How to Find Your Router’s IP Address—Step by Step

Every device that’s connected to the internet has an internet protocol address (IP address), which serves as a unique identifier and lets that device communicate online. That includes your wireless router.

You can usually find your router’s IP address in your device’s network settings; knowing it enables you to access your router’s settings and configure your network to best suit your needs. That said, you may not want to be too forthcoming with your router’s IP address if you’re worried about staying safe online.

Here’s how to find your router’s IP address on several types of devices.

How to find your router’s IP address

For the most part, you’ll find your router’s IP address in the network settings of your device. Where things differ is where those network settings are and what they call the router’s IP — some use “default” or “default gateway,” while others will simply use “router.”

Let’s walk through the most common examples.

Find your router’s IP address on Windows via the command prompt

If you’re a command prompt kinda person, finding your router’s IP address is simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Open the command prompt. The fastest way is to hit the Windows key and type “CMD” into the Windows search bar. Then select Command Prompt from the list.





2. Type “ipconfig” into the prompt and press Enter.
3. You’ll find your router’s IP address listed as Default Gateway in the command prompt output.

Find your router’s IP address on Windows via Control Panel

If you’re not comfortable with using the command prompt, you can also find your router’s IP address via Control Panel:

1. Launch Control Panel. Again, the fastest way is by searching: hit the Windows key, type “Control Panel” in the search bar, and select Control Panel from the list.





2. Click on View network status and tasks under the Network and Internet section.





3. Click on your network name next to Connections.





4. In the window that pops up, click Details.

1. Your router’s IP address will be listed next to IPv4 Default Gateway.

Find your router’s IP address on a Mac via Terminal

If you’re comfortable with the command line, the Terminal app is, by far, the fastest way to find your router’s IP address on a Mac. You don’t need to be intimidated by Terminal—all you really need to do is copy and paste the command. Here’s how:

1. Launch the Terminal app. The fastest way is to press CMD + Space and search for “Terminal.”





2. Copy and paste the following command into Terminal: “netstat -nr|grep default”. Only include what’s inside the quotations, not the quotes themselves. Press Return.
3. You’ll find your router’s IP address listed next to the word Default on the top line of the output.

Find your router’s IP address on a Mac via System Settings

Mac users can also find their router’s IP address in System Settings. Note that the system settings menus changed pretty significantly in the last few versions of macOS, so if you’re on an older version, the process will look different. These instructions are for macOS Sonoma 14.1.2:

1. Launch System Settings by clicking the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen, then clicking on System Settings.





2. Click on Wi-Fi in the sidebar.





3. Find your network in the list and click the three dots next to its name.
4. Click Network Settings… in the list that pops up.





5. Your router’s IP address is listed next to Router in the window that pops up.

Find your router’s IP address on an Android

Finding your router’s IP address on a modern Android is pretty simple. Just note that the exact process may look a bit different depending on the model of phone you have. These instructions are for a Google Pixel running the latest version of Android 14:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Tap Network & Internet.





3. Tap Internet.





4. Tap the cogwheel next to your network’s name.
5. Your router’s IP address is listed under Gateway. You may have to scroll down a bit to find it.

Find your router’s IP address on an iPhone

Finding your router’s IP address on an iPhone is super simple. Note that these instructions are for the latest version of iOS—users on older versions may have a slightly different process. Follow these steps to find your router’s IP address on an iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app and tap on Wi-Fi.
2. Tap on the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to.
3. Your router’s IP address will be shown next to Router.

Why do I need to know my router’s IP address?

Most of the time, your router’s IP address is a piece of background information that, while important, isn’t something you need to know or worry about. However, there are a few instances where having this information is necessary.

The main use for your router’s IP address is accessing the router to change settings and configure your network. Typically, to access the router, you’ll type the IP address into the address bar of your web browser. This will then take you to a settings page where you can change all sorts of things about your network, from its name and password to various advanced router settings.

Note that you’ll probably need a password, as well—if you haven’t set one, you can usually find it on a sticker on the router itself. We’d highly recommend setting your own password, by the way.

Apart from that, the router’s IP address serves the same basic purpose as any other IP address: it provides your router with a unique identifier so that other devices on the internet can communicate with it. Essentially, the other devices on your Wi-Fi network communicate with the router, and then the router communicates with the “external” internet.

Is it safe to tell someone my router’s IP address?

In general, you don’t want to give out your router’s IP address. While there aren’t a ton of nefarious things that someone can do with your router’s IP, there are a couple to be aware of.

The biggest security concerns are that a bad actor could use it to do the following:

• Get access to your router and see the other devices on your network
• Conduct a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack and basically shut down your internet
• Get your approximate location

None of these are particularly likely, and most modern routers will have built-in protections against these sorts of attacks. However, it’s still worth keeping in mind. These can be big privacy concerns, which is why we recommend keeping your router’s IP address a secret.

Help keep your IP address safe with a VPN

Of course, keeping your IP address safe is easier said than done, considering IP addresses are required for the internet to function. This is where VPNs come in—they can enable you to browse the internet without giving out your IP address to every website you visit.

Here are some of the best VPNs you can get:

• NordVPN: NordVPN is one of the best and most trusted VPNs around, offering ultra-secure and high-speed VPN servers. You’ll also get access to other features like a password manager, dark web monitoring, and more.
  
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• Surfshark: If you have a tight budget, Surfshark is a high-quality and reliable VPN service at a more affordable price than a lot of others. One of the best perks is you get access to unlimited devices.
  
  Get Surfshark | Read Surfshark Review
• ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is another option that comes packed with valuable features. You can stay secure with no activity logs, ad blocking, and more.
  
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Router IP address FAQs

Bottom line

If you need to find your router’s IP address (say, to update your network settings), you can do so fairly easily by digging into your device’s network settings. Although the specifics differ from one platform to another, the basics are mostly the same—that means that if your device isn’t covered here, you should at least be able to start off in the right direction.

Getting acquainted with IP addresses is an important part of understanding online privacy, safety, and security. If you want to make sure your data is secure online, the best VPN services will help encrypt all the data you send to the internet, including your IP address.

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Author Details

Dave Schafer

About the Author

Dave Schafer is a professional writer with a decade of experience specializing in cybersecurity. His expertise spans gadgets, technology, and the internet, with a focus on topics such as routers, hardware, and VPN product comparisons.