If you want to find out your IP address or change your network configuration, you might need to use the Mac ipconfig command.
It’s fairly easy to find ipconfig on Mac, but you need to know what you’re doing—ipconfig allows you to change network settings. If you accidentally edit something here, you might not be able to undo it.
In this article, I’ll explain what the Mac ipconfig command is, how to run ipconfig on Mac, and why you might need to use it.
Before we start:
If you have concerns about your IP address and privacy, you’re not alone. To improve your online security, use a VPN to avoid people having access to your IP address. MacKeeper’s VPN Private Connect is a secure VPN service with military-grade encryption, helping to keep your connection private and your information safe.
To use MacKeeper’s Private Connect:
- Download MacKeeper and follow the on-screen instructions to install and activate it.
- Open the app and choose Private Connect from the sidebar.
- Select a server location from the dropdown list, or choose Best Server to let MacKeeper choose one for you.
- Click Turn On.
In this article you will find the following:
What is Ipconfig command on Mac
The Mac ipconfig command is a useful tool for finding details about your network configuration and making certain changes to your network. You might use the command to find your IP address or block network access.
You actually have two IP addresses.
Your local IP address is a unique number that identifies your MacBook (or other computer, phone, tablet, or any other device) when it’s connected to a network, such as Wi-Fi. Every device that communicates over the network needs one. No one outside of your network can see your local IP address.
Find out what to do if you’ve seen a Wi-Fi privacy warning on your device.
Your public IP address is, as the name suggests, more public. It’s assigned by your internet service provider, and it can be seen by external websites when you access them. If someone knows your public IP address, they could use that information against you. They might find out where you live, use vulnerabilities in your network to install malware, or prevent you from accessing some services.
Fortunately, you don’t have to use your own IP address all the time. You can use a VPN to protect yourself from being hacked, prevent sending information to your internet service provider, and even access content that’s blocked in your location.
MacKeeper’s VPN Private Connect is a VPN service that can help you browse the internet more securely.
To use it:
- Open MacKeeper and choose Private Connect from the sidebar.
- Choose a server from the dropdown menu, or select Best Server to let MacKeeper choose the best one for you. (You might want to select your own server if you want to access content that’s only available in certain locations, such as streaming services that are blocked in your country.)
- Click Turn On.



How to run Ipconfig on Mac
There are two ways to make ipconfig work on Mac. You can either use Terminal on Mac or System Settings.
If you want to run ipconfig on Mac simply to find your IP address, there are other ways to do that. Check out our article on how to find IP address on Mac.
1. Use Terminal to open Ipconfig
If you’re trying to find the IP address of your MacBook, you can run ipconfig on Mac through Terminal.
To find your IP address using ipconfig on Mac with Terminal:
- Open Terminal—you can do this by going to the Launchpad, searching for Terminal, and clicking on the icon.
- Paste or type the command ipconfig getifaddr en0 if you’re connected to Wi-Fi or ipconfig getifaddr en1 if you’re using an Ethernet connection. Press Return.


However, you can do more with ipconfig on Mac—you can even access its manual from the Terminal.
To get the ipconfig manual on Terminal:
- Open Terminal.
- Paste or type man ipconfig and press Return.
- This will display a list of ipconfig commands that you can run on Mac.



Unless you’re an experienced user, though, I wouldn’t recommend using many of these commands—especially if you don’t know what they do.
2. Run Ipconfig on Mac via System Settings
If you don’t want to find ipconfig on Mac with Terminal, that’s okay. You can also find a lot of network information using Apple’s System Settings (this was called System Preferences in earlier versions of macOS).
To find your local IP address with System Settings:
- Go to Apple menu > System Settings.
- Click Wi-Fi in the sidebar.
- Next to your Wi-Fi connection, click the Details button.
- Choose TCP/IP from the sidebar, and your IP address and other network information is there.




Common uses of Ipconfig on Mac
But why do you need to use the Mac ipconfig command?
You’re most likely to use it to find your IP address and troubleshoot connectivity issues. Maybe you can’t connect to the internet, or you’re struggling to access a particular website.
Ipconfig is a powerful tool, though, and it’s not always the best way to find information or change your network settings. For example, if you want to block websites, you might prefer to change the host file on Mac.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to find ipconfig on a Mac, you can easily access information about your IP address and network configuration.
But if you want to make sure that no one else can access your IP address, consider using a secure VPN, such as MacKeeper’s VPN Private Connect.