How to Find Your Printer's IP Address (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother)
Find your printer's IP address on HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother models, from a computer or the router, and stop it changing so the printer stays online.
Your laptop says the printer is offline, the setup wizard asks for the printer's IP address, or you want to open the printer's own settings page to fix the Wi-Fi. All three start with the same number: the local IP address your router gave the printer. This guide shows where HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother printers display it, how to find it from your computer or router when the printer has no screen, what odd results such as 0.0.0.0 or 169.254.x.x mean, and how to stop the address from changing so the printer stops dropping offline.
The quick answer
A networked printer has a local address such as 192.168.1.23 or 10.0.0.45, handed out by your router. You can find it in four places, from fastest to most reliable:
- On the printer screen: open the Wi-Fi, wireless, or network details.
- On a printed report: every networked printer can print a network configuration or status page that lists its IP address.
- In your router: the list of connected devices shows the printer with its address.
- On your computer: the printer's port settings, or the address table your computer keeps for devices it has talked to.
If the address you find is 0.0.0.0 or starts with 169.254, the printer has not received a proper address from the router yet. That case is covered further down.
Where each brand shows the IP address
Menus differ between models, but each maker uses the same idea across its range. This table summarizes what the manufacturers' own support pages describe.
| Brand | On the printer | Printed report | Settings page in a browser |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP | Touchscreen models: open the Wireless Summary or Network Settings | Models without a touchscreen: press the Information button to print a report | Embedded Web Server (EWS); LaserJets may ask for admin and the PIN on the printer label |
| Canon | Models with a screen: the LAN settings menu shows the network details | Setup > Device settings > LAN settings > Print LAN details on button models | Type the printer IP into a browser to see its network information |
| Epson | Settings > Network Settings > Network Status | Settings > Network Settings > Print Status Sheet | Web Config utility at the printer IP |
| Brother | Touchscreen models: Settings > All Settings, then the network menu | Print Reports > Network Configuration | Type the printer IP into a browser |
HP
On HP printers with a touchscreen, open the Wireless Summary or the Network Settings menu; the IP address is listed with the network name and signal. On models without a touchscreen, HP's instructions are to press the Information button, which prints a report that includes the IP address. Once you have the address, typing it into a browser on the same network opens the Embedded Web Server, HP's built-in settings page. LaserJet models may ask you to sign in with the username admin and the PIN printed on the printer's label.
Canon
Canon printers can show the IP address on the operation panel or print it. On models with menu buttons, Canon's manual describes pressing Setup, choosing Device settings, then LAN settings, then Print LAN details, which prints the network setting information including the IP address and the network name. Touchscreen models show the same details under their LAN settings. Entering the address in a browser opens a page with the printer's basic network information.
Epson
Epson's instructions are to press the home button, open Settings, then Network Settings, and choose Print Status Sheet; the sheet lists the IP address along with the rest of the network configuration. Depending on the model, the option sits under Network Settings directly or under Network Status. With the address, a browser on the same network can open Web Config, Epson's built-in settings utility.
Brother
Brother calls its printout the Network Configuration Report. On button models it is under Menu, then Print Reports, then Network Config; on touchscreen models it is under Settings, All Settings, Print Reports, Network Configuration. The report shows the IP address, subnet mask, node name, and MAC address. Brother notes that if the report shows the address as 0.0.0.0, you should wait a minute and print it again, because the printer may still be joining the network.
Find the printer IP from your computer
If the printer has no screen, or it sits in another room, your computer often already knows the address.
Windows
Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, select the printer, and open Printer properties. On the Ports tab, a printer added by address uses a Standard TCP/IP port whose name or settings contain the IP address. Printers added automatically often use a WSD port instead, which does not show the address; for those, use the router or the address table method below. Our guide to finding IP addresses on Windows covers the related network commands.
Mac
On a Mac, the printer list lives in System Settings under Printers & Scanners. Printers that macOS found automatically through Bonjour are listed by name rather than by address, so the router or the address table below is usually the quickest route to the number; see our Mac IP guide for the Terminal basics.
The address table trick (any computer)
Every computer keeps a short table that matches the IP addresses of nearby devices to their hardware (MAC) addresses. Print a test page so the computer has just talked to the printer, then open a command prompt or Terminal and run arp -a. Each line is an IP address and a MAC address. To spot the printer, compare the MAC addresses with the one on the printer's label or report, or paste them into our MAC address lookup, which names the manufacturer, so the HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother entry stands out.
Find it in your router
The router assigned the address, so it always knows it. Sign in to the router admin page and open the list called connected devices, attached devices, DHCP clients, or client list. Printers usually appear with the brand in their name, such as HP followed by a model number, or EPSON followed by digits. If you are not sure how to reach the router, our router login guide lists the common addresses and default credentials, and how to find your router IP shows how to get its address from any device.
Identify the printer in a device list
Router lists and arp output show addresses with MAC numbers. Look up the MAC to see which manufacturer made the device before you change any settings.
Open the printer's settings page
Most network printers run a small web page of their own. Type the printer's IP address into a browser on a device connected to the same network, for example http://192.168.1.23, and it opens. HP calls this page the Embedded Web Server and Epson calls it Web Config. From there you can see ink or toner levels, change the Wi-Fi settings, update firmware, and set a fixed address. Some printers redirect to https with a certificate the browser does not recognize; that warning is expected for a device on your own network, but only continue when you typed the address yourself.
Add a printer by its IP address
When automatic discovery does not find the printer, adding it by address usually works, and it is also the most stable setup once the address is reserved.
On Windows
Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, and select Add device. When the list does not show your printer, choose the option to add it manually, then pick adding a printer using an IP address or hostname. Enter the address you found, let Windows detect the device type, and install the driver it offers or the one from the printer maker. Windows creates a Standard TCP/IP port for that address, which is the port you would update later if the address ever changes.
On a Mac
Open System Settings, then Printers & Scanners, and choose to add a printer. Switch to the IP tab, type the printer's address, and pick a protocol: IPP or AirPrint for most modern printers, or HP Jetdirect (socket) and LPD for older office models. macOS fills in the name and suggests a driver; if it only offers a generic one, download the driver from the printer maker's support site.
On a phone
Phones rarely need the address, because AirPrint on iPhone and the default print service on Android find printers on the same Wi-Fi automatically. The printer makers' apps can show the address in the printer's network details when you need it for a computer. If a phone cannot see the printer at all, check that both are on the same network and not on a guest network, which hides devices from each other.
Printers in Wi-Fi Direct mode
Wi-Fi Direct lets a phone or laptop connect to the printer without the home router: the printer broadcasts its own small network, and the address works differently. HP printers in Wi-Fi Direct mode use the fixed address 192.168.223.1, so after joining the printer's Wi-Fi Direct network you can open its settings page at that address. Other brands show their Wi-Fi Direct details on the printer screen or report. That address only works while you are connected to the printer's own network, not from your home Wi-Fi.
When the address looks wrong
- 0.0.0.0: the printer has no address yet. It may still be connecting, which is why Brother advises waiting a minute and printing the report again. If it stays at 0.0.0.0, the printer is not connected to the network at all.
- 169.254.x.x: the printer asked for an address and nobody answered, so it gave itself a link-local address from the 169.254.0.0/16 range defined in RFC 3927. Computers cannot print to it over the normal network. Check the Wi-Fi password and signal, restart the printer, and make sure the router's DHCP server is on.
- Several addresses, some starting with fe80: network reports often list IPv6 addresses next to the IPv4 one. Addresses beginning with fe80: are link-local and only valid on the local network segment. For setup wizards, the settings page, and adding the printer on a computer, use the IPv4 address, the one written as four numbers separated by dots.
- A different range from your computer: if your computer is on 192.168.1.x and the printer reports 192.168.0.x, they are on different networks. Usually the printer joined a guest network, which isolates devices, or a second router is creating a separate network behind the first. Our public vs private IP guide explains how home address ranges work.
Why your printer goes offline when its IP changes
Routers lease addresses for a limited time. If the printer is switched off for a while, or the router restarts, the printer can come back with a different address. A computer that was set up to print to the old address keeps sending jobs there and reports the printer as offline. Our guide on why IP addresses keep changing explains the lease mechanics in detail.
There are two reliable fixes:
- Reserve the address in the router (recommended). In the router's DHCP or LAN settings, create a reservation for the printer's MAC address. The printer then receives the same IP every time, and the router never gives it to another device.
- Set a static IP on the printer. In the printer's settings page, switch from automatic (DHCP) to manual and enter an address. Choose one outside the range your router hands out automatically, or two devices may end up with the same address.
After either change, remove and re-add the printer on each computer, or update its port to the new address, so every device prints to the right place.
Keep the printer private
A printer's address should only be reachable inside your home or office. Do not set up port forwarding to a printer, because its settings page and printing ports were not built to face the internet. Change the default admin password or PIN if your model allows it, keep the firmware updated from the settings page, and turn off features you do not use, such as Wi-Fi Direct, if anyone nearby could join them.
Frequently asked questions
What does a printer IP address usually look like?
On a home network it is a private address from the router, most often starting with 192.168.0, 192.168.1, or 10.0.0. The last number is different for each device on the network.
How do I find my printer's IP address without a screen?
Print a network configuration or status report from the printer's buttons; HP models print one from the Information button. You can also check the router's list of connected devices, or run arp -a on a computer that just printed to it.
Why does my printer show 169.254.x.x?
It means the printer did not receive an address from the router and assigned itself a link-local address. Check the Wi-Fi connection, restart the printer, and confirm the router is handing out addresses.
Why did my printer's IP address change?
Routers lease addresses for a limited time, so a printer that was off or disconnected can come back with a new one. Reserve its address in the router so it keeps the same IP.
Is the printer's IP the same as my public IP?
No. The printer has a private address inside your network. Websites see your public IP, which belongs to the router and is shared by every device in your home.
What is 192.168.223.1 on an HP printer?
It is the fixed address HP printers use in Wi-Fi Direct mode. It only works while your device is connected to the printer's own Wi-Fi Direct network.
Primary sources
Standards, registries, and first-party references used to verify this guide:
- Use the HP printer Embedded Web Server (EWS) (opens in a new tab) - HP Support. Finding the IP on touchscreen and button models, opening the EWS, the admin and label PIN sign-in, and the Wi-Fi Direct address 192.168.223.1.
- Printing Out Network Setting Information (MX530 series) (opens in a new tab) - Canon. The Setup, Device settings, LAN settings, Print LAN details path on button models.
- Printing a Network Status Sheet (opens in a new tab) - Epson. The Settings, Network Settings, Print Status Sheet path.
- Accessing the Web Config Utility (opens in a new tab) - Epson. Opening the printer settings page by typing its IP into a browser.
- Print the Network Configuration report (opens in a new tab) - Brother. Report contents (IP, subnet mask, node name, MAC) and the advice to reprint after a minute when the IP shows 0.0.0.0.
- RFC 3927: Dynamic Configuration of IPv4 Link-Local Addresses (opens in a new tab) - IETF. The 169.254.0.0/16 range a device uses when no DHCP server answers.
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