The simplest way to find a website's IP address
The fastest way is to open Command Prompt (on Windows) or Terminal (on Mac), type nslookup example.com (replacing example.com with the actual domain), and press Enter. Within a second, you'll see the IP address listed next to "Address:". That's the server where the website lives.
If you're on Windows and Command Prompt feels unfamiliar, you can also use an online lookup tool like whatismyipaddress.com or mxtoolbox.com — type the domain name into their search box and the IP appears when ready. Both are free and require no account.
A third option: open your web browser's developer tools by pressing F12, go to the Network tab, reload the page, and look at the first request. The IP address of the server that sent the page will be listed there. This method shows you the actual IP your computer connected to, rather than a cached or outdated result.
Key Takeaways
- Use nslookup in Command Prompt or Terminal to see a website's IP address in seconds without installing anything.
- Online lookup tools like whatismyipaddress.com or mxtoolbox.com work from any device and show results when ready.
- A website's IP address can change without warning, so the address you find today may be different next month.
- Finding a website's IP address is legal and public information — it's the same data your browser looks up every time you visit a site.
Why you might want to know a website's IP address
The most common reason is troubleshooting. If a website is down or loading slowly, knowing its IP address lets you test whether the problem is with the domain name system (DNS) or with the server itself. You can ping the IP directly to see if the server is responding, even if the domain name isn't working.
Another reason is security. If you suspect a website is spoofed or fake, you can check its IP address against the real company's known servers. Scammers sometimes register lookalike domain names that point to completely different IP addresses. Knowing where the traffic actually goes is one way to catch that.
System administrators and network professionals need IP addresses to configure firewalls, set up load balancing, or monitor traffic. If you're managing a network and need to block or allow a specific website at the firewall level, you'll need its IP address.
The difference between nslookup, ping, and tracert
nslookup translates a domain name into an IP address. It's purely a lookup — it doesn't test whether the server is actually running or reachable. It just tells you what address the DNS system has on file.
ping sends a small test packet to an IP address and waits for a response. If the server responds, you know it's online and reachable from your location. If it doesn't respond, the server might be down, or it might be configured to ignore ping requests (many are, for security reasons). Type ping example.com or ping 93.184.216.34 (using the IP you found) to test.
tracert (on Windows) or traceroute (on Mac and Linux) shows every router your data passes through on the way to a server. It's useful when a website is slow or unreachable and you want to see where the connection breaks down. Type tracert example.com to see the path.
What to do if a website has multiple IP addresses
Large websites often use multiple servers spread across different locations. When you look up their IP address, you might get one result one time and a different one the next time. This is normal and intentional — it's called load balancing, and it helps the website handle traffic from millions of users without overloading a single server.
If you run nslookup multiple times on the same domain, you may see different IPs each time. This doesn't mean the website is broken or spoofed. It means the DNS system is deliberately rotating between several servers to distribute the load. If you need to block or allow a website at your firewall, you may need to add multiple IP addresses to your rules, or block the domain name instead of individual IPs.
How IP addresses relate to domain names and DNS
Every time you type a web address into your browser, your computer asks a DNS server "What is the IP address for example.com?" The DNS server looks it up and sends back an IP address. Your browser then connects to that IP address to fetch the website. Finding a website's IP address is just doing manually what your browser does automatically.
The connection between a domain name and an IP address is not permanent. A website owner can change which IP address their domain points to whenever they want — when they move to a new hosting provider, upgrade their server, or set up a content delivery network. This is why a website's IP address today might be different from its IP address a year ago.
Using IP addresses to troubleshoot connection problems
If a website works fine for most people but not for you, checking the IP address can help narrow down the problem. First, try pinging the domain name: ping example.com. If that fails, try pinging the IP address directly: ping 93.184.216.34. If the domain name fails but the IP address works, the problem is with DNS — your computer can't translate the domain name to an IP, or it's getting the wrong IP.
If both fail, the server itself is unreachable from your location. This could mean the server is down, your internet connection is down, or a firewall is blocking the connection. If the IP works for you but the domain name doesn't, ask your internet provider or network administrator to check your DNS settings.
You can also use nslookup to see which DNS server your computer is using and which IP address it's returning. Type nslookup -debug example.com for more detailed information about the lookup process.
Security considerations when looking up IP addresses
Finding a website's IP address is completely legal and safe. The information is public — it's the same data your browser looks up every time you visit a site. You're not hacking anything or accessing private information. Anyone with a computer can do this.
However, knowing an IP address does not give you access to the website's files, databases, or private data. An IP address is just a location on the internet. It's like knowing the street address of a building — it doesn't let you walk through the walls or open locked doors.
If you're concerned about a website's legitimacy, checking its IP address is one small piece of the puzzle. Look for other signs too: does the domain name match the company's official website, does the site have a valid SSL certificate (the padlock icon in your browser), and does the content match what you expect from that company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find the IP address of a website that's behind a proxy or VPN?
You'll find the IP address of the proxy or VPN server, not the website's actual server. If a website uses a content delivery network like Cloudflare, nslookup will return Cloudflare's IP address, not the origin server. This is by design — it's a security and performance feature.
What's the difference between IPv4 and IPv6 addresses?
IPv4 addresses look like 93.184.216.34 (four numbers separated by dots). IPv6 addresses look like 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946 (longer, with colons and letters). Most websites still use IPv4, but IPv6 is becoming more common. nslookup will show you both if the website supports them.
If I know a website's IP address, can I visit it without using the domain name?
You can type the IP address directly into your browser's address bar, but it often won't work the way you expect. Many servers host multiple websites on the same IP address and use the domain name to figure out which site to show you. If you visit by IP alone, you might get an error or the wrong website.
Does finding a website's IP address show up in my browser history or logs?
Using nslookup or an online lookup tool doesn't contact the website itself — it only queries the DNS system. The website's server has no way to know you looked up its IP address. Your internet provider can see the DNS query in their logs, but not the website owner.
Why would a website's IP address change?
Website owners change IP addresses when they move to a new hosting provider, upgrade their server, set up load balancing, or use a content delivery network. They update the DNS records to point to the new IP, and within hours or days, most users are directed to the new address. Old cached results may take longer to update.