How to Find Your Printer's IP Address (6 Easy Ways)

Printers are the classic reason anyone goes hunting for an IP address — a driver asks for it, a scan-to-PC feature breaks, or the printer simply vanishes from the network. Here are six reliable ways to find it, fastest first.

1. The printer's own screen

On printers with a display: look under Settings / Network / Wireless → Network status or TCP/IP. The IPv4 address will read like 192.168.1.105 — a private address on your network.

2. Print a configuration page

Screenless printers can print their own settings: hold or combo-press a button (commonly the Wi-Fi or info button — check the model's manual). The printout lists the IP, subnet mask and MAC address.

3. Your router's device list

Log into your router (find its address here) and open the connected-devices / DHCP clients page. Printers usually appear by model name. This is also the right place to set a DHCP reservation so the printer's IP stops changing — the root cause of most "printer offline" mysteries.

4. Windows

1. Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
2. Click the printer → Printer properties.
3. On the Ports tab, find the checked port — a Standard TCP/IP port shows the address; a WSD port hides it (use methods 1–3 instead).

5. Mac

System Settings → Printers & Scanners → select the printer → the Location/General pane often shows the address. Otherwise browse to the printer's queue page via CUPS at http://127.0.0.1:631/printers (see what 127.0.0.1 means).

6. Scan the network

A free network scanner app (or arp -a after pinging the broadcast) lists every device on your subnet with its MAC vendor — look for the printer manufacturer's name.

Stop it moving: reserve the address

Printers get new addresses from DHCP after power cuts or lease expiries, and configured connections then point at nothing. Fix it permanently with a DHCP reservation in the router or a static IP set on the printer itself.

Frequently asked questions