Locating your machine's internet protocol address is a fundamental skill for troubleshooting network issues, verifying connectivity, or managing server configurations. While graphical interfaces provide one method, the command line offers a faster and more precise approach. This guide details how to find IP address on Windows command line using native utilities, ensuring you can diagnose network problems efficiently.
Understanding IP Addresses in Windows
Before diving into the commands, it helps to understand the two primary types of addresses you will encounter. An internal address, assigned by your router, identifies your device on the local network. In contrast, an external address is the public-facing identifier assigned by your internet service provider. Windows provides specific tools to view both, and knowing which one you need is the first step in the process.
Using the ipconfig Command
The most common and versatile tool for this task is ipconfig . This command-line utility displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings. To open the command prompt, press the Windows key, type cmd , and press Enter.
Basic Execution
Simply typing ipconfig and hitting Enter will generate a list of network adapters installed on your machine. Look for the section labeled "Ethernet adapter" or "Wireless LAN adapter." Within that section, the line labeled "IPv4 Address" shows the internal IP address of your device on the local network. This is the most frequently requested IP address for local troubleshooting.
Open Command Prompt.
Type ipconfig and press Enter.
Locate the adapter you are currently using.
Identify the IPv4 Address listed under it.
Finding the External IP Address
While ipconfig shows your local address, it does not display the public IP assigned by your ISP. To find the external IP address, you must combine the command line with a web service. This is useful for configuring port forwarding or verifying your connection to the internet.
Command Line with Curl
If you have the curl command available (common in newer Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations), you can query a dedicated external IP service directly from the terminal. This method returns just the IP address without the surrounding HTML of a web page.
Type curl ifconfig.me to retrieve your public IP.
Alternatively, use curl ipinfo.io/ip for the same result.
You can also add ipconfig and curl output to see both addresses side-by-side.
Advanced Verification with Ping and Get-NetIPAddress
For network administrators or users requiring more detailed information, PowerShell offers cmdlets that provide deeper insights. The Get-NetIPAddress cmdlet filters results by address family, allowing you to isolate IPv4 or IPv6 addresses specifically.
PowerShell Specifics
Open PowerShell from the Start menu and execute the following command to see only IPv4 addresses. This output includes the interface alias, IP address, and prefix length, providing a clean and technical view of your network stack.
Open PowerShell.
Type Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 .
Review the "IPAddress" column for your assigned addresses.
