Edited by Piyush
More often than not, we don’t pay attention to the technical aspects of our operating systems on the Laptop/PC and end up in the puddle when we do have to make some changes.
You need to know your IP address if and whenever you have to make changes to your router. For instance, when you want to change your Wi-Fi password or boost internet speed by using a different channel, you should be aware of your IP address.
The functions are accessible through your router’s login page, but you need to know your IP address to reach there. But first, let’s figure out what an IP address is.
Understanding IP Address
The IP address is an address that works in the background, which helps in identifying and connecting your computer with the internet.
It’s a string of numbers, unique for every device, which gives your device identity in a network.
IP addresses can be private or public. A public IP address is provided by your Internet Service Provider, whereas a private IP address is the one you share within your network. When you need to connect with the world outside, you need your private IP address with your public IP address, which usually happens via a modem.
The router’s IP address works like a default gateway, also known as “Default Gateway IP Address”. All the devices connected on the same router will send requests to the router by default. Windows call is ‘Default gateway’, while iOS devices store the router’s IP address under ‘router’.
IP addresses have two versions: IPv4 and IPv6. Inter Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is a 32-bit number. Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) uses a 128-bit number as an IP address. The authority to assign static IPs to the devices in your local network. But it is not recommended to do so if you do not have sound knowledge of TCP/IP.
Dynamic addresses are active only for a limited period. They are issues using a leasing system. Once the lease expires, the computer automatically requests a new one. Sometimes, this gives the computer a new IP address, especially if it is unplugged between the leases.
Your IP address keeps on changing whenever you change your location. This happens because when you are somewhere else, you access the internet using a different network. The IP address provided by your Internet Service Provider comes in handy for remote control software or VoIP calls.
You could go on Google and look for your IP address. There are a lot of sites that can help in accessing your IP address. All the sites will show you the same IP address since your router makes a request. But what they show is the location of your provider.
Your actual IP address could be away from the location that they must be showing. Now, finding your IP address has a different process for different devices. For example, the process is different for Windows, iOS, Linux, and other operating systems. So we are going to list out the process for different devices below.
How to Find Your Wireless Router IP Address in Windows 10
Figuring Out IP Address When You Are Using Windows
If your Operating System is Windows, you can locate your IP address using Command Prompt or Control Panel. Here are the steps for both the methods:
Locating IP address using Command Prompt:
- 1Search for Command Prompt in the Windows search box.
- 2Open the Command Prompt app that comes up on the screen.
- 3Type ipconfig in the command line and press Enter.
- 4Your IP address will be next to Default Gateway.
Locating IP address using Control Panel:
- 1Search for the Control Panel in the Windows search bar.
- 2Open the app by hitting Enter.
- 3Go for the settings Network and Internet and click on View network status and tasks.
- 4Click on the link for Connection: Wi-Fi. In case you are connected to the router via an Ethernet cable, the link might say Connection: Ethernet instead.
- 5Click on Details in the pop-up box that appears.
- 6You can locate your IP address next to IPv4 Default Gateway
How to Find Your IP Address When You Are Using a Mac?
In this scenario, as well, there are two ways to find your IP address. You can either find it via System Preferences or through the Terminal app.
Finding IP address through System Preferences:
- 1Click on the Apple logo on the top left corner of the screen and select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- 2Select Network.
- 3Select Wi-Fi from the left panel. In case you are connected via Ethernet, you will be able to see your IP address alongside other network information when you select Ethernet on the left panel.
- 4Then, select Advanced.
- 5Click on the TCP/IP tab on the top panel.
- 6You will be able to see your IP address next to the router.
Finding the IP address via the Terminal app:
- 1Open the Applications folder and then go for Utilities. Open the Terminal app from there.
- 2Type netstat –nr/grep default, and press Enter.
- 3You will be able to see your IP address next to the line that says default.
How to find an IP address when you are using an iPhone or iPad?
- 1Go to Settings and then select Wi-Fi.
- 2Tap on the Wi-Fi that you are connected to.
- 3The public IP address will be under the router.
How to Find your Router's IP Address on iPhone?
How to Find an IP Address When You Are Using an Android Phone?
Android phones do not have any built-in tool or software that helps you figure out your IP address. Although, you can download third-party apps like Wi-Fi Analyzer, which can help you with this. It also helps in choosing the ideal Wi-Fi channel for your router.
Finding IP Address using Wi-Fi Analyzer:
- 1Tap the View menu, and select the AP list.
- 2At the top of the screen, you will see a header that says Connected to: [Network]. Click on that, and a small window will appear with more information regarding your network.
- 3You will see your router’s address listed as Gateway.
How to Find Your IP Address When You are Using Chrome OS?
- 1Click on the notification area on the right side of the taskbar.
- 2Click on Connected to: [Network] on that list that comes up. Click on the name of the network you are connected to.
- 3When the network information appears, click on the Network tab.
- 4You will be able to see your IP address listed as Gateway.
How to Find Your IP Address When You Are Using Linux?
- 1Click on the network icon in the notification area.
- 2Select Network information.
- 3You will see your IP address next to the Default Router or Gateway.
If need be, you can also change your IP address manually. If your IP address is static, you cannot change it without contacting your Internet Service Provider. The chances of this happening are extremely low since Internet Service Providers barely assign a static IP address to someone.
To change your IP address without going into the device system, a few things that you can do are:
To change your IP address using the device, there are different steps for different devices.
For Windows:
- 1Search for the Control Panel in the search bar and open the app.
- 2Click on view network status and tasks under Network and Internet. Click on Change Adaptor Settings on the left panel. Click on Network Connections.
- 3A list of Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections will appear on the screen. Right-click on the one you want to change and click and select Properties.
- 4A dialogue box will appear on the screen. Select Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) from the list in the dialogue box.
- 5Click on Properties. Choose Use the following IP address.
- 6Update the IP address to what you want to use and the click on Ok.
For Mac:
- 1Click on the Apple logo on the top left corner of the screen and select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- 2Select Network.
- 3Select the IP address or the device in the list that appears on the left that you want to change and then click on Advanced.
- 4Go to TCP/IP.
- 5Update your IP address and click on Ok.
We have covered most of the operating systems here and have covered each step in detail when you need to change your settings. It should be fairly easy for you to access your IP address as well as to change it!
