If you use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac daily, sooner or later you're going to encounter something called IP addressA technician might ask for it, or you might need it to access the... router configurationWhether for online gaming or simply out of curiosity. Although it might sound very "geeky," it's actually a basic piece of information for any connected device.
In this guide you will learn How to find your IP address on iPhone, iPad, and Mac step by stepThis explains the difference between a public and private IP address, its relationship to your privacy and security, and how you can protect yourself using tools like VPNs or security software. Everything is explained calmly, in standard Spanish (from Spain), and with clear instructions so you won't get lost.
What is an IP address and why does it matter on iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
On the internet, your mobile phone, your tablet, and your computer need a kind of “registration number” in order to send and receive data. This identifier is the IP address, short for "Internet Protocol", and is represented as a string of numbers, for example 192.168.1.35 o 8.8.8.8.
When you write a name like Google comThe devices don't work with that text, but with numbers. A system called Domain Name System (DNS) It translates the name into a specific IP address, similar to how a mobile phone's address book links the name "Mom" to her phone number. This tells the browser which server to connect to.
IP addresses not only identify servers and websites, they also serve to Identify your connection and your devices within a network. Like a postal address, they allow data (pages, videos, emails, etc.) to travel from point A to point B without getting lost along the way.
In everyday life, IP addresses are used for everything: from showing you ads based on your approximate location even allowing your printer, Smart TV, and laptop to be on the same Wi-Fi network. That's why it's so important to understand what kind of IP address you're seeing and how to find it on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Difference between public and private (local) IP address
When we talk about “my IP address”, we can actually be referring to two different things: the Public IP (external) and private or local IP addressKnowing how to differentiate them is key to not going crazy.
La public IP address It's the IP address your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns to your connection or router. It's the "face" your network presents to the internet, the one websites, online services, games, etc., see. All devices connected to the same router share this same public IP address.
La private or local IP address It's the one the router assigns to each device in your home or office: your iPhone, your iPad, your Mac, your TV, your game console… Each device has its own internal number, something like 192.168.0.15which only makes sense within your local network and is not directly visible from the Internet.
If you think of a building, the public IP address would be like the general management of the block, and private IPs would be the numbers of each floorFor a delivery person (Internet), the building has a single address, but inside there are many different dwellings.
In general, you will need your Public IP When someone wants to connect to your network from outside (for example, for a game server or remote access) and you Private IP when you set things up within your home, such as sharing files between Macs, printing from your iPhone, or granting permissions to a single computer.
Public IP vs. Private IP: Security and Privacy
In terms of security, your A private IP address is much more "discreet"It's not directly exposed to the internet; it's hidden behind the router thanks to a system called NAT. You usually only need to know this for internal tasks, such as troubleshooting printer problems, setting up a local game server, or remotely accessing your own Mac within the same network.
La Public IPHowever, it's visible every time you connect to the internet. Every website you visit, every service you use, sees your public IP address and can associate it with your activity: pages viewed, purchases made, ads clicked, etc. From that IP address, it's possible to approximate your geographic location, identify your internet service provider, and, with advanced techniques, profile your behavior.
Advertisers, advertising platforms, and also cybercriminals They exploit that information. The typical ad that seems to "follow" you from website to website uses, among other data, your IP address to tailor the content to your region. And an attacker could use it to try to scan your connection for open ports and vulnerabilities.
Those who are very concerned about privacy have several options: browse through a VPN (Virtual Private Network), use trusted DNS servers, and complement all of this with good security practices and anti-malware tools. A VPN masks your real public IP address and makes websites see the IP address of a remote server.
In addition to the VPN, some security programs such as SpyHunter They can help locate and remove spyware, browser hijackers, and other applications that collect data about your internet activity by leveraging, among other things, information derived from your IP address.
How to view your public IP address from any device
The easiest way to find out what yours is Public IPWhether you're using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or even a PC, you can do it using an online tool or Google's search engine. You don't need to install anything.
The most direct option is to open your browser (Safari, Chrome, etc.) and search on Google for something like “What is my IP address?” or “what is my IP address?” At the top of the results, Google will display a box with your public IP address. You won't see information like your ISP or your exact location, but you will see the number you're looking for.
Another alternative is to enter a IP tester or an online “IP checker.” There are many websites that, as soon as they load, show you your external IP address and an estimated location on a map. These pages are very useful if you want to keep your IP address handy; you can even save them to your favorites.
If you're on a Mac and feel like using Terminal, you can get your public IP address using a very simple command. Open the app Bus Terminal (in Applications > Utilities) and type: curl ifconfig.meBy pressing the Enter key, you will see your public IP address in the command window itself.
On Windows computers, it is also possible to use Command Prompt (CMD) To get your external IP address, a typical method is to run the command nslookup myip.opendns.com resolv1.opendns.com, which queries a special DNS server and returns your public address.
How to find your local IP address on Mac step by step
On macOS it's very easy to locate the Your Mac's internal or local IP addressWhether you're using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, Apple groups this information under the Network section, and you can also get it from Terminal if you prefer the command line.
Method 1: View the Mac's IP address from System Settings
To check your local IP address from the graphical interface, simply log in to the Graphic interface System configuration. It's a quick and very visual process, ideal for most users.
1. Click on the apple icon which you have in the upper left corner of the screen and select "System configuration" (in older versions you will see “System Preferences”).
2. In the window that opens, go to the section "Net"In the sidebar you will see the different connection services: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.
3. Select the type of connection you are using (for example, Wi-Fi if you are connected wirelesslyor Ethernet if you have the cable plugged in).
4. Next to the network you are connected to, you will see a button for "Details" or a similar option. Click there to see all the connection parameters.
5. Within that screen, scroll until you find the field “IP Address”That number is your Mac's local IP address. Depending on your settings, you may see both the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Method 2: Obtain the Mac's IP address using the Terminal
If you're comfortable with commands, the Terminal app offers a super-fast way to check your internal IP address. It's especially useful when you're troubleshooting network issues or working remotely with other teams.
1. Open Bus Terminal from Applications > Utilities or using Spotlight (by pressing Command + Spacebar and typing “Terminal”).
2. If you are connected via Wi-Fi, you can view the local IP address with the command ipconfig getifaddr en0On some Macs, the Wi-Fi interface may be en1, but it is more commonly en0.
3. If you use a Ethernet connection Over a cable, you can run the command ipconfig getifaddr en1 (or the corresponding interface on your computer) to obtain the IP address associated with that port.
4. Press Enter The terminal will then directly display the IP address assigned to that network interface. It's a number like 192.168.xx or 10.0.xx.
To view the public IP address from the Terminal, as we have already mentioned, you can use the command curl ifconfig.me, which makes a request to an external service and returns your external IP address in an instant.
How to view the IP address on iPhone and iPad (iOS and iPadOS)
On Apple mobile devices, it's no mystery: iOS and iPadOS let you see the Private IP address of the iPhone or iPad from the Settings app itself. The only requirement is to be connected to a Wi‑Fi network at that moment.
As soon as you connect to one assigns to the deviceThe router assigns the device a specific internal IP address, just like it does with your laptop or any other device. That address is what's used to identify your iPhone or iPad within that specific network.
To watch it, follow these steps. basic stepswhich are virtually the same on most iPhone models and recent iOS versions.
1. Open "Settings" on your iPhone or iPad and go to the section “Wi-Fi”.
2. Locate the network you are connected to and tap on the information icon (the “i” in a blue circle) which appears to the right of the network name.
3. A screen will be displayed with all the details of that connection: IP address, subnet mask, gateway (router), DNS, etc.
4. In the “IPv4” or “IP Address” section, you’ll see the number your iPhone or iPad is using on that network. This is the information a technician will typically ask for or that you’ll need for internal tasks like sharing resources.
If what you need is the Router IP (For example, to access your admin panel from Safari), look at the "Router" field. Copy that number, paste it into the browser's address bar, and if you have a username and password, you'll be able to access the device's advanced settings.
How to find the IP address on Android (in case you need to compare)
Although we focus here on iPhone, iPad and Mac, many people also live with a Android mobile or tabletKnowing where the IP address is located in this system can be useful for verifying that everything fits within the same network.
A fairly universal way to look at it is to go to Settings > About phone and, within, look for the section of “State information” or similar. In many models, both the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses that the device is currently using are displayed there.
Another common route, especially on Samsung phones and similar devices, is to enter Settings > Connections > Wi-FiTo access your network, tap the gear icon next to the network you're connected to, and then look for an "Advanced" or "See more" section. At the bottom of that screen, you'll usually find your phone's local IP address.
In slightly older versions, there are settings for “Advanced Wi-Fi” or a three-dot button on the Wi-Fi network screen, where the IP information is hidden. In some cases, you even have to activate "Advanced Options" and temporarily change the IP type to "Static" for the current value to be displayed (then it's best to switch back to "DHCP" to avoid messing up the configuration).
In any case, the idea is the same: that same network The Android function has the same role as that of the iPhone or Mac: to identify the device within the home or office network.
How to find the IP address of a Windows computer (to complete the network picture)
If in addition to your Apple devices you also have a Windows computer, you might want to check out this as well. the local IP address of that PC to configure shared resources or check that everything is in the same address range.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10, an easy way to view it is to open the start menu, walk into Settings> Network and Internet and choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on your connection type. Then, click on the network you're connected to and look for the section on “IPv4 Address”The internal IP address of the device will appear there.
In Windows 7 or 8, you can access the same information from the Center network and sharingClick on the network icon next to the clock, open that center, enter your active connection, tap on “Details” and look for the “IPv4 Address” line.
If you prefer to do this via the console, open the Command Prompt (CMD), type the command ipconfig and press Enter. You'll see a list of adapters, and the one you're using will show the IPv4 address, which is the one you're looking for.
These methods are useful to ensure that your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows PC They are on the same network and can communicate, for example, to share folders, printers, or set up a game server on LAN.
How to find out the IP address of a website or server
Sometimes what interests you is not your IP address, but the IP address of a specific websiteThis is useful for network testing, diagnosing access problems, or experimenting with firewall rules.
In Windows, you can use the Symbol of the systemOpen CMD and type the command ping website-name.comThe ping itself will show the IP address to which that domain is resolving, right at the beginning of the output.
There are also IP lookup websites where you enter a domain and they return the associated IP address and, sometimes, approximate geolocation data and hosting provider. Simply type the URL you want to check, press Enter, and wait for the result.
Keep in mind that many modern websites use CDN and load balancingTherefore, your IP address can vary depending on where you're connecting from or even change over time. Even so, these methods are very useful for a quick check.
Additionally, viewing a website's IP address helps you better understand how communication is established between your device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.) and the server. servers distributed around the world that host the pages and services you use daily.
Is your IP address secure? Risks and how to protect it
Tu Public IP address is no secretIt's designed precisely so that other devices on the internet can find your network and communicate with you. Just as you can find your own public IP address with a simple search, other people and services can also see it when you connect.
Many things can be associated with that IP address: approximate location, internet provider, connection timesThe types of services you use most frequently, etc. Advertisers use this information as another tool to personalize campaigns and ads, and attackers can use it as a starting point to study potential weaknesses.
However, linking a specific IP address to a natural person is not so trivial and, in most cases, it's not worth the effort. Even so, for someone particularly motivated (a stalker, a cybercriminal, or, at the other extreme, law enforcement), your IP address can be valuable information within a broader research.
To minimize risks, the most effective approach is to use a trusted vpnThis type of service encrypts your traffic and sends it through an intermediary server, which is the one that "presents" itself to the internet with its own IP address. This way, websites see the VPN server's IP address and not your real one, making it difficult to track your location and activity.
Combined with a VPN, a good antimalware software How SpyHunter can help you keep spyware and potentially unwanted programs at bay that try to collect data in the background, access your browser, or redirect you to malicious websites.
Use tools like SpyHunter to strengthen your security
If you're worried about spyware apps, strange browser toolbars, or suspicious extensions taking advantage of your activity, it makes sense to consider more than just a simple VPN. This is where [other solutions] come into play. solutions like SpyHunter, aimed at detecting and eliminating threats in your system.
These types of programs analyze your computer looking for malware, spyware, and unwanted software that it may be spying on what you do, collecting data about your browsing habits, or even manipulating your network traffic.
The typical process involves downloading the tool from its official website, installing it following the wizard, and starting a full system scan and review the list of potential threats found. Then, you can safely remove the items marked as dangerous or suspicious.
Many of these products also offer real-time protectionThis means that, in addition to cleaning up what is already installed, they monitor downloads, browsing, and processes to prevent malware from entering the system or malicious websites from exploiting vulnerabilities.
It's not a magic solution, nor does it replace the common senseHowever, it complements very well the protection already offered by the operating system and IP-based privacy measures, such as the use of virtual private networks.
Know and control your IP address on iPhone, iPad and Mac It gives you much more autonomy when configuring your network, troubleshooting connection problems, and protecting your privacy. Knowing how to distinguish between public and private IPs, quickly locate the number you need, identify your router's IP address or that of a specific website, and combining all of this with security tools and a VPN puts you in a much stronger position against intrusive ads, unnecessary tracking, and potential attacks. Ultimately, it's about understanding what data you expose when you connect and using the options available to you to browse comfortably, practically, and, above all, much more securely.
