An Internet Protocol (IP) address is like an online “address” for your devices, telling the Internet where to send data. Without it, the internet couldn’t function. There are two main types: IPv4 (the older system) and IPv6 (the newer system that handles more devices). In this blog, we will discuss the meaning of an IP address, its types, and how they work. 

What is an IP address?

An IP address (short for Internet Protocol address) is like the street address for your device on the Internet. It’s a unique string of numbers that helps the Internet know where to send information when you access websites, send messages, or download files. Just as a home address tells the mailman where to deliver your letters, an IP address directs internet traffic to the right device. 

To understand this better, think of it like this: If you wanted to send a letter to your friend, you’d need to know their address so that the mail person can deliver it to the right place. Similarly, when you visit a website like amazon.com, your device needs a way to connect with Amazon’s servers to get the website’s data. The IP address is what allows this communication to happen.

Why are IP Addresses Important?

Without IP addresses, the Internet as we know it wouldn’t be possible. They are essential for directing data where it needs to go. Every device that connects to the Internet, from your computer, smartphone, or smart thermostat, needs an IP address to function.

In fact, when you type a website address (like google.com) into your browser, it doesn’t just go directly to that name. Behind the scenes, the system converts the domain name into an IP address, ensuring your computer connects to the correct server. This process is handled by something called the Domain Name System (DNS).

Imagine you’re mailing a birthday card to your best friend, but you don’t know their address. You ask around, and someone gives you the address. DNS works similarly by turning human-friendly domain names into numerical IP addresses.

How Do IP Addresses Work?

When you’re on the Internet, your device sends requests to servers (where websites and other online resources are stored). These servers then respond with the requested data—like the webpage you want to visit. However, for the server to know where to send the data, it needs an IP address. This is where your device’s IP address comes in. 

An IP address identifies and routes the data to your device. Without it, the Internet would be a confusing and chaotic space, with data getting lost. The IP address helps computers “talk” to each other over the Internet, ensuring information gets to the right place.

What are the types of IP address systems? 

Computers communicate protocols or commands via binary code, which is a series of 1s and 0s. The code is then converted into a series of electrical impulses. These IP addresses act as a passport across the Internet, granting access and serving as identification to foreign computers. A common default IP address looks like 192.168.1.1.  

1.IPv4

Before the Internet was in full swing, most networks were private worldwide. The IP addresses that computers used were known as IP Version 4 (IPv4) and looked like the one mentioned above. At the time, there were numerous combinations of unique binary consequences. A standard IP Version 4 address consists of thirty-two 1s and 0s, and there are 232 possible combinations.  

At that period, this number seemed big enough. But, by the late 90s, as the Internet usage increased across the globe, computer scientists understood this number was very small. Moreover, these days, most users have multiple devices requiring a unique IP address. 

2.IPv6

 One of the solutions to the problem of the unavailability of IP addresses was the introduction of a complex binary sequence in the form of 128-bit IP. This looked like 8 groups of hexadecimal numbers, separated by colons.  

Hexadecimal numbers are a complicated numerical system used to represent larger numbers. While you don’t need to know everything about what they mean, you should know that they use letters as symbols for representing larger numbers. 128 0s and 1s represent an IPv6, and there are 2128 possible combinations.   

3.Private and Public IP addresses 

A public IP address is a unique identifier that is assigned to your internet connection by your ISP (Internet service provider). Your router uses this address to identify you on the internet. The address ensures that the emails, websites, and other content on the internet reach you properly and correctly.  

Meanwhile, a private IP address identifies different devices that are connected to the same local network. When your router receives the information from the global network, it needs to know the device to which it should share that.  

4.Dynamic and static web addresses 

A static IP address was created manually instead of being assigned, and it doesn’t change. At the same time, a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server assigns a dynamic IP address and is subject to change. The dynamic IP address is the most common type of internet protocol address active only for a specific period, after which it expires. The computer may either request a new lease automatically or it will receive a new IP address.  

You can compare an IP address to an SSN (Social Security Number) since every address is unique to the user or the computer it is assigned to. Creating these numbers allows the routers to identify where they send the information over the Internet while ensuring that the right devices receive it.  

Just like the post office needs mailing addresses to deliver packages, routers need IP addresses to deliver the requested web address.  

5.IPs and the DNS 

While IP addresses were extremely useful tools that allowed computer systems to communicate with a network, it was difficult for humans to remember such large and complex numbers.  

As more and more computers joined this fast-growing network, this became even more difficult. And trying to organize these IP addresses was not economical.  

The solution that computer scientists came up with was the DNS (Domain Name System). Herein, synonyms (domain names) served as a short and easy name for IP addresses. In this system,  

  • Every domain name would be added to the DNS, and this would be regulated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) 
  • Every domain name would be distinctive and associated with an IP address  
  • Every domain name would be issued for a fixed period, which can be renewed 

For example, a domain name would be bigrock.in, with bigrock functioning as the domain and .in acting as its paired TLD (top-level domain). 

Conclusion

To sum it up, an IP address is vital to how the Internet works. It acts as a digital address for your devices, ensuring that data is sent to the right place. Understanding IP addresses gives you a glimpse into the complex system that powers the Internet. While you may not need to know the ins and outs of every type of IP address daily, it’s helpful to understand their role in keeping our devices connected and the Internet running smoothly.

The next time you use the Internet, you’ll better understand what’s happening behind the scenes. So, whether you are browsing websites, playing online games, or chatting with friends, remember that IP addresses are the unsung heroes making it all possible.