An IP address, short for "Internet Protocol Address," is a unique identifier assigned to every device connected to the internet. IP addresses are used to identify and distinguish devices across the entire internet network. There are two main types of IP addresses:
Internal IP Address: Also known as "Private IP Address," this is the address used within your local network. For example, addresses that start with 192.168.X.X. Internal IP addresses are employed to identify devices within your local network, such as computers, printers, or routers.
External IP Address: Also referred to as "Public IP Address," this is the address used to identify your device on the internet as a whole. External IP addresses are used by servers and other devices on the internet to determine the origin of requests or data.
How to Check Internal IP Address
Internal IP addresses are sometimes called Private IP Address. You can find them either via terminal commands or without using the terminal.
Via Terminal
- Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
- Type "ifconfig," and your internal IP address will be displayed.
If you haven't installed network tools yet, install them first using the following command, and then repeat step 2:
sudo apt-get install net-tools
Without Terminal
- Open the start menu.
- Type "network" and click on the network icon.
- Under the Wi-Fi section, you'll see a list of active Wi-Fi connections.
- Click on the gear icon next to your active Wi-Fi connection to reveal your internal IP address.
How to Check External IP Address
External IP addresses are often referred to as Public IP Addresses. You can find them by visiting the Wolframalpha website or using Google. These websites will provide information about your external IP address along with its location.