Need to know your ip address in this How to Determine Public IP Address article we guide you to get this from the command line and more.
The public IP (Internet Protocol) address on your computer is the address people can find your computer on outside of your private network. Many people will never need their public IP address as it is required only for specific reasons. If you ever need to know your IP address for some reason, the good news is that it’s one of the easiest things to do.
You could need your IP address for several reasons, such as when connecting to your computer remotely or if you are sharing files on an FTP server. There are several ways to know how to determine public IP address on Windows and Linux, no matter why you need to know. Here are some of the most common methods.
Use an IP Address Finding Website
Many websites are more than happy to display your IP address for you. These websites offer the most common method of determining IP addresses. Most people find their address by merely typing “What is my IP address?” into Google.
IP Lookup, What Is My IP, and IP Location Finder are other great resources. Given that any operating system can access these websites, you’ll be able to find your local or external IP address, whether you are running Windows or Linux.
These websites also offer other useful information about your IP address and internet connection. They can tell you your IP address, what browser you are using, and – in some cases – the physical location of your computer.
Command Line
If you’re using a Windows computer, then you can use the Command Prompt for DNS requests. The request will locate and show you the IP address. Open up the Command Prompt window and run the following command;
nslookup myip.opendns.com. resolver1.opendns.com
The first results will be from the DNS server, with another list of results under that. The IP address you want is the number under the line; Name: myip.opendns.com.
Don’t worry if you run into an error while trying to run this command. If that happens, try running opendns.com without myip. This command should provide you the address for opendns.com. After that, rerun the command with myip at the start.
You can also find your IP address using PowerShell with a similar command;
$tmp =Invoke-WebRequest -URI http://myip.dnsomatic.com/
Use $tmp.Content to get the results from the DNS lookup.
Linux users can determine their IP address with the terminal window, in a similar fashion to Windows users. Enter this command into the terminal to see your IP address;
dig +short myip.opendns.com
@resolver1.opendns.com
Use Your Modem or Router to Find IP Address
The modem and router are what connects your device to the internet. They have to know what IP address you have so they can do that. You can also use your device to learn your IP address if you need it.
It’s not as easy to find the IP address using a modem and router then it is to use a website or terminal command, but it is still possible. Where the problem lies with determining your IP address with your router is that users have to be able to access and log into the router and see the settings. Most people don’t know how to access their router like this, so they won’t know how to find their AP address this way.
You can access your router by visiting http://192.168.1.1. Your router may have a different address you have to connect to, which should be outlined in the instruction manual. You can then enter the login information for your router and gain access to the admin control.
If you get this far, then the hard part is over. From here, you can open a page such as a Setup page or Device Management/Info page. The actual IP address could be called WAN IP, Public IP, External Address, or something similar.
How to Prevent An IP Address Changing
There is a chance that your IP address could change down the line. This is because of how ISPs issue addresses to users. Just because you think you know your IP doesn’t mean that you do. It could have changed since the last time you checked.
While you can’t force an IP address to remain static, you can use a dynamic DNS service as a way to do this basically. These services give your public IP address a name, while also updating the record of your current IP address whenever it changes. It will do this every time your address changes, giving you a single hostname similar to the URL for a website. Use that hostname in place of an IP address.
After setting up a hostname, use that URL to access the network. Connecting like this is the same as connecting to your network with a public IP address. You don’t have to know what your updated address whenever it changes because the dynamic IP service handles everything for you. The only thing you have to remember is your hostname.
Is it Possible to Hide or Change an IP Address?
Your IP address can be seen by anyone around the world by default. Every website you access knows your public IP address, and so does your ISP. That also means that people can get access to it, which you might not want for obvious reasons. You may be wondering if it’s possible to hide your public IP address or even change it.
The best way to hide your IP address – and what you do on the internet – is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN creates an online tunnel from the network to your chosen VPN service, preventing anyone from being able to see what you are doing online.
Using a VPN means that the websites you visit will see the VPN server address rather than your public address, letting you mask your presence online. Well, you’re hidden unless the VPN provider discloses your address to a third-party. You want to be sure that you choose a reliable and trustworthy VPN provider if you’re going to hide your presence online.