by Priya Nakamura Updated Apr 12, 2026
A default gateway is the IP address of your router — it's the door through which all devices on your network access the internet. Common default gateways include 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, and 10.0.0.1.
Every device on your network needs to know where to send traffic destined for the internet. The default gateway (your router) receives this traffic and forwards it to the internet. It's like the front door of your house — all mail goes through it.
You can find your default gateway IP on any device. On Windows, run ipconfig. On Mac, check Network Preferences.
For more information, see RFC 791 — Internet Protocol.
Pro Tip: Every device on the internet has an IP address, but thanks to NAT, hundreds of devices can share a single public IP.
Key Takeaways
It's your router's IP address — the address all your devices use to reach the internet.
On Windows, open Command Prompt and type "ipconfig". On Mac, go to System Preferences > Network. See our complete guide.
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About Priya Nakamura
Priya is a telecommunications engineer and networking educator at RouterHax. With a background in ISP infrastructure and a Master's in Computer Networks, she explains complex networking concepts in plain English. Priya covers WiFi standards, protocols, IP addressing, and network architecture.
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