The fastest way to find your Raspberry Pi's IP address

If your Raspberry Pi is connected to your network and you can see it on your monitor, open a terminal and type hostname -I. Press Enter. The number that appears — something like 192.168.1.45 — is your Pi's IP address on your local network. That's the address you'll use to connect to it from another computer.

If you don't have a monitor plugged in, or if that command doesn't work, you have three other reliable methods. Each one works in a different situation, so knowing all of them means you won't be stuck if one route is blocked.

Key Takeaways

  • The hostname -I command in a terminal on your Pi shows the IP address immediately if you have a keyboard and monitor connected.
  • Your router's admin page lists all connected devices and their IP addresses, and you can access it from any computer on the network.
  • The arp -a command on Windows or arp -n on Mac and Linux scans your network and shows every device's IP, including your Pi.
  • Bonjour or mDNS lets you reach your Pi by name (like raspberrypi.local) instead of memorizing the IP address.

Check your router's connected devices list

Your router keeps a record of every device on your network, including your Raspberry Pi. To see this list, open a web browser on any computer connected to your network and type your router's IP address into the address bar. Most home routers use 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — check the sticker on the back of your router if neither works.

Log in with your router's username and password (also usually on the sticker, or in the manual). Look for a section called "Connected Devices," "Device List," "DHCP Clients," or "LAN Devices." Your Raspberry Pi will be listed there with its current IP address. This method works even if your Pi is in another room or powered off — you'll see the last address it used.

The advantage here is that you don't need to touch the Pi itself. The disadvantage is that you need to know your router's login credentials, and some routers make this list harder to find than others.

Scan your network with the ARP command

The arp command lets your computer ask every device on the network "who are you?" and collect their responses. On Windows, open Command Prompt (search for "cmd" in the Start menu) and type arp -a. On Mac or Linux, open Terminal and type arp -n. Either way, you'll see a list of IP addresses and their corresponding hardware addresses.

Your Raspberry Pi will appear in this list. If you're not sure which one it is, look for the manufacturer name — Raspberry Pi devices often show up labeled as "Raspberry Pi Foundation" or with a MAC address starting with b8:27:eb or dc:a6:32. Write down the IP address next to it.

This method is fast and doesn't require logging into anything, but the output can be crowded if you have many devices on your network. If you're having trouble spotting your Pi, try unplugging it, running the command again to see what's there, then plugging it back in and running it once more — the new entry is your Pi.

Use Bonjour or mDNS to reach your Pi by name

Instead of remembering an IP address like 192.168.1.87, you can reach your Raspberry Pi using its hostname — usually raspberrypi.local by default. This works because your Pi broadcasts its name on the network using a system called mDNS (multicast DNS), and Bonjour is Apple's implementation of the same standard.

On Mac, this works out of the box — just type raspberrypi.local into your browser or SSH client. On Windows, you may need to install Bonjour (Apple's Bonjour Print Services for Windows is free) or use a tool like Avahi. On Linux, mDNS support is usually already there.

Once you've renamed your Pi or set up a custom hostname, you can use that name instead. For example, if you change the hostname to "kitchen-pi," you'd reach it at kitchen-pi.local. This is especially useful if your Pi's IP address changes — the name stays the same.

What to do if you can't find your Pi on the network

If none of these methods show your Pi, first check that it's actually powered on and connected to your network. Look for a solid red light (power) and a blinking green light (activity) on the board itself. If the green light isn't blinking, the Pi may not be booting properly.

If the lights look right but you still can't find it, make sure your Pi is on the same network as the computer you're searching from. A Pi connected to a guest network won't appear in scans from the main network. Also check that your router isn't blocking the Pi — some routers have a "device isolation" or "AP isolation" setting that hides devices from each other.

If you just set up the Pi for the first time, it may take 30 seconds to a minute to get an IP address from your router. Wait a moment and try again. If you've changed the hostname or network settings and now can't find it, you may need to connect a monitor and keyboard to fix the configuration directly.

Why your Pi's IP address might change

Most home networks assign IP addresses automatically using DHCP, which means your Pi gets a new address each time it restarts. If you plan to access your Pi regularly — to run a web server, set up remote access, or use it as a network printer — you should give it a static IP address so it stays the same.

You can set a static IP in two ways: either configure it on the Pi itself (in /etc/dhcpcd.conf or through the network settings in the Raspberry Pi OS desktop), or reserve an address for your Pi in your router's DHCP settings. The router method is usually easier because you don't need to log into the Pi to change it later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find my Pi's IP address if it's not connected to a monitor?

Yes. Check your router's device list, use the arp command from another computer, or access the Pi by its hostname (raspberrypi.local) if mDNS is working. You don't need a monitor for any of these methods.

What if my Pi shows up in the router but I can't reach it?

The Pi may be on a different network segment or the router may be blocking traffic between devices. Check that your computer is on the same network (not a guest network). If you're trying to reach it from outside your home, you'll need to set up port forwarding or a VPN — the IP address alone won't be enough.

Is it normal for the IP address to change every time I restart?

Yes, that's normal with DHCP. If you want it to stay the same, assign a static IP address through your router's DHCP reservation settings or configure it directly on the Pi.

Why does hostname -I sometimes show multiple IP addresses?

Your Pi may be connected to multiple networks — for example, both Ethernet and Wi-Fi, or both IPv4 and IPv6. The first address is usually the one you need. If you're unsure which to use, try the Ethernet address first (it's usually more stable).

Can I change my Pi's hostname to something easier to remember?

Yes. On Raspberry Pi OS, go to Preferences > Raspberry Pi Configuration > System and change the hostname field. After you reboot, you'll be able to reach it at the new name plus .local (for example, garden-monitor.local).