How to Get a Client’s IP Address Using JavaScript

If you’re looking to get a client’s IP address using JavaScript, there are a few different methods you can use. In this tutorial, we’ll cover the most common way to get a client’s IP address using JavaScript.

Understanding the Problem

Before we dive into the solution, it’s important to understand the problem we’re trying to solve. When a user visits your website, you may want to know their IP address for a variety of reasons. For example, you may want to track their location or personalize their experience based on their IP address.

Method 1: Using a Third-Party API

The easiest way to get a client’s IP address using JavaScript is to use a third-party API. There are several APIs available that will return the client’s IP address as a JSON object.

Here’s an example using the ipify API:

fetch('https://api.ipify.org?format=json')
   .then(response => response.json())
   .then(data => console.log(data.ip));

This code fetches the client’s IP address from the ipify API and logs it to the console.

Method 2: Using WebRTC

Another way to get a client’s IP address using JavaScript is to use WebRTC. WebRTC is a browser API that allows for real-time communication between browsers. One of the features of WebRTC is the ability to get a client’s IP address.

Here’s an example:

const getIP = async () => {
   const { RTCPeerConnection } = window;
   const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({ iceServers: [] });
   pc.createDataChannel('');
   pc.createOffer().then(pc.setLocalDescription.bind(pc));
   pc.onicecandidate = (ice) => {
     if (!ice || !ice.candidate || !ice.candidate.candidate) return;
     const ipRegex = /([0-9]{1,3}(\.[0-9]{1,3}){3})/;
     const ipMatch = ice.candidate.candidate.match(ipRegex);
     const ip = ipMatch && ipMatch[1];
     console.log(ip);
     pc.onicecandidate = () => {};
   };
 };
 getIP();

This code creates a new RTCPeerConnection and generates an offer. When the offer is created, the onicecandidate event is fired, which contains the client’s IP address.

Getting a client’s IP address using JavaScript is a useful feature for many web applications. While there are several ways to accomplish this, using a third-party API or WebRTC are the most common methods.

Remember to use these methods responsibly and only collect data that is necessary for your application.