What Is An IP Address

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

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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.