Network Information on macOS

This guide explains how to identify all relevant network information on macOS using terminal commands.
It is designed to work correctly even when multiple network interfaces are present (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, VPN, and system interfaces).

All information in this guide can be obtained using standard system commands available on macOS.

Supported systems

• macOS Ventura
• macOS Sonoma
• Newer macOS versions

Applies to Mac computers using:

• Wi-Fi
• Ethernet
• VPN connections

What information you will find

This guide helps you identify:

• Local IP address (LAN)
• Router (gateway) IP address
• VPN IP address (if connected)
• MAC address (hardware address)
• The correct network interface to use

Commands used

Network information on macOS is obtained using the following commands:

ifconfig
route -n get default

These commands display all network interfaces and routing information on the system.

How to run the commands

1. Open Terminal
2. Run:

ifconfig

The output is divided into blocks, one per network interface.

Understanding network interfaces

Each block in the output represents one network interface.

Common interface names on macOS include:

• en0
  Usually the Wi-Fi interface (most common on laptops)

• en1 / en2
  Ethernet or additional network adapters

• utun0, utun1, utunX
  VPN interfaces (only present when a VPN is connected)

• lo0
  Loopback interface (ignore)

• bridgeX, awdl0, llw0
  System or virtual interfaces (ignore)

Most systems show many interfaces. This is normal.

Which interface should you use?

In most cases, use:

• en0 → Wi-Fi (most common)
• en1 or en2 → Ethernet (if using a cable)

Ignore interfaces that:

• Do not show an inet address
• Are named lo0, bridge, awdl, or llw
• Are clearly system or virtual interfaces

If a VPN is connected, one or more utun interfaces will appear separately.

Local IP address (LAN)

The local IP address identifies the Mac inside the local network.

To find it:

• Locate the active enX interface (usually en0)
• Identify the line starting with inet

Example:

inet 192.168.1.42 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255

Meaning:

• 192.168.1.42 → local IP address

Typical local IP ranges:

• 192.168.x.x
• 10.x.x.x
• 172.16.x.x

Router (gateway) IP address

The router IP address is obtained using:

route -n get default

Example output:

gateway: 192.168.1.1

Meaning:

• 192.168.1.1 → router (default gateway)

VPN IP address

A VPN IP address exists only when a VPN connection is active.

To find it:

• Look for interfaces named utun0, utun1, utun2, etc.
• Identify the inet value under that interface

Example:

utun4: inet 100.96.12.34 netmask 0xffffffff

Notes:

• VPN IP is different from the local IP
• If no utun interface appears, no VPN is connected

MAC address (hardware address)

The MAC address uniquely identifies a network interface.

To find it:

• Use the same enX interface used for the local IP
• Identify the line starting with ether

Example:

ether ac:de:48:00:11:22

Important notes:

• Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters have different MAC addresses
• MAC addresses do not change between networks
• VPN interfaces use virtual addresses