How to Retrieve Your IP Address Using Linux Commands

Knowing how to find your IP address is a fundamental skill for anyone using Linux — whether you’re troubleshooting network issues, configuring a server, setting up firewall rules, or working with self-hosted services.

In this article, we’ll walk through multiple reliable ways to retrieve your IP address using Linux commands, explain what each command does, and clarify when to use each method.

Understanding IP addresses (quick overview)

Before diving into commands, it helps to understand that you may have more than one IP address:

  • Local (private) IP address
    Assigned to your device on your local network (LAN)

  • Public IP address
    Assigned by your ISP and visible to the internet

Linux provides tools to retrieve both, depending on what you need.

Finding your local (private) IP address

Method 1: Using ip addr (recommended)

The ip command is the modern and preferred networking tool on Linux.

ip addr

Look for an interface such as eth0, ens18, wlan0, or similar. Your IP address appears next to inet.

Example output:

inet 192.168.1.42/24

This means your local IP address is:

192.168.1.42

Method 2: Short and clean output

If you only want the IP without extra information:

ip -4 addr show | grep inet

This limits the output to IPv4 addresses and removes unnecessary noise.

Method 3: Using hostname -I

A very simple and fast method:

hostname -I

Example output:

192.168.1.42

This command is ideal for scripts or quick checks.

Method 4: Using ifconfig (legacy systems)

Some older systems still include ifconfig:

Look for inet under your active interface.

⚠️ Note: ifconfig is deprecated on many modern distributions and may not be installed by default.

Finding your public (external) IP address

Your public IP address is the one visible to websites and remote servers.

  • Method 1: Using curl (most common)
    curl ifconfig.me

    Example output:

203.0.113.45

  • Method 2: Using alternative services

If one service is unavailable, try:

curl ipinfo.io/ip

or

curl api.ipify.org

All return your public IP as plain text.

  • Method 3: Using wget

If curl isn’t installed:

wget -qO- ifconfig.me

Determining which interface is active

To see which network interface is currently in use:

ip route

Example output:

default via 192.168.1.1 dev eth0

This tells you:

your gateway (192.168.1.1)

the active interface (eth0)

IPv4 vs IPv6 addresses

Many Linux systems support both.

View only IPv4 addresses:

ip -4 addr

View only IPv6 addresses:

ip -6 addr

Public IPv6 addresses can also be retrieved with:

curl -6 ifconfig.me

Common use cases

Knowing your IP address is useful for:

  • Configuring firewalls (UFW, iptables, nftables)

  • Setting up SSH access

  • Debugging Docker or container networking

  • Configuring reverse proxies

  • Troubleshooting VPN connections

  • Verifying ISP changes or dynamic IPs

Security note

Never casually share your public IP address in public forums unless you understand the risk.

While an IP alone isn’t a password, it can expose:

  • approximate location

  • ISP details

  • attack surface for scanning

Summary

Linux gives you multiple ways to retrieve your IP address, depending on your needs:

ip addr → most detailed and reliable

hostname -I → fast and simple

curl ifconfig.me → public IP

ip route → active interface insight

Understanding these tools gives you better control over your system and your network.

Mastering small commands like these is how Linux users build real confidence — one terminal at a time.