To identify one device, open that device’s active Wi‑Fi or Ethernet settings and read its local IPv4 address. To identify several devices at once, sign in to the network’s router and open its connected-device, DHCP-client, or ARP table. The router’s own address—shown as Default Gateway, Router, or Gateway—is a separate value used to reach the router’s administration page.
What you are actually looking for
An IP lookup can answer two different questions:
- What is this device’s address? The active connection on a computer, phone, or Chromebook shows that device’s local address. Windows labels the IPv4 field IPv4 address.
- What devices are connected to this network? The router keeps the most useful network-wide view, usually under Connected Devices, Clients, DHCP Clients, or ARP Table.
Do not confuse either of those with your public internet address. A local address identifies a device inside the home or office network; the router’s gateway address identifies the router on that local network. The public address is assigned on the internet-facing side of the router and is not a substitute for a device’s local address.
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IPv4 and IPv6 can appear together
Most settings pages show at least an IPv4 address and may also show one or more IPv6 addresses. IPv4 is often the value an app, printer, or troubleshooting instruction asks for. IPv6 can be equally valid, but it may be longer and may include a scope or interface indicator. Record the address type exactly as displayed rather than shortening or reformatting it.
Choose the method that matches your goal
| Goal | Best starting point | What you will see | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm one known Windows PC | Settings > Network & internet > active connection | That connection’s IPv4 address and related settings | It does not inventory other clients |
| Confirm one Mac, iPhone, Android device, or Chromebook | Details for the active Wi‑Fi or Ethernet connection | The selected device’s local address and gateway information | Labels vary by operating-system release |
| See several devices together | Router administration page | Client names, IP addresses, and often MAC addresses; some routers also show interface, address type, and IPv6 | Fields and completeness depend on the router, firmware, and network |
| Open the router’s administration page | Read the active connection’s Default Gateway, Router, or Gateway field | The router’s local address | This is the router address, not the address of the device you are using |
Use device settings when you need a definitive answer for one device. Use the router inventory when you need a list, then confirm a questionable entry from the device itself or by matching its MAC address.
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Find a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC’s local IP address
These steps apply to the built-in Settings app on Windows 10 and Windows 11. You must select the connection that is actually carrying traffic; a disconnected Ethernet adapter can have no useful address.
- Open Settings.
- Select Network & internet.
- For a wireless connection, select Wi‑Fi, then select the connected network. For a wired connection, select Ethernet.
- Open the connection’s properties or hardware properties, depending on the Windows release.
- Read the value next to IPv4 address. If you also need IPv6, record the IPv6 address shown in the same details area.
The address belongs to that adapter and connection. If the PC has both Wi‑Fi and Ethernet enabled, each adapter can have a different local address; use the one associated with the network you are troubleshooting.
Command-line cross-check
When the Settings layout is difficult to find, open Command Prompt and run:
ipconfigFind the section for the active Wi‑Fi or Ethernet adapter and read its IPv4 Address. The same section lists Default Gateway, which is the router’s local address. This command is a cross-check, not a reason to change the adapter configuration.
Leave ordinary Windows networks on automatic addressing
For a normal home or small-office network, Microsoft guidance recommends Automatic (DHCP) when it is supported. DHCP lets the router or access point assign the IP settings. Do not switch to a manual address merely to discover the current one; a manual value can conflict with another client or prevent connectivity if the subnet, gateway, or DNS values are wrong.
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Find a Mac’s address
Menu names move slightly between macOS releases, but the route is consistent: open the details for the active interface, not an inactive adapter.
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
- Select Network.
- Choose the connected Wi‑Fi or Ethernet service.
- Open Details, Advanced, or the equivalent information button.
- Read the IPv4 address. The same panel normally identifies the router or gateway address and may list IPv6 addresses.
If Wi‑Fi and Ethernet are both connected, verify which service has the route to the device or service you are testing. A virtual private network or a virtual machine can add extra interfaces; do not select one of those unless the application specifically uses it.
Find an iPhone or iPad address
- Open Settings and select Wi‑Fi.
- Tap the information button next to the connected network.
- Read the IPv4 address in the network details. The page also identifies the router value and may show IPv6 information.
These details apply to the network currently selected in Wi‑Fi settings. If the device is using cellular data, it is not using the local Wi‑Fi address for that traffic; join the intended Wi‑Fi network before recording an address for a printer, file share, or local web interface.
Find an Android phone or tablet address
Android manufacturers rearrange settings, so the exact labels can differ. The reliable approach is to open the details page for the connected Wi‑Fi network.
- Open Settings.
- Open Network & internet, Connections, or the manufacturer’s equivalent.
- Select Wi‑Fi and tap the connected network or its gear/info button.
- Expand Network details, Advanced, or a similarly named section.
- Read the device’s IP address and, when needed, the Gateway value.
Some Android versions offer a DHCP/static selector in the same panel. Leave it on DHCP unless you have a documented addressing plan; changing it is not required for a lookup.
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Find a Chromebook address
- Select the status area near the clock.
- Select the connected Wi‑Fi network.
- Open the network’s details or settings.
- Read the IP address for the active connection. The same details can show the gateway and other network parameters.
ChromeOS releases use different wording for the details screen. If you do not see an address immediately, open the advanced or network-information section for the network marked as connected.
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The router is the natural first place to look for a network-wide inventory because it assigns or observes addresses for many clients. You need the router’s administration address and its administrator credentials; being connected to the network does not automatically grant management access.
- Connect your computer or phone to the target Wi‑Fi or Ethernet network.
- Find the Default Gateway, Router, or Gateway value in that device’s active-connection details.
- Enter that address in a web browser’s address bar. Use the router’s local address exactly as shown; do not search for it.
- Sign in to the router’s administration interface.
- Look for a page named Connected Devices, Clients, DHCP Clients, Attached Devices, or ARP Table.
- Export or record the entries you need, including the device name, local IP address, and MAC address where available.
Some routers split information across pages: a DHCP page may show leases, while an ARP page shows recently observed address-to-MAC mappings. A lease list can include a device that is temporarily offline; an ARP table can omit a sleeping device until the router sees traffic from it. Treat the page as a current view of what the router knows, not an immutable asset register.
What a router table may contain
Cisco’s RV345 documentation describes an ARP Table that lists devices connected to the router and their statistics. That model-specific page displays fields including:
- Host name
- IPv4 address
- MAC address
- Address type
- Interface
- IPv6 address
Those fields are a useful example of what to look for, not a promise that every router exposes the same columns. Cisco’s wording is: “The ARP Table page lists all of the devices currently connected to the router and its’ statistics.” The grammar and scope belong to that RV345 help page; other models can use different labels or provide fewer details.
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Find the router address when you do not know it
Read the gateway field from the active connection rather than guessing a factory default. Router addresses can be changed, and a mesh system, range extender, guest network, or business access point may use a different management address.
| Platform | Field to read | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Default Gateway | Active adapter properties or the relevant ipconfig section |
| macOS | Router | Network details for the connected Wi‑Fi or Ethernet service |
| iPhone/iPad | Router | Wi‑Fi network information page |
| Android | Gateway | Connected Wi‑Fi network details or advanced information |
| Chromebook | Gateway | Connected network details |
Sample addresses shown in a router manufacturer’s documentation are examples for that manufacturer’s models. They should not be treated as universal defaults. If the gateway field is blank, first verify that the device is connected and has received an address; a captive portal, isolated guest network, or manually configured adapter can also change what you see.
Match an unfamiliar entry to a real device
A name in a router list is a clue, not proof of identity. Phones may use private or rotating Wi‑Fi identifiers, computers can have generic host names, and a smart device may appear under a vendor or chipset name.
- Start with the host name and the time the entry was last active, if the router shows it.
- Compare the listed MAC address with the device’s own Wi‑Fi or Ethernet details. Check the correct interface; a phone can show different identifiers for different networks.
- Temporarily disconnect or disable Wi‑Fi on the suspected device, refresh the router page, and see whether the matching entry disappears or becomes inactive.
- Reconnect the device and confirm that the same IP and MAC pairing returns, allowing for DHCP lease changes.
- If you still cannot identify it, ask the network owner or administrator before blocking it. A guest, streaming device, access point, printer, or building-managed equipment may be legitimate.
Do not infer ownership solely from an IP address. IP assignments can be reused, and a host name can be edited or omitted.
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Most ordinary networks use DHCP. The router lends an address to a device for a lease period; the address can change after the lease expires, the device reconnects, the router reboots, or another client takes a previously unused address. This is normal and does not indicate that the device has moved to another physical location.
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If you need a stable destination for a printer, camera, server, or home-automation controller, use the router’s documented DHCP-reservation feature or a correctly planned static configuration. Reserve an address outside the router’s conflicting manual range, and document the device’s MAC address and hostname. Do not create a static address simply to make a one-time lookup easier.
Understand guest networks, extenders, and mesh systems
A guest SSID may deliberately isolate clients from one another. In that case, a phone can have a local address yet be unable to reach a printer or the router’s main-network devices. A range extender or mesh node may show clients on a different interface, and some systems present one combined app view rather than a conventional ARP page.
- Confirm that the device and the service are on the same SSID or permitted network segment.
- Check the router or mesh controller that actually manages the client, not only the upstream modem.
- Use the gateway shown by the device; it identifies the router serving that segment.
- If an extender uses a separate management address, record both the client’s address and the management device’s address.
Troubleshoot a missing or unusable address
The device shows no IPv4 address
- Confirm that Wi‑Fi is enabled or that the Ethernet cable is connected.
- Disconnect and reconnect to the intended network.
- Restart the adapter or device if it remains disconnected.
- Check whether the router’s DHCP service is enabled and whether its client pool is exhausted.
- Remove an accidental manual configuration and return the adapter to automatic addressing when that is the network’s intended setup.
The address begins with an automatic/private fallback value
A fallback address can mean the device did not receive a usable lease. Test the connection to the gateway, renew the lease if your operating system provides that option, and inspect the router’s DHCP status. Do not assume that a fallback address can reach every local service.
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The router page does not open
- Use the gateway value from the same active connection; an old bookmark may point to a different router.
- Check that the browser address bar contains a local address rather than a search query.
- Disable a VPN temporarily if it routes local traffic away from the home network.
- Try the router’s wired connection or its official management app if the web interface is restricted.
- Ask the network administrator for credentials. Repeated login failures can trigger a lockout.
The router list is incomplete
Refresh the page, inspect both DHCP and ARP/client views, and wake the device by generating local traffic. Look at every node in a mesh system and at any managed switch or access point that maintains its own client list. Some routers show lease records but not every currently reachable client, while others show observed devices without a current DHCP lease.
Two devices appear to share an address
An address conflict can cause intermittent connectivity. Confirm the MAC addresses, then check for a manually assigned address overlapping the DHCP pool. Return ordinary clients to DHCP or create a unique reservation in the router. If the conflict persists, inspect virtual machines, containers, bridges, and secondary adapters that may be presenting additional addresses.
Use the result safely
Local IP addresses are useful for troubleshooting, opening a printer’s local page, or connecting to a service inside the network. They are not passwords. Still, avoid publishing a complete client list, MAC-address list, or router screenshot in a public forum; those details reveal information about your network.
Only scan or administer networks you own or are authorized to manage. If you find an unknown entry, identify it before taking action. Blocking or disconnecting a device can interrupt a neighbor’s authorized access, a security system, or a shared building service.
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- Decide whether you need one device’s address or a network-wide list.
- For one device, open the active connection details and record IPv4, IPv6 if relevant, and the gateway.
- For a list, use the gateway to open the router administration page.
- Review connected-device, DHCP-client, and ARP pages, recording host name, IP, MAC, and interface where available.
- Match uncertain entries with the device’s own settings or by briefly disconnecting the suspected device.
- Record the date, network name, and whether each value came from DHCP, a reservation, or a manual configuration.
- Repeat after a router replacement, network-name change, firmware change, or major device move, because addresses and visible fields can change.
The practical rule is simple: device settings are the authoritative first check for that device, while the router is the best starting point for discovering multiple clients. Keep the gateway separate from the client addresses, and treat router field names and inventory completeness as model-specific.
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