Everyday Internet & Troubleshooting
How to Find Your Router's IP Address
To change your Wi-Fi password, set up port forwarding, or update firmware, you first need your router's IP address. Here's how to find it.
What you're looking for
Your router's IP address is its private address on your local network — the same thing as your default gateway. It's almost always in a private range, commonly 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1. Typing it into a browser opens the router's admin login page.
Finding it on each platform
- Windows: open Command Prompt, run
ipconfig, and read the "Default Gateway" line. - macOS: System Settings → Network → Details → TCP/IP, or run
ip route/netstat -nr | grep defaultin Terminal. - iPhone/iPad: Settings → Wi-Fi → tap your network → look for "Router."
- Android: Settings → Wi-Fi → your network → advanced details show the gateway.
- Any router: the default address is often printed on a sticker on the device itself.
Logging in
Type the address into your browser's address bar (for example http://192.168.1.1). You'll be asked for a username and password. If you never changed them, check the sticker on the router or its manual for the defaults — and then change them, because default router credentials are a well-known security risk.
What you can do once you're in
- Change the Wi-Fi name and password.
- Update the router's firmware for security fixes.
- Set up port forwarding for games or servers.
- See which devices are connected and their private IP addresses.
A quick reminder
The router IP you use here is private and local — it's not your public IP. Your public address, the one the internet sees, is different and can be checked on a tool like IP Ducky. Keeping the two straight avoids a lot of confusion when following setup guides.