The quickest way to see your IP address

Open Command Prompt and type ipconfig, then press Enter. You will see a list of network adapters on your computer. Look for the line that says "IPv4 Address" — that number is your IP address. It usually looks like four groups of numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.100.

This command shows you both your local IP address (the one your computer uses on your home or office network) and your gateway address (usually your router). If you have multiple network adapters — for example, both Wi-Fi and Ethernet — you will see an IPv4 Address for each one that is currently connected.

Key Takeaways

  • Type ipconfig in Command Prompt to see your local IP address listed under "IPv4 Address".
  • Use ipconfig /all to see additional details like your MAC address and DNS servers.
  • Your local IP address (like 192.168.1.x) is different from your public IP address, which is what websites see.
  • If you need your public IP address instead, type curl ifconfig.me in PowerShell or use a website like whatismyipaddress.com.

Understanding local versus public IP addresses

The IP address you see with ipconfig is your local IP address — it is assigned by your router and only works on your home or office network. Devices on the same network use this address to find and communicate with your computer.

Your public IP address is different. It is assigned by your internet service provider and is what websites and online services see when you connect to them. Your router hides your local IP address from the outside world and translates between the two. If you need to know your public IP address, Command Prompt's ipconfig command will not show it — you would need to use a different method.

Getting more detailed network information

Type ipconfig /all to see a much longer list of information about each network adapter. This includes your MAC address (a unique identifier for your network card), your DHCP server, DNS servers, and whether your IP address was assigned automatically or manually.

The MAC address is useful if you need to set up port forwarding on your router or if your network administrator needs to identify your device. The DNS servers listed are the computers that translate website names (like google.com) into IP addresses your computer can use. Most people do not need this information for everyday tasks, but it is there if you do.

Refreshing your IP address if it changes

If you want to release your current IP address and request a new one from your router, type ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew. This is useful if your internet connection is acting up or if you want to force your router to assign you a different local IP address.

After you run these commands, type ipconfig again to confirm that you have been assigned a new address. The process usually takes a few seconds. If your computer does not receive a new address after running ipconfig /renew, your router may be out of available addresses or there may be a connection problem.

Finding your IP address in PowerShell instead

If you prefer PowerShell over Command Prompt, you can use Get-NetIPAddress to see your IP addresses. This command shows the same information as ipconfig but in a different format. Type Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 to see only IPv4 addresses and filter out IPv6 addresses, which most home networks do not use.

PowerShell also lets you check your public IP address directly from the command line. Type curl ifconfig.me and PowerShell will contact a website that returns your public IP address. This is faster than opening a web browser if you just need the number.

Troubleshooting when ipconfig shows unexpected results

If ipconfig shows no IPv4 Address or shows an address starting with 169.254, your computer is not properly connected to your network. Check that your Ethernet cable is plugged in or that you are connected to your Wi-Fi network. Then run ipconfig /renew to request a new address from your router.

If you see multiple network adapters and are not sure which one you are using, look for the one with an IPv4 Address that is not 0.0.0.0 or 169.254.x.x. The adapter with a normal address (usually starting with 192.168 or 10.0) is the one that is actively connected. If you have both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connected at the same time, both will show valid addresses, but your computer will use one as the primary connection based on your network settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?

IPv4 addresses use four groups of numbers (like 192.168.1.1) and are the standard on most home networks. IPv6 addresses are longer and use letters and numbers (like 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334) and are becoming more common as the internet runs out of IPv4 addresses. Most home users only need to worry about IPv4.

Why does my IP address keep changing?

Your router assigns IP addresses automatically using DHCP, which means the address can change when you restart your computer or router. If you need a permanent local IP address for a specific device, you can set a static IP address in your router settings, but this is usually only necessary for servers or devices you need to access remotely.

Is my local IP address private and safe to share?

Your local IP address (like 192.168.1.100) is only useful on your home network and is safe to share. Your public IP address is more sensitive because it can be used to identify your location roughly and your internet service provider, so avoid sharing it publicly unless necessary.

Can I use ipconfig to find another computer's IP address on my network?

No, ipconfig only shows your own computer's addresses. To find another device's IP address on your network, you can use arp -a to see a list of devices that have recently communicated with your computer, or you can check your router's connected devices list through its web interface.