Settings app, then on Wi-Fi. You will obviously need to be connected to a router or access point to have an IP address. So, tap on the ‘i’ to the right of the network to which your device is connected and you will see its IP address, along with your router’s IP address.
How to find your IP address on an Android smartphone or tablet
Android devices differ depending on the manufacturer and the modifications they’ve made to Android. Generally speaking, you should go to Settings, then Wi-Fi, and then tap on the name of the network to which you’re connected. On our HTC smartphone, it looks like this:
How to find your broadband IP address
If you need to know your ‘external’ IP address, which is the address you might need to use to connect to your router or other home networking kit remotely (i.e. when not at home) then you can simply go to www.whatsmyip.org from any computer on your home network. The website will show the IP address which your internet service provider has assigned to you. Bear in mind that this external IP address will change from time to time unless you pay for a static (fixed) IP address. Read next: How to find a printer’s IP address Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
