Looking for a simple way to have users check their IP
Posted by Hopeful-Oil3038@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 127 comments
Our techs sometimes need to remote into computers users have. For the hybrid joined desktops this really isn't a problem as they can just use the computer name. But for our entra only joined laptops they move around so much that connecting with the name is hit or miss. Looking for the simplest way I can have the computers show their IP to the user. About 1/2 our users can't do keyboard shortcuts (IE you tell them to press ctrl C and they press control and then press C). Any ideas?
gixo89@reddit
bginfo is the tool you’re looking for
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/bginfo
lukesidgreaves@reddit
I use DesktopInfo as I find it more customisable: https://www.glenn.delahoy.com/desktopinfo/ equally just as good.
Dookie_boy@reddit
Does it update live ? If the IP changed but the PC didn't restart, can bginfo update ?
andrewia@reddit
Read the page and it tells you.
Hopeful-Oil3038@reddit (OP)
This is what i need thanks.
dawg4prez@reddit
Traditionally bginfo updates the wallpaper at login. If they are moving around frequently, it won’t get updated unless they logout and back in. You’d have to setup a scheduled task to run it at a suitable interval. Very doable.
gudmundthefearless@reddit
If you use a VPN like Cisco AnyConnect there are registry hooks you can use to trigger BGinfo to update on connect/disconnect. I had to use VBS on mine in order to properly isolate the correct interface though
Beginning-Still-9855@reddit
I put a bat file on everyones desktop that showed ipconfig but filtering it to only show the local IP, the VPN device tunnel IP and the VPN user tunnel. The helpdesk ask them to click on it.
gixo89@reddit
Just to be clear, a PC can “own” what can be defined as a public IP (non-RFC1918) , a lot of pc have SIM card slots, but still, that will just be the address assigned to the PC network card which is what you (should be) looking for
Dry_Author7288@reddit
Seconded - This is a godsend. God save you if you have to walk someone through ipconfig over the phone, although thats not so bad all the time.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Sysinternals tools are great, but I don't think bginfo will provide the public facing IP, it usually shows me the LAN address.
gixo89@reddit
It shows exactly what OP needs, that is not the internal nor the external, it is the one assigned to the PC network card
FarmboyJustice@reddit
I didn't realize you knew the OP personally.
Phleton@reddit
Why would he need the external ip?
FarmboyJustice@reddit
How should I know? Maybe so he could whitelist it in a firewall? Maybe so he could check to see if the ISP is blacklisted? Maybe because he wanted to add it to his collection of public facing IPs?
Unlike you I don't pretend to have psychic powers and be able to read the minds of strangers on reddit.
felix1429@reddit
Dude why are you choosing this stupid hill to die on?
gixo89@reddit
My bad, “what OP asked for”
FarmboyJustice@reddit
OP didn't specify one way or the other, hence my wondering how you knew that.
gixo89@reddit
Because I know how pc works
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Clearly not. OP did not specify lan address or public address. You think that doesn't matter, Therefore you do not know how pc works.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
The OP specifically said the computers IP and not the firewall/public IP.
apophis27983@reddit
Ya, but to be fair they might have meant public IP.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
Maybe, however there is no expectation for people to assume that the OP meant something different than what they said.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
What they said was ambiguous and not explicit. Therefore subject to interpretation.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
A computer’s IP is exactly that, the computer’s local IP address assigned to its network card.
A computer’s public IP address is exactly that.
If I ask for the computer’s IP I expect the local IP address, if I ask for the computer’s public IP I expect that.
What the OP asked for seems pretty clear to almost everyone. You are the only one getting your panties in a bunch over it.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Clearly if the only environment you've ever supported is large enterprise campuses, then you would have this limited perspective.
Some of us have experience in more than one environment.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
I have worked in many environments over my career. I just choose to use common sense.
Phleton@reddit
Brooo pls. Just reading the questions should answer for you that he needs the local address. If you dont get it, you have probably no clue about sysadmin and wrong in this sub
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Broooo pls. OP specified remote workers. Get over yourself.
Phleton@reddit
He still asked about a computer IP... and thats just the term for a exact thing. OP did ask it wrong? Maybe. But he asked for the computer IP which is not the external address for a non sysadmin
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Computer IP does not mean local non-routable IP. It means the IP associated with a computer. That IP could be a local network IP, it could be a NATted address, or even an APIPA address.
So tired of wannabe sysadmins trying to school me with their limited knowledge.
apophis27983@reddit
Not sure why he's arguing with you over this
Phleton@reddit
Because he started arguing? I just expect somehow with knowledge to say what they want. And if a sysadmin asks me for a computer IP, than its the local computer IP. Otherwise he would have stated it different (I dont know with what people you are all working with, but we could also just be in completly different fields). Idk why its so hard to understand, its just ridding on the definition of words, no hate
gixo89@reddit
It is very usual for old USA companies (especially old ones) to have their internal networks defined with non-RFC1918 ranges (thanks Siemens!), so maybe that’s a point of confusion when talking about public and local IP
Phleton@reddit
Ah shit! I nearly forgot the real existing classful networks. We only had it in theory in university (and what its means for IP ranges today) as its not much used in Europe
FarmboyJustice@reddit
It's easy to understand that words can have more than one definition, that's something we learn in elementary school, no sysadmin training required.
Phleton@reddit
I hope for you your judge if you did something bad doesnt think like this :)
If you are specialized in a profession, words often have to one exact definition (atleast internal in your company) or it will lead to errors.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Near as I can tell r/sysadmin is full of bros these days.
apophis27983@reddit
I'm not sure if that's true or not but people on this sub, like the entirety of reddit, have a major attitude.
Phleton@reddit
Its nutted bro
apophis27983@reddit
To be fair, I think he's correct. OP might have meant public IP.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
The OP specifically asked for the computer’s IP and not the public IP.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
And of course computers cannot have public IPs because there's no such thing as NAT. Jesus.
Phleton@reddit
Thats just finding a very obscure way to prove you are not false lmao, yeah OP probably asked about the external IP from the firewall (he would need a port too or???) which then gets nutted (NAT) to a specific L A P T O P to connect to. Maybe you are right.
apophis27983@reddit
They get nutted? Lol
Phleton@reddit
Thats my very low sense of humor
apophis27983@reddit
Nah, it was accidental and your autocorrect is using your naughty words. Joking 😃.
Phleton@reddit
Yes, happens also alot for change block tracking in vmware (CBT) I love it!
singulara@reddit
and computer-based training. Such torture
brookz@reddit
I believe this is what you're looking for.
https://www.moanmyip.com/
AffectionateMix3146@reddit
Exactly what I was looking for
Dexford211@reddit
Task manager. Highlight Performance. Highlight Ethernet or Wi-FI. Look for IPv4
Deadpool2715@reddit
My org has a bat file with a shortcut called "PC Info" on the desktop, it displays IPv4, machine name, current user, and some other stuff, with a PAUSE at the end so user has to hit enter to close the window. IT Help desk is asked to always get that info from the user for almost any desktop issue, but it's also great for getting the current IP If DNS is stale for RDP or other purposes
Rossco1874@reddit
Pc Info is often in start menu too.
Deadpool2715@reddit
This is a desktop icon, just click and read. Not 100% user proof, but good enough.
Wartz@reddit
Bginfo
phony_sys_admin@reddit
Rainmeter.
hisheeraz@reddit
You cannot go wrong with BGInfo
attathomeguy@reddit
internal IP or external IP?
skylinesora@reddit
Pretty sure internal… providing an external ip would do very little in the vast majority of cases
attathomeguy@reddit
OP mentions "joined laptops they move around so much that connecting" so because of that information provided is why I asked my question
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Yeah, the assumption that the only thing anyone could possibly want is the LAN address seems weird to me when dealing with remote workers.
Oh your LAN address is 192.168.0.101? What a coincidence, so is mine!
skylinesora@reddit
Network fundamentals buddy. You may want to learn some before you try and be sarcastic.
Tell me, how would knowing the public ip help the connection
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Really? You can't imagine ANY situation where knowing a remote computer's public IP address might be useful in some way? Not a single one?
Sounds like network fundamentals is as far as you got if you've never had to troubleshoot a firewall issue, whitelist an ISP, etc.
skylinesora@reddit
I can, but not in the instance that OP is asking for, which is remoting into a machine.
I'll go through your example
- Troubleshooting a firewall issue. This would be egress traffic, if you can't connect out, then odds are this would be affecting every session, not just this one. Why would it be a firewall issue on the user's side? The user's machine isn't public facing so you aren't connecting to it this way. You'd be connecting to it through your existing vpn tunnel to that machine.
- Whitelist an ISP, never had to whitelist an ISP on an outbound connection for a remote desktop support session. This would mean i'm playing wack-a-mole on every residential IP my user's have. Not really practical.
My point is, using context clues and a little common sense, you'd know the public IP isn't what's asked for
FarmboyJustice@reddit
So in other words, we both guessed, your lucky guess happened to be right, and that makes me a moron and you a genius. Tired of you.
skylinesora@reddit
If you call guessing making a highly educated assumption based off of experience and context clues that OP provided, then sure.
Way better than your completely uninformed guess.
I'll take the guess of somebody who knows what they are talking about compared to the guess of somebody who doesn't any day of the week.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Yeah my guess was completely uninformed, because you know all about me and my career, with those psychic powers you have.
Everything you're saying tells me that you're immature and lacking broad experience.
skylinesora@reddit
Based off of what you're saying, it's pretty clear
RCTID1975@reddit
It won't. Just like knowing the private IP doesn't either.
Hilarious that you keep talking down to people...
skylinesora@reddit
Yes it does, the user is on your corporate VPN working from home. His interface IP for the VPN is 10.10.0.12. This is his private IP address and perfectly acceptable to use to connect to the host.
Knowing the IP assigned by thier home router sure won't be useful but the private IP assigned to the VPN connection will be useful.
RCTID1975@reddit
And similarly, the assumption that OP needs the external IP is also weird.
The router/firewall on the client side would have no idea what to do with those packets, or which machine they should be sent to.
This whole post is weird
skylinesora@reddit
Unless your having users poke a hole in the firewall and do some kind of port forwarding at every location they go to, the public ip is irrelevant.
attathomeguy@reddit
all my users have a ZTNA agent running so I ask for their external IP to make the computer is online since sometimes users SWEAR they are online when they are not
skylinesora@reddit
You should be able to check without the user providing their IP.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Yep, you should. And since you should, that means you must be able to, because everything that should be possible is always 100% guaranteed to be true.
It's exhausting trying to get you bros to understand that not everyone has the same environment as you.
skylinesora@reddit
Why do you keep commenting on things you don't know? The person I replied to said his user has a ZTNA agent running. In the handful of platforms I used... Scratch that, every platform that i've used, you are able to check if a host is online or not through their console.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
Know what's even more irrelevant? The local IP provided by the comcast router at Starbucks.
At least a public IP lets you geolocate.
skylinesora@reddit
wtf is th geo location gonna do. You get the private ip of the users machine while on vpn. I’m not sure you should be commenting in a sysadmin form
FarmboyJustice@reddit
I'm 100% sure you should not be commenting in a sysadmin forum if you can't see any value in knowing a public IP address of a remote worker. Your limited experience is crystal clear.
skylinesora@reddit
There is value, just not in this specific case.
Hopeful-Oil3038@reddit (OP)
Our network is really really big.
FarmboyJustice@reddit
NOW you tell me.
When you said your users move around a bunch, I assumed that meant they were remote workers.
Now I'm getting pissed on by a bunch of wannabes because they assumed some huge campus environment instead.
I think you owe me an apology. (Just kidding.)
RCTID1975@reddit
Well, internal would do just as much if they aren't on the corporate network.
We need more information here. For a remote machine, no IP address alone is going to get them remote access.
skylinesora@reddit
No we don’t need more info. OP states that hostname doesn’t always work. This means they are already able to directly connect so it’s safe to assume they are already on the same network
RCTID1975@reddit
What?
These devices are at least hybrid Entra joined. Looking up the host name for the person calling is trivial (and presumably they already know this anyway).
What remote access system are you typing an IP address into? Every one (at least ones that should be used) has a client, so you wouldn't need that info.
OP makes zero sense, so yes, we need more info
skylinesora@reddit
You're not looking up the hostname, OP has the hostname. He's trying to easily get the IP address.
Depends on the system, if you're using something like Bomgar, you can either type in an IP address or a hostname to initiate the connection.
RCTID1975@reddit
Sure, if it's on the local network. And if it's on the local network, DNS should pick it up, so you're fine.
If it's not on the local network, the internal IP of the device won't do anything, nor will the external IP since the router doesn't know where to send the packets.
Like I said, we need more information on what OP is trying to do because the question makes zero sense in the context given.
skylinesora@reddit
We don't need more information though. OP said he can typically connect via hostname. This implies, they are most likely on the same network because the machine is VPN'd in. Therefore, the internal IP is what you want.
His question makes perfect sense in the context given
SylvainLafrance@reddit
Or simply put an icon on their desktop, you can powershell or DOS command something that will just show IPs
BGIfon is good but only refresh at logins
007bane@reddit
Try using BGinfo software and putting the username, ip, and computer name on the desktop.
man__i__love__frogs@reddit
Just have your techs log into Entra, find the user and look at the most recent sign in log, it will have a hyperlink to the device in Intune.
Your techs should be smart enough to get this stuff without asking users.
Rossco1874@reddit
Also confused as to why if they have the host name they can't just ping that to get the ip address. As long as the pc is connected to domain and network should be able to do this.
mouse6502@reddit
Gotta second this advice.. I’d start by reevaluating your setup and figuring out a way how NOT to ask the user for anything. Even asking for their name can be a fkkin’ trial.
discosoc@reddit
your RMM or similar really should be providing this info for you. i have to question your workflow here.
IZEN_R@reddit
Dont know if this would be doable since I have no idea how Entra setups work, but we have setup a dedicated button on our internal web portal that opens a page that shows useful informations such as the ip address and other infos that are useful to identify who's making the request
SirLoremIpsum@reddit
We use beyond trust for remote access and IP is irrelevant cause the user intiates the remote session.
So maybe you're trying to find the wrong jnfo? Your goal is to make it easier to remote right?
schnityzy393@reddit
Splashtop does this natively. Not sure a private class C IP is going to help much though.
RAMSxAI@reddit
Have the techs pull the IP from users Azure sign-in logs?
Adam_Kearn@reddit
bginfo
Or make a custom desktop/start menu shortcut that users can click and it shows a pop up with the required details.
Out of curiosity what are you using to connect onto the computers?
Would it be worth investing into an RMM tool that will let you remote only the devices directly just by searching for the hostname/username?
Works anywhere in the world too then if you have users working from home as well
Hopeful-Oil3038@reddit (OP)
We are waiting until the summer when intune suite is rolled into E5's. Then the plan is to use remote help.
"Works anywhere in the world too then if you have users working from home as well"
Yeah but all that costs more money so as of the moment a cobbled together solution.
thatguysaidearlier@reddit
Quick Assist (built into Windows 10 and 11) isn't enough, right now?
DefiIshtao@reddit
I would step back before optimizing how users read an IP address, because on mobile or home networks that value is often transient, ambiguous, or not even the one you can reach from your side. If this is a recurring support workflow, the more durable fix is usually to give the device a reliable rendezvous path: RMM, remote assistance tied to the enrolled device identity, VPN, or a lightweight script that reports current network info back to a central place. If you still need a user-facing fallback, make it a single clickable shortcut on the desktop that opens a very plain window showing computer name, current IPv4, and maybe a "copy details" button. In practice, reducing the support script to "double-click Support Info and read line 2" tends to work better than teaching users any command or shortcut.
ZeroOne010101@reddit
Found this freeware some years ago https://www.aagon.com/netinfo-freeware/
not great, not terrible.
Hopeful-Oil3038@reddit (OP)
Yeah ok BGinfo it is.
profesionalec@reddit
Ask the user to press Ctrl + Shift + Esc (opens Task Manager), click Performance tab and read the IPv4 number under WiFi or Ethernet.
recoveringasshole0@reddit
I had never noticed the IP address was here.
tensorfish@reddit
BGInfo is the obvious band-aid if you really want the number on screen. But this is probably the wrong fix. If remote support depends on users reading out a changing IP, you want a stable handle instead: ScreenConnect, Quick Assist, an RMM agent, anything less silly than live IP dictation.
recoveringasshole0@reddit
Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis
If you're using VNC or even Teamviewer, you're doing it wrong.
No_Wear295@reddit
This is when some form of rmm is nice to have
heliosfa@reddit
This is a bit of an X-Y problem.
This is the problem. Sort out the lifetime of your leases and DNS records…
Relying on IP address, especially in the age of IPv6 being something that you should be doing, is silly.
Jumpy_Garage_1867@reddit
As many of my peers have suggested BGINFO it works well. However, I guess you are looking for the external IP if that is the case and you are deploying via Intune I would suggest creating a browser short cut to whatismyipaddress.com
Ask the user to double click on that and it will display their external ip address
ConfidentlyLearning@reddit
At my former employer there was a little script included in the standard corporate endpoint image. Its icon lived on the desktop, and the output included most of the 'bginfo' stuff, plus hostname, MS domain name, name servers, default gateway, and a couple other useful things. Tier 1 loved it.
TheJollyHermit@reddit
About 15 years ago when I was IT for a small company I wrote a simple HTA that lived on the desktop in our standard image that showed pertinent information like IP, gateway, computer name, current user, ran a few simple tests like pinging an internal only server to state "Connected to company network" and a couple of reliable Internet addresses (8.8.8.8 for instance) to state "Internet connected" and the VPN gateway to say "VPN accessible". It had a button to fire up the VPN connection, a button to rerun logon scripts, a button to fire up our remote support quick connect and a few other useful things. Made it much easier for my users and me.
Nandulal@reddit
BGInfo
michaelpaoli@reddit
As seen from The Internet?:
https://www.wiki.balug.org/wiki/doku.php?id=system:what_is_my_ip_address
Otherwise will be more context specific, e.g.
ip a s
ifconfig ...
IPCONFIG ...
possibly combined with e.g.
| grep ...
or
| FIND ...
If it's a quite common thing, and one is able to, may want to roll out small program or the like to all your users.
Sometimes one can get this information from one's DNS or DHCP servers or the like.
E.g. one place I worked, hostname was the laptop SN, and that was used with DHCP and DDNS to update DNS, so a DNS query of SN for the relevant work domain, typically gave current (or at least quite recent) IP address.
meed0k@reddit
Lots of public tools, but also most professional to have a page on a company website that does it
AppIdentityGuy@reddit
BGINFO is your answer unless your XDR solution does this. For example MDE records this info.
woodyshag@reddit
Ipchicken.com if you are looking for a public ip, bginfo for a private ip. Why not have keseya for your systems so no one has to look at IPs?
RandomPony@reddit
BGInfo
ShoeBillStorkeAZ@reddit
Desktopinfo
TW-Twisti@reddit
You can literally type "what is my ip" in any current browser and be redirected to an appropriate service.
GullibleDetective@reddit
Invest in an RMM tool
FarmboyJustice@reddit
My preference is myip.is because it's easy to read, not loaded with ads and has convenient json output at 4.myip.is and 6.myip.is
Connoissuers of NSFW IP address lookup services can use https://myip.wtf, not recommended for business environments.
If you want a bare-bones simple page that has nothing whatsoever on it but the IP address, I suggest
https://checkip.amazonaws.com/
Put a URL shortcut on the desktop for the users to click.
aguynamedbrand@reddit
BGinfo is the answer.
However, it sounds like a lack of clear communication from the helpdesk when asking the users to do something. If half the users can’t press CTRL + C then y’all need to brush up on your communication skills. I have supported users of all ages and have never had this problem.
poizone68@reddit
An old school method for Windows users is BGInfo. Advantage: the info is on the desktop background image. Disadvantage: the info is on the desktop background image.
SalafiStudent@reddit
WhatIsMyIp.com?