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How to Find Printer ip Address? A Complete Guide for Every User

In today’s connected world, printers are no longer just simple peripherals—they are networked devices with unique identifiers called IP addresses that enable communication over wired or wireless networks.

Knowing your printer’s IP address is essential for troubleshooting connection issues, configuring your devices, accessing printer settings remotely, or setting up printing on multiple computers. This article is a deep dive into every method and practical step needed to find your printer’s IP address — regardless of your printer model or computer operating system.

Why Knowing Your Printer’s IP Address Matters

Your printer’s IP address is like its digital home address on your network. It allows your computer, smartphone, or other devices to locate and send print jobs to it.

Without this address, many network-related tasks become difficult or impossible to perform. Key reasons why you need your printer’s IP address include:

• Fixing network connectivity or printing problems

• Adding a printer manually on a computer or mobile device

• Accessing printer’s web interface for configuration and monitoring

• Assigning a static IP to prevent address changes disrupting your setup

• Enhancing network security by controlling who can print or access the printer

Understanding this helps frame why the methods below can feel technical but they unlock control and ease of use for your printing devices.

How to Find Your Printer’s IP Address from the Printer Itself

Most modern printers have built-in menus or control panels where you can find network information, including the IP address.

Using the Printer Display Panel/Menu

If your printer has an LCD screen or control panel:

1. Navigate to Settings or Network Settings on the printer’s menu.

2. Look for options like Wireless Settings, Network Setup, or TCP/IP Settings.

3. Select View Network Configuration or Print Configuration Page.

4. The IP address will be displayed on-screen or printed on the page under categories such as IPv4 Address or IP Address.

This method is universal across brands like HP, Canon, Brother, and Lexmark, though menu names may vary slightly. Printing a network configuration page is a reliable fallback if you cannot find it on-screen.

Finding Your Printer’s IP Address on Windows Computers

Windows offers several built-in ways to find the IP address of connected printers.

Through Control Panel: Devices and Printers

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers.

3. Find your printer in the list, right-click it, and select Properties.

4. Based on your printer connection type:

   • If a Web Services tab exists, the IP address is shown there.

   • Otherwise, switch to the Ports tab, where the IP address appears next to the selected port.

5. If not visible, click Configure Port to view the printer’s IP details.

Using Command Prompt

1. Press Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter.

2. Enter the command: netstat -r

3. Review the list for devices connected to your network; your printer’s IP may be listed by name.

Notes on Windows

• If your printer uses WSD (Web Services for Devices), the IP will be under the Web Services tab.

• For TCP/IP connected printers, IPs are revealed in Ports.

• Connecting the printer via USB can still allow network property access on Windows for IP discovery.

Finding Your Printer’s IP Address on Mac Computers

Macs handle printers somewhat differently, especially for AirPrint models where IPs can be less visible.

Via System Settings: Printers & Scanners

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences in older macOS).

2. Go to Printers & Scanners.

3. Select your printer from the list.

4. Look under Location or click Options and Supplies; the IP address often appears here.

Using the CUPS Web Interface (Advanced)

CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) is the backend of macOS printing:

1. Open Terminal, type cupsctl WebInterface=yes, and press Enter to enable the printer web interface.

2. Open Safari and go to http://localhost:631/printers/.

3. Select your printer; find the IP under the Location section.

This method is excellent for printers hidden from normal macOS interfaces.

How to Find Printer IP Address on Linux Systems

Linux users, particularly system administrators and tech enthusiasts, rely heavily on command-line tools and network scanning to locate printer IP addresses. Linux also uses the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS), similar to macOS.

Using Command Line Tools

• lpstat: Shows printer status including device URIs, which may contain the IP address.

  lpstat -v


• lpinfo: Lists all available devices.

  lpinfo -v


• ip neigh or arp: Shows devices on the local network by MAC and IP, which helps identify your printer by its MAC address.

  arp -a


• nmap: A network scanner that can pinpoint all active IPs and open ports.

  sudo nmap -p 9100 192.168.1.0/24


  This scans the subnet for devices with port 9100 open, common for printers.

Using CUPS Web Interface on Linux

1. Ensure CUPS web interface is enabled by running:

   sudo cupsctl WebInterface=yes


2. Access http://localhost:631/printers/ via a browser.

3. Find your printer and check the URI or device location detail for the IP address.

Using GUI Tools

Some Linux desktop environments provide printer management GUIs under Settings > Printers where the device properties show the IP address.

Using Your Router to Find the Printer’s IP Address

If the above methods aren’t fruitful, the router itself can show connected devices and their IP addresses.

1. Access your router by typing its IP (often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) in a browser.

2. Login using your router’s admin credentials.

3. Navigate to Connected Devices, DHCP Client List, or Attached Devices.

4. Look for your printer by name or MAC address to note the associated IP.

Setting printers to have static IPs through your router reduces issues where IPs change over time.

Brand-Specific Ways to Find Printer IP Addresses

Many brands include proprietary apps or utilities tailored for their printers:

• HP: Use the HP Smart app or visit hpsmart.com, navigate to Printer Settings > Printer Reports > Network Configuration to print the IP info.

• Canon: Often, menus allow navigating to TCP/IP or Network Settings to find IPv4 addresses.

• Brother: Printers with display touchpads can show IP under Network or Information menus.

• Lexmark: Printing a network setup or menu settings page provides IP details.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting Related to Printer IPs

Knowing your printer’s IP helps diagnose and fix common network printing problems:

Static vs Dynamic IP for Printers

Most home routers assign IPs dynamically using DHCP, meaning addresses can change, breaking printer connections. Setting a static IP for your printer provides stability:

• Static IP: Printer always uses the same IP address, eliminating connection loss.

• Dynamic IP: IP changes periodically; convenient but may cause connection errors.

Changing to a static IP is typically done via:

• Printer’s network settings menu or web interface

• Router DHCP reservation feature

• Printer software utilities on a PC or Mac

Summary Table: Methods to Find Printer IP Address

Conclusion

Finding your printer’s IP address is foundational for network printing setup, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Whether through your printer’s control panel, your computer’s operating system, the CUPS interface, or your network router, there are multiple straightforward methods to locate this vital number.

Including Linux-based techniques completes the picture for all major operating systems, empowering every user to manage and maintain their printers effectively. With this knowledge, users can ensure stable printer connections, troubleshoot network issues, and improve their overall printing experience.