René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"ConvertTo-Json outputs IPAddress as object instead of string, with inconsistent properties","articleBody":"### Prerequisites\n\n- [x] Write a descriptive title.\n- [x] Make sure you are able to repro it on the [latest released version](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases)\n- [x] Search the existing issues.\n- [x] Refer to the [FAQ](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/blob/master/docs/FAQ.md).\n- [x] Refer to [Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell](https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/scripting/whats-new/differences-from-windows-powershell).\n\n### Summary\n\n`ConvertTo-Json` produces different JSON output for the same `IPAddress` value depending on whether it is passed via pipeline or via `-InputObject` parameter. The pipeline output includes an `IPAddressToString` property, while the `-InputObject` output does not.\n\n### Steps to reproduce\n\n```powershell\n$ip = [System.Net.IPAddress]::Parse(\"192.168.1.1\")\n\n# Via pipeline\n$ip | ConvertTo-Json -Compress\n\n# Via -InputObject parameter\nConvertTo-Json -InputObject $ip -Compress\n```\n\n### Expected behavior\n\n```console\n# Both methods should produce the same output\n\"192.168.1.1\"\n```\nNote: Serializing as a string would require a custom JsonConverter. Similar types (e.g., IPEndPoint, PhysicalAddress) would also need the same treatment, so the scope of this change may be larger than it appears.\n\n### Actual behavior\n\n```console\n# Via pipeline (includes IPAddressToString)\n{\"AddressFamily\":2,\"ScopeId\":null,\"IsIPv6Multicast\":false,\"IsIPv6LinkLocal\":false,\"IsIPv6SiteLocal\":false,\"IsIPv6Teredo\":false,\"IsIPv6UniqueLocal\":false,\"IsIPv4MappedToIPv6\":false,\"Address\":16885952,\"IPAddressToString\":\"192.168.1.1\"}\n\n# Via -InputObject (no IPAddressToString)\n{\"AddressFamily\":2,\"ScopeId\":null,\"IsIPv6Multicast\":false,\"IsIPv6LinkLocal\":false,\"IsIPv6SiteLocal\":false,\"IsIPv6Teredo\":false,\"IsIPv6UniqueLocal\":false,\"IsIPv4MappedToIPv6\":false,\"Address\":16885952}\n```\n\n### Environment data\n\n```powershell\nName                           Value\n----                           -----\nPSVersion                      7.5.1\nPSEdition                      Core\nGitCommitId                    7.5.1\nOS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26100\nPlatform                       Win32NT\nPSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}\nPSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3\nSerializationVersion           1.1.0.1\nWSManStackVersion              3.0\n```\n","author":{"url":"https://github.com/yotsuda","@type":"Person","name":"yotsuda"},"datePublished":"2025-12-21T23:52:37.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":7},"url":"https://github.com/26636/PowerShell/issues/26636"}