IP Address
Internet Protocol Address
A number that works like an address, identifying each device connected to the internet
In Simple Terms
An IP address is a number that works like a street address, helping identify each device on the internet. When data is sent and received, it acts as a label to make sure information reaches the right sender and recipient. There are two types: a "global IP address," which is unique worldwide, and a "private IP address," used within a home or office Wi-Fi network. There are also two address formats: "IPv4," which uses numbers, and "IPv6," which supports a much larger range of addresses.
Behind the Name
"IP" is short for "Internet Protocol Address." "Internet Protocol" refers to the rules that govern how data is communicated over the internet, and "Address" means a location or destination.
Take a Closer Look!
An IP address is a number that identifies devices — such as computers and smartphones — connected to a network.
It's used to accurately locate the sender and recipient when data is exchanged over the internet.
The reason we can browse websites and send messages to friends every day is because IP addresses are working behind the scenes.
Just like a letter has a recipient's name and a return address, every packet of data traveling across the internet carries the destination and source IP addresses.
IP addresses fall into two main categories: "global IP addresses" and "private IP addresses."
A global IP address is a worldwide unique address — like a one-of-a-kind home address on the internet — assigned by your internet service provider.
A private IP address, on the other hand, is used among devices connected to the same home or office Wi-Fi router, much like an internal extension number.
IP addresses also come in two formats: "IPv4," which uses a combination of numbers, and "IPv6," which combines letters and numbers.
As the number of internet-connected devices around the world grew too large for IPv4 to handle, IPv6 was developed and adopted — capable of generating an astronomically large number of unique addresses.