What is an IP address?
An IP address is a unique identifier that is assigned to every device connected to an IP network. As a result, the various devices connected to the network communicate with each other using their IP address as an identifier. In version 4 of the IP protocol, addresses consist of 32 bits. This is equivalent to 232 different IP addresses. In version 6 of the IP protocol, addresses consist of 128 bits leading to 2128 different IP addresses.
IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) – Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots e.g. 165.113.245.2. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number – if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Most machines also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.
IP Addresses are numbers used to identify a specific location on the Internet, much like a phone number is used to identify a specific location on a telephone network. Every device connected to the Internet has a unique IP Address. For instance, a web site such as www.—.com would be assigned a unique numeric IP Address (222.222.22.222), much like your home has a unique phone number (222-222-2222). When a user types www.—.com into their browser, the software goes to an Internet directory, finds that the web site “lives” at IP Address 222.222.22.222, and connects to that address over the World Wide Web.
