PHP: HowTo Read an IP Address of Remote Computer / Browser

Author: Vivek Gite Last updated: August 25, 2013 29 comments

How do I read an IP address of remove system or browser using PHP server side programming language? How can I get client IP address and store it to the variable called $ip using php+apache?

Tutorial details
Difficulty	Easy (rss)
Root privileges	No
Requirements	PHP
Time	5m

PHP has in built facility to detect remote browser, IP address, and other properties. These values are assigned to special variable. In this case, it is assigned to a variable called REMOTE_ADDR. You can use any one of the following statement to obtained or read IP address.

PHP syntax to find out an IP address

The syntax is:

$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];

$ip= $REMOTE_ADDR;

$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];

$ip = getenv('HTTP_CLIENT_IP');

PHP syntax to find out remote host name

The syntax is:

$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
$hostname = gethostbyaddr($ip);

$hostname = gethostbyaddr($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']);

Example

Create a file called client-ip.php and store or upload at your Web-server DocumentRoot (e.g. /var/www/html/client-ip.php):

<?php
// client-ip.php : Demo script by nixCraft <www.cyberciti.biz>
// get an IP address
$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
// display it back
echo "<h2>Client IP Demo</h2>";
echo "Your IP address : " . $ip;
echo "<br>Your hostname : ". gethostbyaddr($ip) ;
?>

Save and close the file. Open a web-browser and type your url:
http://your-sercer-name-here/client-ip.php
OR
http://127.0.0.1/client-ip.php
Sample outputs:

Fig.01 client-ip.php output

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29 comments… add one

soroccoheaven Oct 2, 2007 @ 15:49

hi,

I am trying to figure out the “spam” word enabled form submission like this one …anyone here can help me ..

Thanks

Reply Link
Dmitri Zhuchkov Nov 28, 2007 @ 15:30

echo “ Your hostname : ” . GetHostByName($ip);

You can get the host name from IP.gethostbyname

gethostbyname – Get the IP address corresponding to a given Internet host name

Try the gethostbyaddr for this task.

Reply Link
Rajesh Jan 2, 2008 @ 13:23

How to get the remote IP location?

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Timmehx Jan 4, 2008 @ 17:42

<?php
$ip = $_SERVER[‘REMOTE_ADDR’];

And if you want to echo it use

that is what i use

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Nilesh Jan 6, 2008 @ 2:09

hey! this is a child’s play! such an easy thing! i said that coz i am 15 and a hard core PHP developer!!

Reply Link
- Nathan Aug 25, 2013 @ 2:12
  
  I’m sure you are, but not everyone is.
  
  Reply Link
Ben Dec 11, 2008 @ 15:40

I don’t understand something. 5 of my friends using different HOSTS in different CITIES used a script that logged each user’s IP address and time in a database and all their IP was exactly the same as mine. I used $_SERVER[‘REMOTE_ADDR’]

Reply Link
- Joshua Apr 22, 2011 @ 22:12
  
  Hey ben, all of your IP’s are the same since all of you are using the same ISP or the same main ISP:
  
  user1->ISP1->main_isp->internet
  you->ISP3->main_isp->internet
  
  So the website actually detects your main_isp IP address since none of you have a dedicated IP address on the internet.
  
  Reply Link
Geert Mar 22, 2009 @ 13:38
They are all behind the same proxy-server. In that case $_SERVER[‘REMOTE_ADDR’] provides you with the ip-address of the proxy-server.

This function will determine the real ip-adress:
```
function ipCheck() {
		if (getenv('HTTP_CLIENT_IP')) {
			$ip = getenv('HTTP_CLIENT_IP');
		}
		elseif (getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR')) {
			$ip = getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR');
		}
		elseif (getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED')) {
			$ip = getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED');
		}
		elseif (getenv('HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR')) {
			$ip = getenv('HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR');
		}
		elseif (getenv('HTTP_FORWARDED')) {
			$ip = getenv('HTTP_FORWARDED');
		}
		else {
			$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
		}
		return $ip;
	}
```
Reply Link
- Sarmad Mahar Jun 17, 2010 @ 4:47
  
  it do not work if client computer is using ISA Server.
  
  but code is working fine if client is connected with DSL , or modem direct internet connection.
  
  can any one provide how do I resolved issue on intranet application/ Client is using ISA
  
  Reply Link
leni Jun 10, 2009 @ 17:47

how can i get the ip address of the client requesting a particular url?
if possible give me a php code for the same..

Reply Link
Young Bobby Oct 22, 2009 @ 15:21

Yay;

Thanks it’s working fine !

Reply Link
chuman Sep 24, 2010 @ 18:53

supose am chatting with my friend using gtalk how would i get his ip address. [what command do i got to use in DOS]. what i got his ip what command [DOS} do i use to get his host name.
One more thing to what command to view that a specified computer is online or not.

Reply Link
DarkCoder Nov 29, 2010 @ 15:10

Seems not to work for ‘localhost’ but works well with other IPs in the system

Reply Link
Marko Apr 12, 2011 @ 9:01

Why do you have 2 x same conditions in this script ?

elseif (getenv(‘HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR’)) {
$ip = getenv(‘HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR’); x 2
}
and

elseif (getenv(‘HTTP_FORWARDED’)) {
$ip = getenv(‘HTTP_FORWARDED’); x 2
}

Reply Link
- Joshua Apr 22, 2011 @ 22:49
  
  they arent 2 same conditions in the script marco, if you check back you will notice all the conditions have a slight difference
  
  Reply Link
Magson Fernandes Jul 15, 2011 @ 23:18

Can any post a simple ip detection script or code. i need it please.

Reply Link
MoCua.Com Aug 6, 2011 @ 20:46

thanks and thanks

Reply Link

CodeSlayer Sep 1, 2011 @ 0:18

Simple working excellent

<?php
$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
$hostaddress = gethostbyaddr($ip);
$browser = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'];
$referred = $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']; // a quirky spelling mistake that stuck in php

print "Display IP address:";
print "$ip";
print "More detailed host address:";
print "$hostaddress";
print "Display browser info:";
print "$browser";
print "Where you came from (if you clicked on a link to get here:";
if ($referred == "") {
print "Page was directly requested";
}
else {
print "$referred";
}
?>

Reply Link

anand Sep 14, 2011 @ 5:22

how to get ip with computer name in php

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developer rashtra Sep 23, 2011 @ 7:28

thanks for the code. Looking for php code to get computer name of a visitor.

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lineesh Jan 20, 2012 @ 6:43

thanks vivek

Reply Link
ram Jan 30, 2012 @ 16:33

how to send messages or popups to remote ip address

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Jansha Dec 5, 2013 @ 7:15

Very useful. Thanks for sharing

Reply Link
Zane Apr 17, 2014 @ 15:31

Great article, thank you it’s really useful for me because i want to track how many users logged into my website daily.

Reply Link
dhananjay Oct 20, 2014 @ 9:21

hii..
anyone tell me how to detect the mysql ip address of remote database..

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tejal Apr 15, 2016 @ 11:28

How to get the default gateway ip address????????????

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bhargvi Mar 12, 2017 @ 17:24

ya.. He is write. u r hard core developer bt everyone is not.

Reply Link
boy Jun 1, 2017 @ 2:05

Hi
$hostname = gethostbyaddr($ip); very slow.

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