🔹 What is an IP Address?
IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique identifier assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
It acts like a home address for your device on the internet, so data knows where to go and where it came from.
👉 Full Form: Internet Protocol Address
👉 Format: Numeric — like 192.168.1.1 or 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334
🔹 Types of IP Address
1. Based on Version
a. IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)
- Most common version.
- 32-bit address, written in dot-decimal format (e.g.,
192.168.0.1). - Total approx 4.3 billion unique addresses.
b. IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
- Newer version to replace IPv4 due to shortage.
- 128-bit address, written in hexadecimal format (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). - Supports 340 undecillion addresses (huge number!).
2. Based on Usage
a. Private IP Address
- Used inside private networks (like home, school, office).
- Not directly accessible from the internet.
- Example IPv4 ranges:
192.168.0.0to192.168.255.25510.0.0.0to10.255.255.255172.16.0.0to172.31.255.255
b. Public IP Address
- Assigned by your ISP.
- Accessible over the internet.
- Unique for every internet-connected device.
- Example:
157.240.20.35(Facebook server)
3. Based on Assignment
a. Static IP Address
- Manually assigned.
- Doesn’t change over time.
- Commonly used for servers or websites.
- Example: A company server with a fixed IP.
b. Dynamic IP Address
- Automatically assigned by DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).
- Can change each time you connect to the internet.
- Used for home internet users.
4. Special IP Ranges
| IP Address | Description |
|---|---|
127.0.0.1 | Loopback address (localhost) |
0.0.0.0 | Default route or unknown address |
255.255.255.255 | Broadcast address |
🔸 Summary Table
| Type | Sub-Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP Version | IPv4 | 32-bit numeric address | 192.168.1.1 |
| IPv6 | 128-bit hexadecimal address | 2001:db8::1 | |
| Scope | Private IP | Used within local networks | 192.168.0.10 |
| Public IP | Used to connect to the internet | 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) | |
| Assignment | Static IP | Fixed IP manually configured | 203.0.113.5 |
| Dynamic IP | IP assigned by DHCP | Varies each session |
✅ In Simple Terms
Just like your house needs an address for mail to reach you, your computer/mobile needs an IP address to send and receive data on the internet.