What is an IP Address? How does it Work? – 2023

IP Address Definition

An IP address is a set of unique and unrepeatable numbers that identifies a device with the ability to connect to the internet, be it a computer, tablet, cell phone, or even smart devices prepared for IoT (IoT).

Let’s think of a more straightforward example to explain what an IP address is:

• Imagine that your city’s roads are the Internet and that the vehicles circulating on them are the devices from which people navigate.
• Whatever the means of transport, they all have a license plate, and it is that which identifies and distinguishes them.
• In this intelligence, we could say that the license plate in this example is the IP address of your device connected to the Internet.

Types of IP Address

IPs divide into two types: public and private. That can be used in two ways: dynamic IPs and static IPs.

1. Private IP Address

It is the set of numbers assigned to each computer connected to a private network. For example, the IP address generates by clicking your cell phone, tablet or computer to your home Wi-Fi network.

On the other hand, private IP addresses classify into three ranges of numerical sets. These are the next:

Class A: After 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255. It generally uses for large networks, such as that of a transnational business;

Class B: Since 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255. Intended for medium-sized networks, such as a local business or university;

Class C: Since 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255. Corresponds to smaller networks, such as home-based networks.

2. Public IP Address

• These are visible to anyone browsing the Internet and are used to identify users on the extensive network. It is intended for servers that work 24 hours a day, and it is possible to hire as many need.
• They are a number that identifies a manoeuvre within a network and a point of connection with the Internet.

Ways to Uses IP Address

1. Static

• It the IP address assigned to a device, which does not change. In other words, you will use the same IP number for life. It applies to both public and private addresses.
• Static IP addresses offer higher stability and download speed. Although, they may be more susceptible to inevitable embarrassments, such as hacker attacks, for example; Since they are static addresses, hackers have more time to operate on them.
• It obtains an IP address. It is essential to pay an extra fee. The configuration of these must be done manually, so if you do not have much technical knowledge, it will be necessary to hire someone to assist you with the service.

2. Dynamics

• Dynamic IP addresses characterize by changing each time the device connects to the Internet. It generally uses more clients than IP addresses due to the low probability that they will all connect simultaneously.
• In addition to offering superior security and privacy, its configuration is automatic. However, a weak point of this kind of IP address is the likelihood that the connection will interrupt, as this happens more frequently than with a fixed IP.
• That is why, many times when the modem that provides Wi-Fi in your house must be disconnected and connected to improve the connection, that is, to change the IP number.

How does an IP Address Work?

1. Now that we have a clear what an IP address is, let’s know how it works.
2. The router is the one in charge of assigning the IPs to the different devices that are connecting. Thanks to this, it is unbearable for two computers to have the same IP.
3. For this same reason, it is not likely to maintain fixed connections between various devices, such as shared folders and printers. Every time the computers connect, they will have a different IP; this happens with dynamic IPs.
4. If, on the other hand, we are speaking about a static IP, as its name implies, we would be talking about an IP address that does not change, which is only possible by configuring the device.

How to Find the IP Address of a Website?

Finding the IP address of a website or domain is an informal task. We will show you below the step by step you must follow:

• Press the “Start” button on your computer.
• Type in the program and file browser “CDM”.
• Hit “Enter.”
• The MS-DOS cabinet will open, where you must type “nslookup google.com”. Instead of “google.com”, you must write the domain name of the page you want to consult.
• Next, you will see the IP address.
• Web pages are created with files stored inside a computer that transforms them into an interface that all users can see on the Internet.
• The computer that stores the information of the websites is a server, which in turn has one or more IP addresses that identify it, for example, “74.125.224.72”.
• In the old days, at the beginning of the Internet, computers talked to each other through IP addresses, without using domains or DNS, in the same way that someone called a friend on the landline to speak. It was necessary to know the number or have it saved in some plan.
• With the rapid massification of the internet and the number of websites created, learning or saving the numbers of IP addresses became an unviable activity. Imagine if you had to keep the IP addresses of all the websites you visit every day – that would be crazy!
• For this reason, the domains were created, which are linked to the server’s IP through DNS (Domains Name System), simplifying the process to access a website. An example of a domain is that of our website: HostGator.mx.

Where do you Find the Server IP Address when hiring a Web Hosting?

• Now that you know what an IP address is, what it is for, and its importance in the internet’s gigantic world.
• It would help if you kept in attention that when you acquire a web hosting plan to host your website, you receive it through your provider.
• The information about the IP address corresponds to the server that will store the news on your website. You must associate it with the domain name that you have registered.
• I hope I have solved your concerns, and if you want to know more about any term, you can consult our Web Hosting Dictionary.
• If you have any extra queries, write to us in the comments, we will be here to support you in your first steps in the internet world.

Conclusion

IP is the acronym for “Internet Protocol”, which, if we translate it into Spanish, means “Internet Protocol”. Like many others, such as HTTP, TCP, UDP, etc., this protocol is responsible for establishing communications in most of our networks.

Doing this assigns a unique and unrepeatable address to each device that tries to communicate on the Internet. Even a fridge can have an IP address! We understand a device such as, for example, a router, a server, a telephone, a computer, a television, etc.

Also Read: What are the Assets? – Understanding, Types, Calculation, and More