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To see the external IP address that websites currently see, search the web for “what is my IP address” or “my IP.” For a command-line check, run curl ipconfig.io on macOS or Linux, or Invoke-RestMethod ipconfig.io in Windows PowerShell. The result can differ from the address shown in your device’s network settings because that is usually its local address.
External IP vs. local IP: which one do you need?
An external IP address—also called a public or internet-facing IP—is the address seen by an online service when your connection reaches it. That address may belong to your internet provider, mobile carrier, VPN, proxy, or another network gateway, depending on how your traffic is routed.
Your local IP address identifies a device within its local network. A router commonly uses network address translation (NAT) to let several devices with private addresses share an internet connection. A default gateway is usually the router’s local address, not the address a website sees.
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|---|---|---|
| External/public IP | Address observed by an internet service | Search “what is my IP,” or use an internet-based command |
| Local/private IP | Identifies your device on a home, work, or other local network | Use ipconfig, ip addr, or network settings |
| Default gateway | The local router or gateway your device uses to reach other networks | Check network settings or the Default Gateway field |
| Router WAN address | Address assigned to the router’s internet-facing interface | Check the router’s internet or WAN status page |
Private IPv4 addresses commonly fall within 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, or 192.168.0.0/16. They work inside local networks but are not ordinarily reachable directly from the public internet. See ipconfig.io’s explanation of public and private IP checks.
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Find your external IP in a browser
- Connect to the network you want to check.
- Open a browser and search for what is my IP address or my IP.
- Note the displayed IPv4 address. If the result includes an IPv6 address, record that separately.
The displayed value is the address visible to the search engine or IP-checking service from your current connection. Microsoft also describes searching for “my IP” as a way to find a public IP for remote-access setup; see its Remote Desktop guidance.
If you have a VPN, corporate proxy, privacy relay, or similar intermediary enabled, the result may be that service’s outgoing address rather than your home ISP’s address. A check tells you what that particular service observes; it does not prove that every app or type of traffic uses the same route.
Find your external IP from the command line
These commands ask an online service to report the address it sees. They need an internet connection; they are different from commands that inspect your device’s local network interfaces.
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Invoke-RestMethod ipconfig.ioRun it in PowerShell to return the observed address as text. The command is documented in the ipconfig.io terminal guide.
macOS or Linux
curl ipconfig.ioTo request one address family specifically:
curl -4 ipconfig.io # IPv4
curl -6 ipconfig.io # IPv6If curl is unavailable, Linux systems with wget can try:
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wget -qO- ipconfig.ioA failed IPv6 request does not necessarily mean your connection is broken; your network may not have working IPv6 connectivity. The available commands and options are listed in the terminal guide.
Optional DNS diagnostic
If you have the DNS tools installed and use Cloudflare DNS, Cloudflare documents this diagnostic:
dig @alex.ns.cloudflare.com chaos txt myip.cloudflare +shortReplace the nameserver with the Cloudflare-assigned nameserver where applicable. This reports the address Cloudflare receives for that DNS query, which may not match the address seen by a web service if your DNS and web traffic take different routes. See Cloudflare’s DNS diagnostic documentation.
What Windows, macOS, and Linux local-IP commands show
Use local-network commands when you need your device’s LAN address—not the address websites see.
On Windows, open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run:
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ipconfig
ipconfig /allLook for IPv4 Address, IPv6 Address, and Default Gateway. These describe local adapter configuration. Microsoft’s ipconfig reference explains the command’s adapter information.
On macOS or Linux, inspect interfaces with:
ifconfigLinux also commonly provides:
ip addrOn many Macs, this command returns the address for interface en0:
ipconfig getifaddr en0Interface names vary, and these commands still report local interface information rather than necessarily identifying the external IP. On a phone or tablet, a browser search is the simplest cross-platform public-IP check; Wi-Fi settings typically show a local address instead.
Check the router’s WAN address
Sign in to your router’s administration page and look for a section named Internet, WAN, Broadband, or Connection status. The router’s internet-facing address can help with network setup, but it may not be the address an external website sees.
If the WAN address differs from a browser check, possible causes include a VPN or proxy, an ISP gateway and a separate router creating double NAT, or carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), where the ISP shares a public IPv4 address among customers. IPv4 and IPv6 may also produce different results. A private-looking WAN address is a reason to investigate the upstream network; it does not, by itself, prove exactly how your ISP has configured it.
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For port forwarding, a router’s public IP and port are mapped to a device’s internal IP and port. Microsoft explains this relationship in its remote-access guidance. If the ISP uses CGNAT, ordinary inbound IPv4 port forwarding may not work because your router does not have its own directly reachable public IPv4 address.
IPv4 and IPv6 results
IPv4 addresses look like four decimal numbers separated by dots, such as 198.51.100.25. IPv6 addresses use hexadecimal groups separated by colons, such as 2001:db8::25. These are documentation examples, not your address.
A connection may have IPv4 only, IPv6 only, or both. A device can also have multiple IPv6 addresses, and an app may prefer one address family over another. Use curl -4 and curl -6 to check what the service observes over each family. Cloudflare’s IP visibility documentation discusses IPv4, IPv6, device, gateway, and ISP-facing addresses.
Why your external IP can change
- VPN or proxy: A service sees the intermediary’s outgoing address for traffic routed through it. Split tunneling can send some apps outside the VPN.
- Mobile data: A cellular connection may use a carrier address shared among many customers.
- Changing networks: Switching between home Wi-Fi, work, and cellular can change the observed address.
- Dynamic assignment: Residential ISP addresses may change after a reconnection, equipment change, lease or network reassignment, or provider maintenance. A public address is not automatically static.
- IPv4 versus IPv6: A site or command may be reporting a different address family from the one you expect.
- Multiple gateways: Double NAT, an ISP gateway, an enterprise egress gateway, or a router-level VPN can affect the path.
If you need a stable address for an allowlist or remote access, confirm with your ISP or network administrator whether the address is static and whether inbound connections are supported. Cloud providers likewise treat a reserved static external IP as a distinct resource; see Google Cloud’s static external IP documentation.
Troubleshoot a mismatch
- Need the address an online service sees? Use a browser check or
curl. Repeat from the exact network and device relevant to your task. - Need the computer’s LAN address? Use
ipconfigon Windows orip addr/ifconfigon macOS or Linux. - Need the router’s address for network setup? Check its WAN or Internet status page, and distinguish that value from the local default gateway.
- Do results disagree? Check whether a VPN, proxy, cellular fallback, or privacy relay is active. Compare
curl -4andcurl -6results. - Does the router WAN address look private or differ from the browser result? Check for an upstream modem/router, double NAT, or ISP CGNAT. Ask the ISP about public IPv4 availability if inbound access is required.
For a VPN comparison, check once with it disconnected and once connected. If the results are identical, the VPN may be inactive for that traffic, using split tunneling, or configured not to route it. An IP check alone does not test DNS, WebRTC, IPv6, or every application’s route.
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Privacy and remote-access safety
An external IP is routinely visible to websites and online services. It can help indicate a network, ISP, organization, or approximate geographic region, but it is not a precise street address or proof of a particular person’s identity. With a VPN, proxy, or carrier gateway, an IP-based location estimate may identify that intermediary’s network or region instead. See Cloudflare’s IP address overview.
Looking up your address does not open ports or grant anyone access to your devices. Still, avoid posting the address unnecessarily alongside details such as your home address, router model, open ports, account names, or camera and NAS information. Port forwarding and enabling a remote service are separate actions that can expose a device to inbound internet traffic. Microsoft cautions against exposing Remote Desktop directly without appropriate security precautions and describes VPN access as a preferable option in many cases; see its remote-access guidance.
If your goal is to reach a home device remotely, finding the external IP is only one step. You must also consider firewall rules, authentication, address changes, whether the ISP allows inbound connections, and whether CGNAT prevents direct access. A VPN or other private remote-access approach may avoid exposing a service directly; the right option depends on your network and security requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is my external IP the same as my Wi-Fi IP?
Usually not. Wi-Fi settings typically show your device’s local address on the wireless network. An external-IP check shows the address seen by an online service, which may be your router’s, ISP’s, VPN’s, or another gateway’s address.
Does a VPN change my external IP?
Usually, for traffic routed through the VPN: websites see the VPN server’s outgoing address. Split tunneling or other routing choices can leave some traffic on your ordinary connection, so one IP check does not verify every traffic type.
Can I use my external IP for remote access?
It may be part of a remote-access setup, but it is not enough by itself. Inbound access can require router and firewall configuration, a stable address or dynamic DNS, and an ISP connection that permits it. CGNAT can prevent ordinary inbound IPv4 port forwarding; direct exposure also carries security risks.
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