Wondering Who Owns an IP Address? Here's How to Find Out (2024)

Internet, Networking, & Security

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Every IP address is registered to an owner

Bradley Mitchell

Writer

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Illinois

An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking.

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Updated on May 14, 2022

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What to Know

If you know the IP address, enter it on ARIN WHOIS to view ownership.
To find an IP address, open Windows command prompt (Start + CMD on Windows) > type ping websitename.com.
To find an IP address owner if you don't know the IP address, use Register.com, GoDaddy, or DomainTools.

This article explains how to find the owner of an IP address, whether you know the IP address or not. Also included are instructions for finding an IP address using the Windows command prompt.

How to Find Out Who Owns an IP Address

Every internet protocol (IP) addressused on the internet is registered to an owner. The owner may be an individual or a representative of a larger organization such asan internet service provider. Manywebsites don't conceal their ownership, so you can look up this public information to find the owner. However, some services allow the owner to remain anonymous. As a result, their contact information and name are not easily found.

ARIN WHOIS servicequeries the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) for an IP address and displays who owns the IP address and other information such as a contact number, a list of other IP addresses in that range with the same owner, and dates of registration.

For example, for the216.58.194.78IP address, ARIN WHOIS says the owner is Google.

Wondering Who Owns an IP Address? Here's How to Find Out (2)

If You Don't Know the IP Address

Some services are similar toARINWHOIS, but they can search for the website owner even when the website's IP address is unknown. Examples includeRegister.com, GoDaddy, and DomainTools.

To use ARIN WHOIS to find the owner of an IP address,convert the website to its IP address using a ping command in the Windows commandprompt. Open the command prompt and type the following to find the website's IP address:

ping websitename.com

Replacewebsitenamewith the website you want to find the IP address for.

Wondering Who Owns an IP Address? Here's How to Find Out (3)

About Private and Other Reserved IP Addresses

Some IP address ranges are reserved for use on private networks or for internet research. Attempting to look up these IP addresses in Whoisreturns an owner such as Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). However, these same addresses are employed on many home and business networks worldwide. To find who owns a private IP address in an organization, contact their network system administrator.

FAQ

What is my IP address?
To find your IP address quickly and easily, visit a third-party IP address identification website. Some websites to try include WhatIsMyIPAddress, IP Chicken, WhatIsMyIP.com, and IP-Lookup.
How do I change an IP address?
To change an IP address on Windows, open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Double-click the connection, select Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and change the address. On a Mac, go to System Preferences > Network. Select a network, choose Advanced > TCP/IP, and select Manually.
How do I find a Roku IP address?
To find a Roku IP address, use your remote to navigate to Roku settings, search forthe networking option, and look underAbout. You'll find your Roku's IP address and other helpful network information about your device.

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