How to find out the IP address of a computer – 4 ways
In this article, we will take a closer look at how to find out the IP address of a computer using special services and programs. A unique computer number on a network may be required for many purposes, including some applications.
If several computers are connected to the same network, then their IP addresses will always match. Therefore, it is enough to find out the unique network number of just one machine.
Content:
- How to find out the internal IP address using Windows tools – 1 way
- How to find out the internal IP address through the command line – 2 way
- How to find out the external IP address through online services – 3 way
- How to find out the external IP address using programs – 4 way
- Article Conclusions
It is important to know that there are both internal and external IP addresses. The first type is used exclusively within the local network, that is, it is unique only to your provider. The second type exists in a single version, that is, other people cannot have a similar IP address.
The unique network address of a computer most often consists of four groups of decimal numbers (from 0 to 255). As an example, here are several IPs: 192.142.4.5, 15.74.31.11 and 178.126.54.40.
IP addresses come in two numeric formats: IPv4 (Internet Protocol v. 4), written in 32-bit format (for example, 64.125.8.36), and IPv6 (Internet Protocol v. 6), written in 128-bit format (for example, 2a00 :1fa0:84f2:3961:755c:9b76:5fba:2bb4).
IP addresses can be either static or dynamic. Static IPs are permanent for the device, while dynamic IPs are automatically assigned to the device for a limited time: from the beginning to the end of the session.
The methods below will tell you how to find out the internal and external IP address of a PC. Carefully follow the recommendations of the instructions and then there will be no problems.
How to find out the internal IP address using Windows tools – 1 way
To view the internal IP address of a computer, it is not at all necessary to install additional programs, because you can get by with the tools built into the operating system. As an example, let’s take a look at how to find out the internal IP on a Windows PC.
To do everything right, a step-by-step instruction compiled for the Windows 7 operating system will help you:
- Open the Start menu and go to the Control Panel.
- We go to the “Network and Internet” section, and then open the “Network and Sharing Center” tab.
- Find the item “Change adapter settings” and click on it.
- Click on the desired network connection, and in the window that appears, select “Details”.
- The desired IP is in the “IPv4 Address” line.
In a similar way, you can find out the internal IP on computers running Windows 10. In the top ten, you can also use this method:
- From the Start menu, launch the Settings app.
- Sign in to “Network and Internet”.
- In the “Ethernet” section, in the “Ethernet” parameter, click on the “Network” option.
- On the page that opens, you will see the “IP Settings” section with the necessary data.
How to find out the internal IP address through the command line – 2 way
If the previous method does not suit you for some reason, then you can also find out the internal IP using the command line. This option is no worse than the previous one, but to some extent even easier.
So, the following instruction will help you find out the IP address:
- Open the Start menu.
- In the search box, enter “cmd” and press the “Enter” key.
- Open the command prompt and enter the request “ipconfig” (required without quotes).
- Press the “Enter” key and near the line “IPv4 Address” we see the necessary numbers.
As you can see, in just a few steps, we managed to find out the internal IP address of the computer. The presented instructions are suitable for both the Windows 7 operating system and Windows 10 and below.
However, most often users are interested in how to find out the external IP address of a computer on the network. This can be done both with the help of online services and through special programs. Each of the methods will be discussed below.
How to find out the external IP address through online services – 3 way
Today, there are many sites on the Internet that allow you to determine the external IP address of the device. For example, you can use the following resources: 2ip.ru, internet.yandex.ru, yoip.ru or smart-ip.net.
It is most convenient to use the 2ip.ru service . It is enough to go to the specified resource, and the page will immediately display the IP of your computer.
You can also use the official service from Yandex. We go to the internet.yandex.ru page and see the IP address of the computer.
The advantage of this method is that you do not need to enter any data. It is enough to open the site and view the necessary information.
How to find out the external IP address using programs – 4 way
It is also possible to determine the IP address of your own computer or laptop using third-party programs. The following applications have gained particular popularity: IP2, Router IP Address and Get My IP.
For example, in the Get My IP program, the external IP address is located on the left, and the internal one, respectively, on the right. To update the information, click on the “Refresh” button.
The IP2 utility has a similar functionality. To collect information about the current IP address, click on the “Find my IP addresses” button. And accordingly, the internal address will be displayed in the “LAN IP” field, and the external address in the “WAN IP” field.
The presented programs do not require installation. All you need is to open the .exe file from the archive.
Article Conclusions
There are two classifications of IP addresses: external and internal. You can find out each of them using special online services, programs or built-in Windows tools. The procedure is quite simple, so any user can handle it.