diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
index 4421a1c7aa..42cb0b3cfc 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
@@ -18,12 +18,6 @@ void EthernetComponent::set_type(EthernetType type) { this->type_ = type; }
 void EthernetComponent::set_manual_ip(const ManualIP &manual_ip) { this->manual_ip_ = manual_ip; }
 #endif
 
-// set_use_address() is guaranteed to be called during component setup by Python code generation,
-// so use_address_ will always be valid when get_use_address() is called - no fallback needed.
-const char *EthernetComponent::get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
-
-void EthernetComponent::set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
-
 #ifdef USE_ETHERNET_IP_STATE_LISTENERS
 void EthernetComponent::notify_ip_state_listeners_() {
   auto ips = this->get_ip_addresses();
diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
index 88a86bc043..b6699e8020 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.h
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ class EthernetComponent final : public Component {
 
   network::IPAddresses get_ip_addresses();
   network::IPAddress get_dns_address(uint8_t num);
-  const char *get_use_address() const;
-  void set_use_address(const char *use_address);
+  const char *get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
+  void set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
   void get_eth_mac_address_raw(uint8_t *mac);
   // Remove before 2026.9.0
   ESPDEPRECATED("Use get_eth_mac_address_pretty_into_buffer() instead. Removed in 2026.9.0", "2026.3.0")
diff --git a/esphome/components/network/util.cpp b/esphome/components/network/util.cpp
index 226b11b8cd..79ddd3844c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/network/util.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/network/util.cpp
@@ -42,29 +42,5 @@ network::IPAddresses get_ip_addresses() {
   return {};
 }
 
-const char *get_use_address() {
-  // Global component pointers are guaranteed to be set by component constructors when USE_* is defined
-#ifdef USE_ETHERNET
-  return ethernet::global_eth_component->get_use_address();
-#endif
-
-#ifdef USE_MODEM
-  return modem::global_modem_component->get_use_address();
-#endif
-
-#ifdef USE_WIFI
-  return wifi::global_wifi_component->get_use_address();
-#endif
-
-#ifdef USE_OPENTHREAD
-  return openthread::global_openthread_component->get_use_address();
-#endif
-
-#if !defined(USE_ETHERNET) && !defined(USE_MODEM) && !defined(USE_WIFI) && !defined(USE_OPENTHREAD)
-  // Fallback when no network component is defined (e.g., host platform)
-  return "";
-#endif
-}
-
 }  // namespace esphome::network
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/network/util.h b/esphome/components/network/util.h
index 4b700fe74c..e4e8a01f8c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/network/util.h
+++ b/esphome/components/network/util.h
@@ -54,7 +54,29 @@ ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE inline bool is_connected() {
 /// Return whether the network is disabled (only wifi for now)
 bool is_disabled();
 /// Get the active network hostname
-const char *get_use_address();
+ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE inline const char *get_use_address() {
+  // Global component pointers are guaranteed to be set by component constructors when USE_* is defined
+#ifdef USE_ETHERNET
+  return ethernet::global_eth_component->get_use_address();
+#endif
+
+#ifdef USE_MODEM
+  return modem::global_modem_component->get_use_address();
+#endif
+
+#ifdef USE_WIFI
+  return wifi::global_wifi_component->get_use_address();
+#endif
+
+#ifdef USE_OPENTHREAD
+  return openthread::global_openthread_component->get_use_address();
+#endif
+
+#if !defined(USE_ETHERNET) && !defined(USE_MODEM) && !defined(USE_WIFI) && !defined(USE_OPENTHREAD)
+  // Fallback when no network component is defined (e.g., host platform)
+  return "";
+#endif
+}
 IPAddresses get_ip_addresses();
 
 }  // namespace esphome::network
diff --git a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.cpp b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.cpp
index 1596b6e990..7c9a308303 100644
--- a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.cpp
@@ -257,11 +257,5 @@ void OpenThreadComponent::on_factory_reset(std::function<void()> callback) {
   ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Waiting on Confirmation Removal SRP Host and Services");
 }
 
-// set_use_address() is guaranteed to be called during component setup by Python code generation,
-// so use_address_ will always be valid when get_use_address() is called - no fallback needed.
-const char *OpenThreadComponent::get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
-
-void OpenThreadComponent::set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
-
 }  // namespace esphome::openthread
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.h b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.h
index bd10774fcf..b42fdd2d30 100644
--- a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.h
+++ b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread.h
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ class OpenThreadComponent : public Component {
   void on_factory_reset(std::function<void()> callback);
   void defer_factory_reset_external_callback();
 
-  const char *get_use_address() const;
-  void set_use_address(const char *use_address);
+  const char *get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
+  void set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
 #if CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_MTD
   void set_poll_period(uint32_t poll_period) { this->poll_period_ = poll_period; }
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index 08065a7544..0fd1385258 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -891,10 +891,6 @@ network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::get_dns_address(int num) {
     return this->wifi_dns_ip_(num);
   return {};
 }
-// set_use_address() is guaranteed to be called during component setup by Python code generation,
-// so use_address_ will always be valid when get_use_address() is called - no fallback needed.
-const char *WiFiComponent::get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
-void WiFiComponent::set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
 
 #ifdef USE_WIFI_AP
 void WiFiComponent::setup_ap_config_() {
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
index bd202604d6..718f4a6e12 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
@@ -481,8 +481,8 @@ class WiFiComponent final : public Component {
 
   network::IPAddress get_dns_address(int num);
   network::IPAddresses get_ip_addresses();
-  const char *get_use_address() const;
-  void set_use_address(const char *use_address);
+  const char *get_use_address() const { return this->use_address_; }
+  void set_use_address(const char *use_address) { this->use_address_ = use_address; }
 
   const wifi_scan_vector_t<WiFiScanResult> &get_scan_result() const { return scan_result_; }