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Clifford Webhole

How To Retrieve Your Public IP Address Using Linux

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In this article, we will explore how to easily retrieve your public IP address and location information using a simple command in Kali Linux. This is particularly useful for network analysis and security assessments.

What is a Public IP Address?

A public IP address is an address that is assigned to your network by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is used to identify your network on the internet and allows devices outside your local network to communicate with your devices.

Using the Curl Command

Kali Linux comes with various tools for network analysis, and one of the simplest ways to retrieve your public IP address is by using the curl command. The following command fetches your IP information:

        ip_info=$(curl -s https://ipinfo.io/json)
        echo "IP Information: $ip_info"

Breaking Down the Command

Let’s break down the command:

  • curl -s https://ipinfo.io/json: This part of the command uses curl to silently (-s) fetch JSON data from the ipinfo.io API, which provides your public IP address and location information.
  • ip_info=$(): This syntax captures the output of the curl command and stores it in the variable ip_info.
  • echo "IP Information: $ip_info": Finally, this command prints the retrieved IP information to the terminal.

How to Execute the Command

To execute the command, follow these steps:

  1. Open your terminal in Kali Linux.
  2. Type or paste the command provided above.
  3. Press Enter to execute the command.
  4. Your public IP address and location information will be displayed in the terminal.

Conclusion

Retrieving your public IP address and location information in Kali Linux is straightforward with the curl command. This knowledge is essential for network security professionals and anyone interested in understanding their network configuration.