How to Find IP Address

Your IP address uniquely identifies your computer on the Internet.

An IP address is like a street address for computers. It allows computers to find each other across the Internet and other networks. You can discover your computer's IP address, or the IP address of another computer, in several ways.

Instructions

1. Click the Windows "Start" button in the lower left corner of your desktop and type "cmd" in the Search box. Click "cmd.exe" in the search results above. A command prompt window opens. Type "ipconfig" without the quotes and press the "Enter" key. Your IP address will be displayed on the screen.

2. Right-click the "Network" icon on your desktop and click "Properties" from the context menu. Alternately, click "Start," type "network" in the Search box and click on "Network and Sharing Center" in the results. Find your active network connection in the Network and Sharing Center window. Usually, you'll look in the "View Your Active Networks" section. On the right side of the page, click the "Connections" link. Click the "Details" button in the window that opens and look for your IP address in the next pop-up window.

3. Open a browser and navigate to one of the many websites that offer a free IP address lookup tool. These websites include WhatsMyIP.com, WhatIsMyIP.com and WhatsMyIP.net. Wait for the page to load in your browser. Your IP address will be prominently displayed on the page.

4. Find the IP address of another computer by sending a ping to that computer's hostname. Click "Start," type "cmd" in the Search box and click on "cmd.exe" in the search results. Type "ping" in the command window, then a space, followed by the other computer's name. Press "Enter." Windows will send a ping and return the other computer's IP address. If you enter an invalid computer name, Windows will report that the destination is unreachable.

References

• WindowsTalk.org: How to Find Your Computer IP Address in Windows 7