diff --git a/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.cpp b/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.cpp
index dea1d18a9..dff91d8af 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.cpp
+++ b/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.cpp
@@ -64,3 +64,17 @@ size_t IPAddress::printTo(Print& p) const {
     return n;
 }
 
+char *IPAddress::toCharArray()
+{
+    static char szRet[20];
+    String str = String(_address.bytes[0]);
+    str += ".";
+    str += String(_address.bytes[1]);
+    str += ".";
+    str += String(_address.bytes[2]);
+    str += ".";
+    str += String(_address.bytes[3]);
+    str.toCharArray(szRet, 20);
+    return szRet;
+}
+
diff --git a/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.h b/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.h
index 73c6cbdf4..21e775ef5 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.h
+++ b/cores/esp8266/IPAddress.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class IPAddress: public Printable {
         IPAddress& operator=(uint32_t address);
 
         virtual size_t printTo(Print& p) const;
+        char * toCharArray();
 
         friend class EthernetClass;
         friend class UDP;