The IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier (number) of the device connected to the Internet and is needed for finding, sharing and receiving information from one computer (node) to another. The IP address is usually assigned by the Internet service providers (ISPs) and each region has its list of IP numbers. That’s how it’s possible to determine the location of the computer which is connected to the Internet.
There are several simple ways to find a Mac IP address. You can find two of them below.
Steps to find Mac IP address on Mac:
- Open System Settings.
- Click Wi-Fi in the sidebar.
- In the section, where you see connected Wi-Fi, click Details.
- In the window that appears, you will see your IP address.
How to find Mac IP address on macOS Monterey or earlier versions:
- Go to Apple Menu → System Preferences.
- Select “Network.”
- The main window will display the IP address of your active network.
Note: the router IP and the Mac IP are not the same thing. The first one shows the number of the access point and usually ends with .1 or .100, and the computer IP has additional numbers in its address.To view the router IP follow the next steps.
- Click “Advanced” in the right bottom corner.
- Go to the TCP/IP tab. Here you can find the IP address of your router.
If you have macOS Ventura, the window will have the following view:
How to find Mac IP address – Way 2
You can also define your private IP address with the help of the Terminal.
- Open the Terminal from the Launchpad.
- Use one of the following commands for the Wi-Fi or Ethernet network
- networksetup -getinfo Wi-Fi
- networksetup -getinfo Ethernet
How to change IP address on Mac
There are many reasons you may want to change the IP address on your Mac. Some of the most common are to:
- surf anonymously
- get access to forums where you are banned
- view web content that is restricted in your country or office
- secure files and messages you send via email or instant messengers
- watch online sports of foreign countries
- download software from Torrents
- and others
One of the easiest ways to change your IP address is to use the VPN service. VPN applications have their own servers in different locations, so you can select the IP of any country you want. You can try it out for free at VPN Client which offers a 7 day trial and provides VPN servers to more than 40 countries across the world.
You can use also other methods to change your IP:
- ordinary anonymizers
- proxy networks
- Tors
- I2C
If you are not sure why you need to change apps or hide your IP address, read our previous article “7 reasons to use VPN.” If you have any more questions, write us in the comments below the article.
