It is a fact that all computers on the internet communicate with each other through underground or underwater cables or wirelessly. If I want to download a file from the internet, then my computer should have an address so that other computers can find and locate my computer. In internet terms, the address of my computer is called IP Address.
Let us understand it with other examples like, if someone wants to send you a mail then He/She should have your home address; similarly your computer also needs an address so that computers on the internet can send you a file that you want to download. That address is called an IP Address which is nothing but a combination of numbers in a different format.
IP Address Stands For?
Table of Contents
IP Address stands for INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS, but what does this internet protocol mean? Internet Protocols are a set of rules that make the internet work.
Parts of IP Address
There are two parts to the IP address.
- Network ID ( Street )
- Host ID ( House Number )
IP Address Format
Let us explain the format of IP address through a table.
| An IP address is a 32-bit binary number | 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 | |||
| For readibility, a 32-bit number is divided into 8-bit octets | 10101100 | 00010000 | 10000000 | 00010001 |
| Each Octet can be Converted into Decimal | 172 | 16 | 127 | 17 |
| The address can be written in dotted decimal notation | 172. | 16. | 172. | 17 |
Public Vs. Private IPs
Public IPs
Public addresses are those addresses that are displayed directly on the internet.
Private IPs
Private addresses are used internally and are normally protected by a firewall. They do not have a direct connection to the internet.
IP Address & Domain Names
It may seem confusing; if IP addresses are used for everything on the internet, then what is a domain name? To understand the Domain Name System (DNS), you need to know about IP address and domain. An IP address is a string and thread of numbers used as an address for different devices. A domain name is the human-friendly version of an IP address since it is much easier to remember domain names than IP addresses.
How to Check IP Address?
Have you ever thought about that, what is my IP address? Yes?. Here it is explained how you can..
Method No 1
The easiest method to check your IP address is that you type “My IP” in Google, and you will get your IP address as shown below.
Method No 2
Instead of Google, you can also use different websites for checking your IP address. The most recommended website to check IP addresses with additional information is WhatMyIpAddress.
Method No 3
If you want to know about your IP address and IPS (Internet Service Provider), Region & Country, try this website.
Method No 4
Do you want to explore your current location through your IP address? Click Here to know.
How to Change IP Address?
You can change your IP address easily if you believe you are at risk of a hacker attack. Therefore, it’s better to read this now so that you’re familiar with the actual process.
- By Using VPN or Proxy Server
- Unplug the router.
- Update your IP
- Change IP Manually
I hope this article will help you out in understanding the internet term “IP Address”, “Parts of IP Address,” and “How IP Address works”. It also helped with how to avoid hacker attacks.
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