[ansible] Ansible: get current target host's IP address

How do you get the current host's IP address in a role?

I know you can get the list of groups the host is a member of and the hostname of the host but I am unable to find a solution to getting the IP address.

You can get the hostname by using {{inventory_hostname}} and the group by using {{group_names}}

I have tried things like {{ hostvars[{{ inventory_hostname }}]['ansible_ssh_host'] }} and ip="{{ hostvars.{{ inventory_hostname }}.ansible_ssh_host }}"

This question is related to ansible ansible-facts ansible-template

The answer is


The following snippet will return the public ip of the remote machine and also default ip(i.e: LAN)

This will print ip's in quotes also to avoid confusion in using config files.

_x000D_
_x000D_
>> main.yml_x000D_
_x000D_
---_x000D_
- hosts: localhost_x000D_
  tasks:_x000D_
    - name: ipify_x000D_
      ipify_facts:_x000D_
    - debug: var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ipify_public_ip']_x000D_
    - debug: var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address']_x000D_
    - name: template_x000D_
      template:_x000D_
        src: debug.j2_x000D_
        dest: /tmp/debug.ansible_x000D_
_x000D_
>> templates/debug.j2_x000D_
_x000D_
public_ip={{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ipify_public_ip'] }}_x000D_
public_ip_in_quotes="{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ipify_public_ip'] }}"_x000D_
_x000D_
default_ipv4={{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address'] }}_x000D_
default_ipv4_in_quotes="{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address'] }}"
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_


Simple debug command:

ansible -i inventory/hosts.yaml -m debug -a "var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]" all

output:

"hostvars[inventory_hostname]": {
    "ansible_check_mode": false, 
    "ansible_diff_mode": false, 
    "ansible_facts": {}, 
    "ansible_forks": 5, 
    "ansible_host": "192.168.10.125", 
    "ansible_inventory_sources": [
        "/root/workspace/ansible-minicros/inventory/hosts.yaml"
    ], 
    "ansible_playbook_python": "/usr/bin/python2", 
    "ansible_port": 65532, 
    "ansible_verbosity": 0, 
    "ansible_version": {
        "full": "2.8.5", 
        "major": 2, 
        "minor": 8, 
        "revision": 5, 
        "string": "2.8.5"
    }, 

get host ip address:

ansible -i inventory/hosts.yaml -m debug -a "var=hostvars[inventory_hostname].ansible_host" all

zk01 | SUCCESS => {
    "hostvars[inventory_hostname].ansible_host": "192.168.10.125"
}

If you want the external public IP and you're in a cloud environment like AWS or Azure, you can use the ipify_facts module:

# TODO: SECURITY: This requires that we trust ipify to provide the correct public IP. We could run our own ipify server.
- name: Get my public IP from ipify.org
  ipify_facts:

This will place the public IP into the variable ipify_public_ip.


You can use in your template.j2 {{ ansible_eth0.ipv4.address }} the same way you use {{inventory_hostname}}.

ps: Please refer to the following blogpost to have more information about HOW TO COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT REMOTE HOSTS WITH ANSIBLE GATHERS FACTS .

'hoping it’ll help someone one day ?


http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/plugins/lookup/dig.html

so in template, for e. g.:

{{ lookup('dig', ansible_host) }}

Notes:

  • Since not only DNS name could be used in inventory a check if it's not IP already better be added
  • Obviously enough this receipt wouldn't work as intended for indirect host specifications (like using jump hosts, for e. g.)

But still it serves 99 % (figuratively speaking) of use cases.


You can get the IP address from hostvars, dict ansible_default_ipv4 and key address

hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address']

and IPv6 address respectively

hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv6']['address']

An example playbook:

---
- hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - debug: var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv4']['address']
    - debug: var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_default_ipv6']['address']

Just use ansible_ssh_host variable

playbook_example.yml

- hosts: host1
  tasks:
  - name: Show host's ip
    debug:
      msg: "{{ ansible_ssh_host }}"

hosts.yml

[hosts]
host1   ansible_host=1.2.3.4

Result

TASK [Show host's ip] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [host1] => {
     "msg": "1.2.3.4"
}

Another way to find public IP would be to use uri module:

    - name: Find my public ip
      uri: 
        url: http://ifconfig.me/ip
        return_content: yes
      register: ip_response

Your IP will be in ip_response.content


Plain ansible_default_ipv4.address might not be what you think in some cases, use:

ansible_default_ipv4.address|default(ansible_all_ipv4_addresses[0])