Get your External IP address in a batch process (command line)

If you are familiar with the frustration where you need your External IP address and the only way to do it (you think) is to open your browser and navigate to whatismyip or a similar, this post might do you good.

In this post, we will do several things:
1. We will learn how to create our own simple developing environment.
2. We will compile a very basic command line application (don’t worry I will provide the source)
3. We will use that new application for our needs (discover what is our external IP in a batch program - we will use those web sites but not in a browser)

So let’s begin,
Software we need:
a. Jens’ File Editor
b. BCX – Basic to C Translator/
c. LCC – C Compiler/
d. Source Files

After installing that precious software, let’s configure them to work with each other,
Open the JFE editor, add the BCX translator, LCC Compiler, LCC Linker buttons to it:
Go to “Settings --> Add tool”



Add those 3 tools:







(Parameters for the link button:
"$PATH\$NAME.obj" -s -output:"$PATH\$NAME.exe" -subsystem:console wsock32.lib wininet.lib urlmon.lib shell32.lib)

For me, JFE looks like this (our small source code already opened in it):


If you have not done it already, please open the source file IPEX.BAS
(Download the ZIP from here)

Take this great offer valid until 07/11/09


Now we will translate it to C source, just click the BCX button you have created earlier:



Drag your new “IPEX.C” file into JFE:


Click the “LCC Compile” button, verify no error at the log, and click the “LCC Link Con” button.

You should have the following files now:


All you have to do now is to use it:


You can combine it with an email batch sending application (and maybe a schedule task) that will send you a message once a day with your home/office external IP (for dynamic IP’s) or any command line combination you want.

Udi.