IP Address – What Is IP Address?

What is IP address?

An internet device or a local network is recognized by a unique website address, also known as the IP address.  It is a set of rules that adjust the data transmitted over the Internet or a local network.

Where do I find my IP address?

IP addresses are the identifiers that let data be transferred between connected devices: They contain geographical information and allow devices to communicate actively. The Internet requires unique identification between various routers, computer devices, and webpages. 

IP addresses are made of integers separated by periods. They are made up of four numbers, for example, 192.158.1.38.  These numbers vary from 0 to 255, which is why the entire IP addressing range starts from 0.0.0.0 and can go up to 255.255.255.255.

An IP address is not allocated arbitrarily.  The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority is a member of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which mathematically generates and distributes IP addresses. 

ICANN is a non-profit corporation located in the United States created in 1998 to help make sure the Internet was safe and open to everyone.  When someone acquires a domain name on the Internet, they employ a domain name registrant.

What exactly is an IP address?

A unique identifier, an IP address, is essentially a numeric value issued to a network device.  Every network device has an IP address allocated to it.  An IP camera, a laptop, a desktop computer, an IP phone, a cell phone connected to a wireless network, computer servers, or websites could all be involved.  Even internet-connected children’s toys will have an IP address allocated to them.

IP addresses have two types: 

1. IPv4 
2. IPv6 

A 32-bit address is used in IPv4. IPv6 is the latest standard, with 128-bit addresses.  Because IPv4 addresses have been allotted, IPv6 has emerged as the new standard.

There can’t be two IP addresses in the same subnet.  This implies that if your laptop has an IP address of 10.1.10.1, no other gadgets on your network can have the same IP address as your laptop because it will generate an IP conflict.

Why do we need IP addresses?

If two devices have the same IP address, the network will confuse them, and one will be ejected from the network to settle the problem.

In most cases, the network will permit the second device at first, but if it detects a conflict, it will remove the first device from the network.  As a result, managing IP addresses is critical. 

IP addresses can be assigned statically, which means that an IP address is assigned to a device manually.  This is common with servers because server addresses must remain constant. 

IP addresses can also be issued dynamically, in which case a DHCP server assigns IP addresses to devices as they connect to a network.  The DHCP server will manage IP addresses from a pool to avoid IP disputes.  The DHCP is also in charge of managing the leases of these IP addresses, which can be for any length of time.  When the lease expires, the device returns the IP address to the DHCP server and is allocated a new one.

How to use an IP Address?

IP addresses are most typically utilized behind the scenes. The steps are as follows:

1. Your device establishes a connection informally by initiating an internet connection, which grants your device connected to the web.
2. That network will most certainly be your Internet Service Provider (ISP) when you’re at home. 
3. Your Internet service provider (ISP) issues your device an IP address.
4. Your internet activity is routed through your ISP, which returns to you using your IP address.  Because they are supplying you with a connection to the Internet, it is their job to provide an IP address to your gadget.
5. On the other hand, your IP address may vary.  Changing the settings on your modem or router, for instance, can make a real difference.  You can also request that your ISP update it for you.
6. On the other hand, your given IP address does not follow you if you pack your belongings and go to a different city.  This is because you will be connecting to the Internet over a new network, and the network you are now on will assign you a different (temporary) IP address.

What about enterprise usage of IP addresses?

An IP address that does not change is static. It is permanently allocated to a device by the provider until it is removed from the network or the customer’s contractual terms change.  For entrepreneurs, having a fixed IP address has numerous benefits. 

It is the foundation for error-free interaction between networked technical devices. It is essential to operate a web or email server and any other application where material must be accessed reliably via a fixed Internet address.  Peripheral devices like printers, webcams, and staff network computers perform more reliably with a fixed IP because the devices recognize each other based on their set number.