by Jeremiah Smith

Created on: October 20, 2008   Last Updated: September 20, 2011

Finding your IP address can be done a few different ways, depending on the how network the computer is on is configured, as well as who the user is (administrator, etc). This information is obtainable by utilizing built-in features of your operating system, as well as commands and third-party software. Before explaining how to find your IP address, let's briefly discuss what a MAC address and an IP address are.

IP ADDRESS

The IP address assigned to your computer is one way to differentiate it from every other computer connected to the Internet. It consists of four sets of numbers, separated by periods, thus creating a 32-bit numeric address. Essentially, it is a number assigned to your computer by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) you receive service through.

MAC ADDRESS

Your MAC address, on the other hand, is generally a number assigned to the Network Interface Card of your computer. That addressing was done during the manufacturing process. To put it simply, an IP address is like your long distance phone number, while your MAC address is a local number.

FINDING IP ADDRESS THROUGH OS

If you are attempting to get the IP address of the computer you are using, there are a few ways to retrieve this information. If you are using Windows, begin by selecting Run" from the start menu and typing cmd' in the open field. Then input ipconfig/all' in the command box and hit enter, thus bringing up this information. For Mac OS X, enter the System Preferences' menu. Under Internet and Network,' click Network.' You will then be able to view the IP address. If you do not want to mess with the menus, there are websites that will display your IP address just by browsing to their site.

FINDING IP ADDRESS WITH MAC ADDRESS

Finding the IP address of a computer other than the one you are using is a bit more difficult. If it is on a local network, such as in a corporate setting, network discovery tools can be used to gather that information. These software tools, which operate on the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), send a command to all devices on the network asking for the MAC and IP addresses for each.

If, however, the computer is not working within a local network, the task becomes more difficult, as the IP address and MAC address come from different sources. At this point, third-party software would be needed to locate this information.

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