How to Detect Incoming IP Addresses

By Alan Okpechi

Computers often connect to each other using IP addresses.
i Jeffrey Hamilton/Lifesize/Getty Images

Users may be surprised to know that their computers access the Internet with a specific Internet protocol (IP) address. Internet protocol is the basis for communication between computers on a closed network or computers accessing the Internet. Malicious programs created by hackers connect to the IP addresses of computers. Built-in Windows programs allow users to monitor this activity.

Click the "Start" icon found on the main menu bar.

Type "CMD" into the "Search programs and files" box in the "Start" menu.

Type "netstat" in the command window to track all IP addresses connected to your computer. Allow up to several minutes for the list to be populated.

Observe the connections labeled "http" and "https" in the "Foreign Address" column, since these connections are browser connections.

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