How to Check Your IP Address on Mac: External (Public) IP Address
When you're looking to change your IP address on Mac to protect your network, you'll need to find your IP address rather than your MAC one. This means that your MAC address won't go further than your router and is less at risk of being hacked. Your computer's network adaptor MAC address travels the network only until the next device along the way.
Many people often get confused between their MAC Address and IP Address, so let's break down the difference. A MAC (Machine Access Control) address is a serial number assigned to every network adaptor. Usually, when you need to find your Mac IP address, it means an external one, but we'll learn how to check both in this explanation.
For example, if you have a group of offline computers on a network, they will communicate with one another through internal IP addresses, which always have the IPv4 format. External (public) IP addresses are assigned by your internet service provider (ISP) when you first go online and connect to a device or network that connects to the internet.
Before you find your Mac IP address, it's important to know the difference between the two kinds of IP addresses - internal and external. An internal IP address (local or private) is only used within your home network and always associated with a single device.
To check your external (public) IP address on your Mac, follow these steps:
By knowing how to find your IP address on Mac, you'll be better equipped to protect your network and understand how it works. Remember, your internal IP address is only used within your home network, while your external IP address is visible to the internet.
