How to Find Your Local and Public IP Address in Windows 11

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique string of numbers that identifies a device on a network. However, when you are trying to troubleshoot a network issue, set up port forwarding for a video game, or configure a local server, looking for “your IP address” can be confusing. This is because your Windows 11 computer actually has two completely different IP addresses: a Local IP and a Public IP.

• Local IP (Internal): This is assigned by your Wi-Fi router. It is only used to communicate with other devices inside your house (like sending a document to your wireless printer). It usually starts with 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x.
• Public IP (External): This is assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is the single address that the entire internet sees when your house connects to the outside world. All devices in your home share this one Public IP.

Here is how to easily find both addresses on your Windows 11 PC.

How to Find Your Local IP Address

You can find your internal Local IP address using either the graphical Settings menu or the Command Prompt.

Method A: Using Windows Settings (The Easy Way)

1. Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Network & internet.
3. Depending on how you are connected, click on either Wi-Fi or Ethernet at the top of the window.
4. If you clicked Wi-Fi, click on Hardware properties on the next screen.
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the properties list. Look for the line labelled IPv4 address. The number next to it (e.g., 192.168.1.15) is your Local IP address.

Method B: Using the Command Prompt (The Fast Way)

1. Click the Start button, type cmd into the search bar, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
2. In the black window, type exactly: ipconfig and press Enter.
3. A list of network adapters will appear. Look for the section labelled “Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi” (or “Ethernet adapter” if you are plugged in).
4. Look for the line that says IPv4 Address. That is your Local IP.

How to Find Your Public IP Address

Because your Public IP address is assigned to your router by your ISP, your Windows 11 computer does not actually know what it is by default. The only way to find out how the internet sees you is to ask a website on the internet.

1. Open your preferred web browser (Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.).
2. Go to the search engine Google.com.
3. Type what is my IP into the search bar and press Enter.
4. Google will display a large box at the very top of the search results stating “Your public IP address is…” followed by a string of numbers.

Important Security Note: You should never share your Public IP address publicly on forums or social media. Malicious users can use it to determine your approximate geographic location or target your home network with Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Your Local IP address, however, is entirely safe to share, as it only works inside your own house.