How to Enter a URL to Find an IP Address

An Internet Protocol, or IP, address is a unique numeric identifier that is assigned to every computer that accesses the Internet. When a domain name is created and assigned to a server, it is given an IP address that corresponds specifically to its URL. If you can find the IP address of a URL, you can access that website by typing the IP address directly into your web browser.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows XP or Vista

1. Click on the "Start" button. Select "All Programs," then choose "Accessories." Click "Command Prompt" from the Accessories menu.

2. Type the following command into the command prompt and then press "Enter."
   
   Ping URL
   
   Replace URL with the URL of the website for which you want to find the IP address.

3. Examine the information that is returned. It will look something like this:
   
   Pinging www.ehow.com [8.5.0.172] with 32 bytes of data
   
   The number in brackets is the IP address of the URL. You can type that IP address directly into the address bar of your web browser and access the website.

Tips & Warnings

• If a website changes servers, the IP address will also change. If you are using an IP address to access a website and it returns a "Page Not Found" error, the IP address has likely been changed. Follow the same steps above to find the new IP address.

Resources

• Internet Addresses and URLs Explained