How to Find Connected IP Addresses
By Nick Davis
Your Internet-connected computer is not only linked to your Internet Service Provider's (ISP) server, but may also be connected to other computers you don't know about. From hackers and people piggybacking off of your wired or wireless connection, your Internet connection is not totally devoted to just your computer. You can find out what other computers are plugging into yours by seeing a list of connected Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. You can then take steps, like adding a firewall, to protect your computer and online connection.
Step 1
Click “Start” and “Run.”
Step 2
Type “cmd” in the box next to “Open:.” A command line dialog box will appear on your screen with a “C:\” prompt.
Step 3
Type “netstat” on the command line.
Step 4
Press the “Enter” or “Return” key. A listing of connected IP addresses will appear on your screen.
Step 5
Scroll the list with your mouse. Look at the column “Foreign Address” and locate any addresses starting with “IP XXX.XXX.XX.X”; those are outside computers connected to yours.
Step 6
Repeat step 3 to refresh the list and see if any different computers are connecting to your computer.
References
Tips
- If using the Mac operating system, there are third-party applications available for finding connected IP addresses on your Mac computer.
Writer Bio
Nick Davis is a freelance writer specializing in technical, travel and entertainment articles. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Memphis and an associate degree in computer information systems from the State Technical Institute at Memphis. His work has appeared in "Elite Memphis" and "The Daily Helmsman" in Memphis, Tenn. He is currently living in Albuquerque, N.M.