If you plan to connect a printer to wifi so that you can print wirelessly, the first thing you’ll need to do is find your printer’s IP address. In fact, if you have any issues with your printer that you need to troubleshoot, or if you simply want to connect your printer to your network, you’ll need to be able to find the IP address. 

Just as you need a physical street address to direct someone or something towards your home, you need to know your printer’s IP address in order to send print jobs to it wirelessly from your computer.

To help with your setup, we’ve put together a quick tutorial on how to find a printer IP address. Here is what you need to know.

Finding Your Printer’s IP Address if You Have a Mac

If you have a Mac laptop or desktop, there are two ways you can find the IP address.

System Preferences

One way to find your IP address on your Mac is through the System Preferences.

  • Go to System Preferences by clicking on the Apple logo that is in the top corner of the left side of your screen. You can also find System Preferences in your dock.
  • Once you are in System Preferences, you will then choose Printers and Scanners.
  • In the left column, you will select your printer.
  • After selecting your printer, you will find the IP address under Location.

Use the CUPS Webpage

The second way to find the IP address on your Mac is by using the CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) webpage, which is an open-source printing system for UNIX and Apple.

  • Open up Safari.
  • In the web address bar, you will type localhost:631/printers.
  • In the Location column, your printer’s IP address will appear.

Finding Your Printer’s IP Address if You Have a PC

While finding your printer’s IP address on a PC isn’t quite as simple as on a Mac, it is still relatively easy and there are a couple of ways that you can do it.

Use the Control Panel

Using the Control Panel to find the IP address is the most common and the easiest way. 

  • In the search box, write “Control Panel.”
  • Choose Devices and Printers.
  • Choose the right printer, right-click on it, and select Properties.
  • Under Properties, you will then choose the Web Services tab. Under this tab, you should be able to find your IP address at the bottom of Device Information and Troubleshooting Information.

Use the Command Prompt App

Another, more in-depth way to locate your IP address, is from the Command Prompt app. Once you open the app, there are a handful of steps to follow in order to find your IP address.

  • Near the Start menu, you will find a search box where you will type “cmd.”
  • On the command line, type “ipconfig” and press enter.
  • Here you should be able to locate your IPv4 address.
  • Use a new command line to type ping, followed by a space, followed by your IPv4 address, then press enter.
  • Once the results load, you will type arp -a, and then press enter. This will cause dynamic and static connections that use the IPv4 address to load.
  • Open a web browser of your choice.
  • Copy and paste the dynamic IP addresses in different open tabs.
  • Check to see if any of the IPs open a printer setup page. When you find the IP address that does, you’ve found your printer’s IP address.

Finding Your Printer’s IP Address Using Your Printer

Many printers have an LCD display that you can use to locate the IP address. Check the Settings, Preferences, or Options menu on the LCD display for an option for locating the IP address. 

While the display can vary based on your specific printer, the basics of the LCD display are typically similar. Popular brands such as HP, Canon, Lexmark, and Brother, have printer models with LCD displays that can be used to discover the IP address. 

If you’re still having trouble connecting your printer to wi-fi and would like some assistance from the printer pros, feel free to give the BlueDogInk.com sales and support team a call today. Our team has years of experience working with the top printer brands and is always happy to help our customers troubleshoot their printer problems.