What is my IP? How to find out your IP address
Your IP address is your fingerprint on the Internet. As an average Internet user, you’ve often heard of this ominous address, but once you have to enter it manually, you’re usually at a loss. Where do you actually find out what your IP address is?
How does an IP address work?
When you surf the Internet, you need an IP address. It guarantees that you can call up websites in your browser and that data sent on the network reaches you. The IP address is therefore comparable to your home address in analogue life. It is assigned by your Internet provider and changes whenever you switch your Internet access off and on again. Since your provider can use your IP address to find out which pages you have visited and which downloads you have made, it is advisable for data protection reasons to renew your Internet connection regularly so that you are assigned a new IP address. According to a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice, the provider must delete your data after seven days anyway.
How do you find out your IP address?
There are several ways to find out your IP address. Here’s how it works:
- If you have problems with your Internet connection, then your Internet provider usually needs your internal IP address for further support. This is on your router.
- If you use Windows, find out your IP address via a command prompt. Click on the Start button and search via the search box “cmd.exe”. In the new window, type the command “ipconfig” and confirm with “Enter”. In the list that appears, search for “IPv4” if you are connected to the Internet via LAN cable. If you use Wi-Fi, search for “Ethernet adapter” > “Wireless network connection”.
- You can also use websites like My-current-IP to determine the IP.