It is without a doubt that the term IP address is commonly
used. However, only few people know what it is or how it works. An IP address
is a set of numbers that is used to uniquely identify each machine in a network
of computers, and the internet is one of those networks. Since most networks
use TCP/IP protocol standard to exchange information throughout the network,
the resultant identifier is named after the protocol. Therefore, when using the
internet, the standard used is the Internet Protocol, and the unique identifier
is consequently named Internet Protocol (IP) address.
An IP address consists of four sets of numbers, each
containing one to three digits ranging from 0 to 255. These sets of numbers are
separated by a single dot. An IP address may look like this; 77.124.1.211. It
is such a set of numbers that make sending and retrieval of data over a network
possible. It ensures that the right messages are relayed to the right machine. Without
these unique identifiers, information could be jumbled up, and communication
over a network would be totally impossible.
Classes of IP Addresses
An IP address can belong to either dynamic or static class.
Static addresses are more or less permanent, meaning that they do not change at
all. They are used as a reliable way through which computers communicate to
each other. A dynamic IP address is a set of numbers temporarily assigned to a
machine each time it accesses the internet.
Static IP Addresses
Since a static IP address is permanent, it is used to show
the precise location of the computer. Such information includes the continent,
the country, the region, the city and even the exact co-ordinates at which the
machine is located. It also shows the computer’s Internet Service Provider.
There are numerous websites that offer the services of IP address look-up mostly at no cost.
Static IP addresses are popular with providers who want to
make it easier for the end users to locate and connect to their servers. Such
uses include Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), online gaming, and many more.
Though dynamic IP addresses can be used to locate such sites using a dynamic
Domain Name Server, the user should consult with the Internet Service Provider
since this service usually entails extra costs.
The fact that static IP addresses are permanent makes them
easier to track. In other words, these IP addresses are insecure channels of
communication since a hacker can track the data flowing through that address.
However, this does not mean that all IP addresses are insecure. Mitigative safe
internet practices are used to curb this problem and secure the flow of
information.
Dynamic IP Addresses
These are IP addresses that are borrowed from a collection of addresses that a DHCP or ISP server provides. They are temporarily assigned to computers as they access the internet. Since static IP addresses are few, service providers use dynamic IP addresses to identify a machine once it logs on to a network.
Since dynamic IP addresses are shared by subscribers who
don’t require a permanent IP address, it enables the service provider to serve
more customers. Temporary IP addresses can be assigned to any machine that logs
on to a network through a wireless, high speed or dial up connection.
Standards of IP Addresses
The invented versions of IP addresses include IPv4, IPv5 and
IPv6.
IPv4 is the most common standard among the three, and the
oldest. It uses 32 binary bits to come up with a unique identifier. An IPv4
address is an octet, meaning that it uses an 8 digit number at base 2 (binary).
An example of an IPv4 address is 218.27.60.138
Since the internet has flourished into a large commercial
center, there was widespread panic that IP addresses would not be enough for
everyone. The 32 bit digits used to create the unique identifiers translated to
only 232 potential combinations, translating to about 4.3 billion identifiers.
This number is slowly being outdone by the rising number of users and networks.
This led to the introduction of IPv6 addresses.
IP version 6 addresses use 128 base 2 bits to create unique
identifiers. These identifiers are expressed as eight groups of base 16 sets of
digits, with a colon separating the sets. Therefore, an IPv6 address would look
like this; 2002:cdba:0000:0000:0000:0000:3567:9858. This is quite a huge
number. In this effect, all IPv6 addresses that containing a series of zeros
are shortened by using a colon separator. The above address is, therefore, be
represented as 2002:cdba::3567:9858.
The 128 bit digits used by IPv6 addresses raised the
possible number of combinations to 2128. This is a welcome improvement since it
also raises the number of the resulting IP addresses.
IPv5 is a protocol used to experiment on the possible unique
IP addresses for machines based on the UNIX system. This version of IP
addresses is rarely used (What Is An IP Address).
It is easier to remember words than numbers. That’s why the
topic of IP addresses is considered tough. However, it is essential to users,
especially those planning to host internet services.
