On the Internet, an IP address allows a device to communicate with other devices. When two devices communicate with each other over the Internet, one device sends a message to the other device's IP address, and the other device receives the message.
There are two main types of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6.
- IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long and are written in dotted decimal notation, consisting of four 8-bit numbers separated by periods. For example, 192.168.1.1 is a common IPv4 address. IPv4 addresses are the most widely used type of IP addresses, but they are running out due to the increasing number of devices connecting to the internet.
- IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long and are written in hexadecimal notation, with eight 16-bit blocks separated by colons. For example, 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 is an example of an IPv6 address. IPv6 addresses were introduced to address the shortage of IPv4 addresses and provide a larger pool of addresses for devices to use.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any additional questions about IP addresses.
Static vs. Dynamic vs. Local vs. Public IP Addresses: What's the Difference?
- A local IP address is an IP address that is used to identify a device on a local network, such as a home network or a company network. Local IP addresses are not unique to the internet as a whole, but are unique within the local network. Local IP addresses are usually assigned to devices by a router or network administrator using a process called network address translation (NAT).
- A dynamic IP address is an IP address that is assigned to a device by a network administrator or by a service provider and can change over time. Dynamic IP addresses are usually assigned to devices that are not always connected to the network, such as laptops or smartphones. The advantage of dynamic IP addresses is that they allow for a more efficient use of IP addresses because they can be reused when a device is no longer connected to the network.
- A public IP address is an IP address that is unique on the internet and can be used to identify a device anywhere on the internet. Public IP addresses are assigned to devices by an Internet service provider (ISP) and are used for communication over the internet. Public IP addresses are necessary for devices to communicate with other devices on the internet, such as when accessing websites or sending emails.
- A static IP address is an IP address that is manually assigned to a device by a network administrator and does not change. Static IP addresses are often used for servers or devices that need to be accessible from the internet at all times, such as a web server or a printer.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any additional questions about local, dynamic, public, and static IP addresses.
