What Is My IP Address? Find Public & Private IP

You probably type “what is my IP address” into a search bar more often than you think — sometimes just to check, sometimes to troubleshoot — but the short answer is that your device has two addresses: one public for the internet and one private for your home network. This guide walks you through finding both on any device and clears up confusion around Wi‑Fi and IP addresses.

1. Open a browser and visit an IP lookup site (e.g., What Is My IP) to get your public IP.
2. On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig to find your private IP.
3. On macOS, use Terminal and run ifconfig.
4. On Linux, use ifconfig or ip addr.

IPv4 address space: 4.3 billion possible addresses ·
IPv6 address space: 340 undecillion addresses ·
Internet users behind NAT: Over 70% ·
Typical public IP change (dynamic): Every 24 hours

Here is a quick reference of key IP address facts.

How do I find my current IP address?

Using a web browser

• Visit a public IP lookup service such as What Is My IP to immediately see your public IPv4 and, when available, your IPv6 address.
• The page also shows your approximate location and internet service provider details.

Using command line on Windows

• Open Command Prompt and type ipconfig. Look for the IPv4 address under your active network adapter. This is your private IP on the local network.
• For more detail, run ipconfig /all as advised by UNC Health (university medical center guidance).

Using terminal on macOS/Linux

• On macOS, open Terminal and run ifconfig. The inet line under en0 (Wi‑Fi) or en1 (Ethernet) shows your private IP, according to Matillion (data integration specialists).
• On Linux, the same ifconfig command works, though newer distributions prefer ip addr.

The pattern across all methods: your public IP is the one the world sees; your private IP is what your router hands out. Two different numbers, two different purposes.

What this means: if you only check your public IP via a website, you still won’t know which device on your network is using the most bandwidth.

How do I find the IP address of my device?

Finding local IP on Windows

• Open Settings, go to Network & Internet, select Wi‑Fi or Ethernet, and view the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses in the network properties (What Is My IP).
• Alternatively, run ipconfig in Command Prompt for a quick read of all active adapters.

Finding local IP on macOS

• Open System Settings, choose Network, select Wi‑Fi, open Details, and check the TCP/IP tab for your private IP (What Is My IP).
• Terminal users can also run ipconfig getifaddr en0 for a direct output.

Finding local IP on Linux

• Open a terminal and run ifconfig or ip addr. The inet entry under your active interface (usually eth0 or wlan0) is your private IP.

Finding local IP on mobile devices

• On iPhone/iPad: Settings > Wi‑Fi > tap the “i” icon next to your network > see IP address (WhatIsMyIPAddress).
• On Android: Settings > About Phone > Status Information (or Network & Internet depending on version) to view the IP (WhatIsMyIPAddress).

Three common private IP ranges cover nearly every home network: 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, and 172.16.x.x. Anything outside those blocks is a public address, as defined by What Is My IP.

The catch: private IPs are non-unique globally — the same 192.168.1.5 exists in millions of networks. They’re reusable because they never touch the public internet directly.

Can I check my IP address on my phone?

On iPhone (iOS)

• Navigate to Settings > Wi‑Fi, tap the “i” icon next to your connected network, and scroll to the IP address section. This shows your private IP assigned by the router (WhatIsMyIPAddress).
• For your public IP, open Safari and visit any IP lookup site — it will reflect the address your ISP gave your router.

On Android

• Go to Settings > About Phone > Status Information (or Network & Internet > Internet depending on manufacturer skin) to view the device’s private IP address (WhatIsMyIPAddress).
• As with iOS, your public IP is visible only through a web browser, not the system settings.

The trade-off: mobile networks (cellular data) assign a different public IP than your home Wi-Fi. If you toggle between Wi-Fi and mobile data, your public IP changes completely.

Is my Wi-Fi address the same as my IP address?

What is a Wi-Fi address (MAC address)

• A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a hardware identifier burned into your device’s network interface card. It’s permanent, unique to the device, and never changes unless spoofed.
• Think of it like a serial number for your network hardware — it identifies the device itself, not where it’s connected.

What is an IP address

• An IP address is a logical network address assigned by a router or ISP. It identifies where a device is on the network, and it can change every time you reconnect.
• IP addresses are temporary; MAC addresses are permanent.

Key differences

The table below summarizes the differences.

The pattern: your Wi-Fi address is the identity of your device’s network card; your IP address is its current location on the network. They are not interchangeable, and confusing the two can lead to troubleshooting dead ends.

The implication: if someone asks for your “Wi-Fi address” for security screening, they likely mean your MAC — but if they ask for your IP, they want your network location.

How do I know if my phone is being monitored by IP address?

Signs of monitoring

• IP address alone cannot monitor a phone — monitoring requires malware or spyware installed on the device (What Is My IP).
• Possible indicators: unusual battery drain, unexplained data usage spikes, or background activity when the phone is idle.

Tools to check

• Run a reputable mobile security app to scan for spyware. Android and iOS both have built-in safety checks under Security sections.
• Review app permissions: any app with network access and background data could theoretically transmit your public IP, but IP alone reveals little about your activity.

What to do if you suspect tracking

• Factory reset the device and restore from a known-clean backup.
• Change your router’s admin password and Wi-Fi password to prevent unauthorized access to your local network.
• Contact your mobile carrier if you suspect carrier-level monitoring.

The reality: IP-based tracking for phone monitoring is extremely limited. Your public IP gives an approximate geographic location (usually city-level), but not real-time activity or device contents, as noted by What Is My IP.

“A public IP address is the address visible on the internet, while a private IP address is used inside a local network.”

— GeeksforGeeks (computer networking reference)

“Private IPv4 addresses fall within three standard ranges: 10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255, and 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255.”

— What Is My IP

For anyone who regularly switches between home Wi-Fi, mobile data, and office networks, the practical consequence is clear: check your public IP only when you need to share it for troubleshooting or remote access. Your private IP matters when you’re configuring devices inside your network. Confusing the two wastes time — and occasionally, security effort.

Frequently asked questions