192.168.1.4: IP Address for Local Networks

192.168.1.4 is the fourth IP address in the range between 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.255. Home broadband routers often use this range when assigning addresses to local devices. A router can automatically assign 192.168.1.4 to any device on a local network, or an administrator can do it manually.

Automatic Assignment of 192.168.1.4

Computers and other devices that support dynamic address assignment using DHCP can obtain an IP address automatically from a router. The router decides which address to assign from the range it is set up to manage (called the DHCP pool).

For example, a router set up with a local IP address of 192.168.1.1 normally maintains all of the addresses starting with 192.168.1.2 and ending with 192.168.1.255 in its DHCP pool. The router typically assigns these pooled addresses in sequential order (although the order is not guaranteed). In this example, 192.168.1.4 is the third address in line (after 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.3) for allocation.

Manual Assignment of 192.168.1.4

Computers, phones, game consoles, printers, and other devices allow setting an IP address manually. The text 192.168.1.4 or the numbers 192, 168, 1, and 4 must be keyed into an IP or Wi-Fi configuration screen on the device. However, entering the IP number does not guarantee the device can use it. The local network router must also have its subnet (network mask) configured to support 192.168.1.4.

Problems with 192.168.1.4

Most networks assign private IP addresses using DHCP. Assigning 192.168.1.4 to a device manually (a process called fixed or static address assignment) is also possible but not recommended.

IP address conflicts result when two devices on the same network are given the same address. Many home network routers have 192.168.1.4 in their DHCP pool by default, and they do not check whether it has been assigned to a client manually before assigning it to a client automatically. In the worst case, two devices on the network will be assigned 192.168.1.4—one manually and the other automatically—resulting in failed-connection problems for both.

A device that was dynamically assigned IP address 192.168.1.4 may be reassigned a different address if it is kept disconnected from the local network for a long enough time period. The length of time, called a lease period in DHCP, varies depending on the network configuration but is often two or three days. Even after the DHCP lease expires, a device may receive the same address the next time it joins the network unless other devices have also had leases expire.