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What is my internet IP address?

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GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
Original poster
OK, I've searched the forums for the answer (I'm sure it's here somewhere, but I can't find it), but how do I find my current Internet IP address? And before you suggest it, it's NOT in System Preferences > Network (that's my local network IP address, 192.168...

I know there are websites I can go to that will show me, but I wanted to know how to find it on the Mac, without visiting a site such as http://whatismyipaddress.com/ I know the answer is probably right in front of me, but I can't seem to find it.
 
Technically speaking, your Mac's IP address IS 192.168.x.x.
What you're looking for is the IP address assigned to your router or dsl/cable modem.
For that.. you need to use something like whatismyip. None of that is stored locally on your Mac, as it's not governed or determined by your Mac.
 
yellow said:
Technically speaking, your Mac's IP address IS 192.168.x.x.
What you're looking for is the IP address assigned to your router or dsl/cable modem.
For that.. you need to use something like whatismyip. None of that is stored locally on your Mac, as it's not governed or determined by your Mac.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the response, but in Windows I could find it by using the ipconfig command in the command prompt (terminal). I'm sure there must be some equivalent in Mac OS X. No?
 
Unless your Mac is connected directly to the internet (which it doesn't sound like it is), you will need to look on your router or use a website like you mentioned to get your WAN IP.

ipconfig in Windows will only give you your LAN IP, which isn't what you're after.
 
edesignuk said:
Unless your Mac is connected directly to the internet (which it doesn't sound like it is), you will need to look on your router or use a website like you mentioned to get your WAN IP.

ipconfig in Windows will only give you your LAN IP, which isn't what you're after.
Click to expand...

I'm obviously connected to the internet (or I couldn't be posting or reading this), but it sounds like you're saying Mac OS doesn't have the same functionality as Windows in being able to display both the local IP address as well as the Internet IP address. Thanks!
 
ggjstudios said:
I'm obviously connected to the internet (or I couldn't be posting or reading this), but it sounds like you're saying Mac OS doesn't have the same functionality as Windows in being able to display both the local IP address as well as the Internet IP address. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Obviously, but from what you say you're not directly connected - meaning you're behind a router?

Windows ipconfig will not show WAN and LAN IP addresses. It'll show the IP assigned to your network card, which if attached to a router will be your LAN IP, and not WAN.

Terminal IP check: for ethernet connection “ipconfig getifaddr en0” {return} or for wireless "ipconfig getifaddr en1" {return})
 
efcjoe said:
The dashboard widget iStat Pro will show you your local and "external" IP address if that's what you're after.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was looking for! I have the iStat Pro widget, but didn't notice that was one of the things it tracked. I see it now. Thank you!
 
It should be noted that iStat Pro uses outside sources to get your external IP address.
 
Third-party software will tell you:
iStat Pro, NetworkStat, or many other widgets
no-ip.org or other dynamic DNS update tool

Your router will tell you:
web interface to the router (third-party router)
Airport Utility (Airport router)

Terminal will tell you:
traceroute any site (like "macrumors.com") and the second hop will be your external IP address
 
kostia said:
Third-party software will tell you:

Terminal will tell you:
traceroute any site (like "macrumors.com") and the second hop will be your external IP address
Click to expand...

Actually, the second hop on the traceroute is not my IP address, but the IP address of my DSL provider. When I compare:

www.whatismyipaddress.com . . . Match
iStat Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Match
2nd hop on traceroute . . . . . . . . No match
 
Why can't he simply open up the network utility? No need to download iStat just to find his internal IP...
 
ggjstudios said:
I'm obviously connected to the internet (or I couldn't be posting or reading this), but it sounds like you're saying Mac OS doesn't have the same functionality as Windows in being able to display both the local IP address as well as the Internet IP address. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Someone already mentioned this, but maybe it didn't make sense or you missed it... the "ipconfig" command in Windows only gives you whatever IP the PC's network cards are assigned. So if you're behind a router, you'll only get the LAN-assigned IP. If you connect the PC directly to a modem, then yes of course you'll get your public (Internet) IP. It's the same functionality as the Networking preference panel in OS X. Neither OS has any function to natively determine any IP other than the one(s) it is directly assigned (LAN, in your case). If you don't need it constantly displayed via iStat or something, I find just visiting http://whatismyip.com is the easiest method.
 
mrogers said:
Someone already mentioned this, but maybe it didn't make sense or you missed it... the "ipconfig" command in Windows only gives you whatever IP the PC's network cards are assigned. So if you're behind a router, you'll only get the LAN-assigned IP. If you connect the PC directly to a modem, then yes of course you'll get your public (Internet) IP.
Click to expand...

I'm quite familiar with the functionality of the ipconfig command, as well as what it reports. I'm not behind a router, so yes, the ipconfig gives me my Internet IP, as I stated earlier "...but in Windows I could find it by using the ipconfig command...". ("Welcome to the thread. Try reading it.") On the Mac, I'm sharing the same wireless connection to my DSL modem as the Windows PC, so I was looking for the same functionality, perhaps through Terminal. iStat works well enough to suit my purposes.
 
ggjstudios said:
I'm quite familiar with the functionality of the ipconfig command, as well as what it reports. I'm not behind a router, so yes, the ipconfig gives me my Internet IP, as I stated earlier "...but in Windows I could find it by using the ipconfig command...". ("Welcome to the thread. Try reading it.") On the Mac, I'm sharing the same wireless connection to my DSL modem as the Windows PC, so I was looking for the same functionality, perhaps through Terminal. iStat works well enough to suit my purposes.
Click to expand...
If you're sharing an internet connection wirelessly you're either a) using internet connection sharing and going to the internet via your PC, or b) behind a wireless router.

Unless you have your modem hooked up directly to your PC/Mac no CMD or Terminal command will give you your WAN IP...as we've all explained over and over 🙄
 
ggjstudios said:
I'm quite familiar with the functionality of the ipconfig command, as well as what it reports. I'm not behind a router, so yes, the ipconfig gives me my Internet IP, as I stated earlier "...but in Windows I could find it by using the ipconfig command...". ("Welcome to the thread. Try reading it.") On the Mac, I'm sharing the same wireless connection to my DSL modem as the Windows PC, so I was looking for the same functionality, perhaps through Terminal. iStat works well enough to suit my purposes.
Click to expand...

I read every single post in this thread before I answered. You're still not understand what we're saying... ipconfig CANNOT give you your public IP unless the PC is connected directly to the modem without a router/firewall in between. It does the EXACT SAME THING as the similar functionality in OS X. If you were getting your public IP on Windows using ipconfig, then that machine was connected differently than your Mac because ipconfig cannot magically talk to your modem/router/whatever is serving as your gateway and get the public IP. This has been explained several times now, and I'm not sure how else to phrase it.

I'm glad you got the solution you needed, I'm just pointing out that the network functionality in Windows and OS X is the same in this respect.
 
edesignuk said:
If you're sharing an internet connection wirelessly you're either a) using internet connection sharing and going to the internet via your PC, or b) behind a wireless router.

Unless you have your modem hooked up directly to your PC/Mac no CMD or Terminal command will give you your WAN IP...as we've all explained over and over 🙄
Click to expand...

My DSL modem is a wireless modem, so the Mac/PC connect directly wirelessly, without using internet connection sharing and without a router. On the PC, when I use the ipconfig command, I get the same IP address as when I go to www.whatismyipadress.com which is my External Internet IP Address, NOT my 192.168.x.x LAN address! You can roll your eyes all you want, but I know what I'm talking about!

If the IP address I get using the ipconfig command is the same as the IP address reported to me at www.whatismyipaddress.com, then obviously, it's my external Internet IP address, regardless of my hardware configuration!
 
I'm not foolish enough to assume. It's just impossible for two machines to share a single IP address at once and have it work. A router has to be involved.
 
I think this question has been sufficiently answered.

At this point it seems to be boiling down to an ePenis comparison, which no one cares one whit about.
 
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