How to find your router's IP address
Your router's address is the door to your Wi-Fi settings. Your computer already knows it, so finding it takes about fifteen seconds on any device.
How to find your router's IP address
Your router's IP address (Internet Protocol address) is the number your devices use to reach the router itself. Type it into a browser and you land on the router's login page, which is where you change the Wi-Fi password, open or close ports, or check what is connected. Support teams ask for it constantly.
It is almost always a short private number like 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1. Your computer already knows it, so you rarely need to guess.
Find it on your device
Your device already knows the address. It is listed as the default gateway or simply the router.
Windows
Open the Start menu, type cmd, then open Command Prompt.
Type ipconfig and press Enter, then look for the line labeled Default Gateway under your active adapter.
Wi-Fi shows under Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi. A cable shows under Ethernet adapter Ethernet.
Mac
Open System Settings, select Network, then click your active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.
Choose Details, open the TCP/IP tab, then read the line labeled Router.
Faster shortcut: hold the Option key while clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.
iPhone and Android
On an iPhone, open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, then tap the information icon next to your network. Scroll to the Router line.
On Android, open Settings, go to Network and internet, tap your Wi-Fi network, then look for Gateway or Router in the network details.
Android wording varies by manufacturer, so look for a Manage network settings option if you do not see it right away.
What to do once you have the address
Type the number into your browser address bar exactly as it appears, with no www and no https in front. The router's login page loads. If you have never changed the login, the credentials are often printed on a sticker on the router itself.
That sticker is worth a second thought. A router still using the factory password is one of the easiest ways into a small business network, so attackers scan for exactly that. Change it to something only you know, then write it down somewhere that is not taped to the router.
While you are in there, check that remote management is turned off unless you specifically need it, then confirm the router firmware is current. Wolferdawg IT Consulting handles router hardening as part of managed IT services and cybersecurity, so if this is the kind of thing that keeps getting pushed to next week, that is a reasonable call to make.
More IP and network help
Check your public address, find other devices, or get the network handled for you.
Router IP address common questions
Plain answers about finding your router, logging in, then locking it down.
How do I find my router's IP address?
On Windows, open Command Prompt, type ipconfig, then read the Default Gateway line for your active connection. On a Mac, open System Settings, select Network, click your connection, choose Details, then read the Router line under the TCP/IP tab. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, tap the information icon next to your network, then look at the Router line. The number is usually something like 192.168.1.1.
What is my router's IP address by default?
Most home and small office routers ship with 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Some brands use 10.0.0.1 or 192.168.10.1 instead. These are common defaults rather than guarantees, so checking your own device takes less time than working through a list. If a default address does not load a login page, your router is using something else.
Why can I not open my router's login page?
The usual reasons are simple. You may have typed a public address instead of the gateway address, you may be on a guest network that blocks router access by design, or you may be connected to a different network than you think. Confirm the gateway address on the device you are using, then type it with no www and no https in front. If the page still refuses to load, the router may have remote management restrictions turned on.
Is my router's IP address the same as my public IP address?
No. Your router's address is private and only works inside your own network, which is why it starts with 192.168 or 10. Your public IP address is the single address your internet provider assigns to your whole connection, which is the one websites and services see. You can check your public address with the free IP checker from Wolferdawg IT Consulting.
Should I change my router's IP address?
Usually there is no need. Changing it does not add meaningful security, since anyone already inside your network can find the gateway in seconds. What actually matters is replacing the factory login password, turning off remote management unless you need it, keeping firmware current, then using strong Wi-Fi encryption. Those four changes do far more than moving the address.
Can someone reach my router from the internet?
Only if remote management is switched on or a port has been forwarded to the router's admin page. Both are off by default on most routers for good reason. Automated scans look for exposed admin pages continuously, so a router reachable from outside with a factory password will eventually be found. If you are not sure how yours is configured, that is worth confirming.