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IP Address

A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

AbbreviationIP
Categorynetwork

Overview

An Internet Protocol (IP) address serves two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing. It allows devices to find and communicate with each other across different networks.

Types of IP Addresses

  • Public IP: Accessible from the internet.
  • Private IP: Used within a local network (e.g., 192.168.x.x).
  • Static IP: Manually assigned and does not change.
  • Dynamic IP: Assigned by a DHCP server and may change over time.

Versions

  • IPv4: 32-bit address (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
  • IPv6: 128-bit address (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).

Related Terms

IPv4IPv6Network LayerDHCP