How to Check If Two Devices Are on the Same Network

Two devices on the same Wi-Fi name can still be on different networks, which is why a printer, speaker, or TV sometimes will not show up. These checks confirm whether two devices share one local network and can actually reach each other.

Find each device's IP address

Open the network details on each device. On an iPhone, go to Settings, Wi-Fi, and tap the (i) next to the network. On Android, tap the gear next to the network under Settings, Network & internet, Internet. On a Mac, open System Settings, Wi-Fi, Details. On Windows, open Command Prompt and run:

ipconfig

Write down the IP address and the router or default gateway for each device.

Compare the first three groups of the addresses

On a home network, addresses on the same network share the first three groups, such as 192.168.1.15 and 192.168.1.24. If one device shows 192.168.1.x and the other 192.168.0.x or 10.0.0.x, they are on different networks, usually because of a second router or an extender running its own network.

Check that the gateway matches

Both devices should list the same router or gateway address. A different gateway means a different router is handing out addresses, even if the Wi-Fi name looks the same.

Ping one device from the other

On Windows, open Command Prompt and ping the other device's address:

ping 192.168.1.24

On a Mac, open Terminal and add a count so it stops on its own:

ping -c 4 192.168.1.24

Replies mean the devices can reach each other. Timeouts mean something is blocking them, even if the addresses match. From a phone, a network scanner app lists every device it can see on the network.

Rule out guest networks and client isolation

Guest networks, and sometimes separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, can show the same subnet yet still block devices from talking to each other. Look in the router's settings for guest isolation, client isolation, or AP isolation and turn it off, or move both devices to the main network. Mesh systems and extenders count as one network unless the extender broadcasts its own network name with a different subnet.

If one device is a phone. A phone on mobile data is never on your home network. Turn Wi-Fi on and confirm it is connected to the same network name as the other device.

If a VPN is running. A VPN routes traffic elsewhere and can make a device look like it is on a different network. Turn the VPN off while testing.