What is the default gateway, and how can I find out what mine is?

In general, a gateway is a device on a network that acts as an entrance to another network. In more technical terms, a gateway is a routing device that knows how to pass traffic between different subnets and networks. A computer will know some routes (a route is the address of each node a packet must go through on the Internet to reach a specific destination), but not the routes to every address on the Internet. It won't even know all the routes on the nearest subnets. A gateway will not have this information either, but will at least know the addresses of other gateways it can hand the traffic off to. Your default gateway is on the same subnet as your computer, and is the gateway your computer relies on when it doesn't know how to route traffic.

The default gateway is typically very similar to your IP address, in that many of the numbers may be the same. However, the default gateway is not your IP address. To see what default gateway you are using, follow the steps below for your operating system.

Windows Vista

1. Click Start.
2. In the search box, type cmd , and then click OK.
3. This will open the command prompt. At the prompt, enter ipconfig .
4. This will display your network information. The number next to "Default Gateway" is your default gateway.

Windows NT, 2000, and XP

1. From the Start menu, click Run... .
2. In the "Open:" field, type cmd , and then click OK.
3. This will open the command prompt. At the prompt, enter ipconfig .
4. This will display your network information. The number next to "Default Gateway" is your default gateway.

Windows 95, 98, and Me

1. From the Start menu, click Run... .
2. In the "Open:" field, type winipcfg , and then click OK.
3. This will open the IP Configuration window. From the drop-down menu, select your Ethernet card. If you are not sure which one is your Ethernet card, keep in mind that PPP adapter, AOL adapter, and AOL dial-up adapter all refer to your modem, and not your Ethernet card.
4. With the Ethernet card selected, the number in the "Default Gateway" field is your default gateway.

Mac OS X

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences... .
2. In System Preferences, from the View menu, select Network.
3. Next to "Show:", select the appropriate port. For example, choose Built-in Ethernet for broadband connections, AirPort for wireless, or Internal Modem for dial-up.
4. Click the TCP/IP tab. The number next to "Router:" is your default gateway.

Mac OS 9

1. From the Apple menu, select Control Panels, and then TCP/IP.
2. In the TCP/IP window, the number next to "Router address:" is your default gateway.

Also see:

• How do I determine my computer's IP address?
• In Windows 2000 or XP, how do I manually set up a wired network connection?