Getting Your Laptop's IP Address
Every computer that's
part of a network is assigned its own ID number, known as an
IP address. (IP is short for Internet protocol.) You don't
need to memorize or post the number on the wall, but if you
run into problems with your machine, you may be asked to
provide the IP address to a technician for troubleshooting.
You may also need to know the IP address when you install
and configure certain external devices for the network, such
as firewalls or broadband modems.
If your computer is successfully networked, you can discover
its IP address by following these steps:
1. From the Windows desktop, click the My Network Places
icon.
The My Network Places window opens.
2. Click the View Network Connections link (on the left side
of the My Network Places window).
The Network Connections window opens.
3. Double-click your network connection.
Your network connection's dialog box opens with the General
tab displayed.
Your laptop may have several connections, including a
wireless network, a 1394 or FireWire connection, and a LAN.
3. In the General tab, view the Local Area Connection
information.
See the connection status, the amount of time (duration)
it's been active, and the current speed.
4. Click the Support tab and note the IP address.
In the Support tab, you can see the connection's technical
details, including the IP address, the subnet mask, and
default gateway. You don't need to understand the gruesome
details right now, but you (or the techie helping you out)
may need them when troubleshooting or configuring advanced
devices.
One more significant detail may be of importance to a
support technician. It's called the MAC address. The media
access control (MAC) address is a unique identification
that's permanently assigned to each piece of hardware that's
part of a network setup.
To find the MAC address, follow the preceding numbered list
and then click the Details button in the Support tab.
Windows displays Network Connection Details. On this
display, the MAC address is (just to confuse you) called the
physical address.
By Laptops for Dummies
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