What Is an IP Address?

An Internet Protocol address ( IP address) is a numerical label that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: network interface identification, and location addressing . An IP address is an identifying number for network hardware connected to a network. Having an IP address allows a device to communicate with other devices over an IP-based network like the internet. An IP address is a digital identifier for your internet-connected devices, which can reveal your geolocation and your ISP. It enables network devices to connect with one another by assigning them a unique number known as an IP address. When you visit a website, for example, your computer sends out an IP address that identifies it as yours so that the website knows who is viewing it.

To access web data, the client device sends a request to the server through routers, hubs, and other network nodes using this identity.

Versions of IP address

IPv4 Address

Since the early 1980s, IPv4 has been the most used IP addressing protocol. Its 32 bits are separated into four octets. Up to 4,294,967,296 IPv4 addresses are feasible since each byte represents a decimal value from 0 to 255. An IPv4 address might look like this: 127.0.0.1. IPv4 or Internet Protocol version 4, address uniquely identifies a network interface in a device.

IPv6 Address

An Internet Protocol Version 6 address ( IPv6 address) is a numeric label that is used to identify and locate a network interface of a computer or a network node participating in a computer network using IPv6. IP addresses are included in the packet header to indicate the source and the destination of each packet. IPv6 is the newest version of IP addressing and was introduced in 1998 as an upgrade to IPv4 due to the limited number of available IPv4 addresses. Its 128 bits are divided into eight 16-bit parts. The four hexadecimal bits in each segment run from 0000 to FFFF, giving us almost 340 trillion IPv6 addresses! An IPv6 address can look like this: 100a:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:8237

Types of IP Address

IP addresses can be further classified into the following categories:

Private IP Address

A private IP address is an address that only devices linked to the same network can use to talk to each other. LANs use servers and modems to send and receive data. To find your private IP address, go to the settings on your router or modem and look for 'LAN Settings'. Private IP addresses usually look like 192.168.x.x or 10.0.x.x, but they can look different based on the type of network being used.

Public IP Address

A public IP address is a unique identifier for a computer or other networked device accessible from outside of a local area network. This kind of address is also provided by your ISP and can be located in the same menu as your private IP address (or sometimes right next to it). Typically, your IP address will be in the form xxx.xxx.xxx,xxx, such as 120.253.255.98. Keep in mind that this is the kind of address that constantly changes, so it may not be the same if you check it again in the future.

How do I change my IP address?

Here are some simple ways to change your IP address:

Switch networks

The best way to change a device's IP address is to connect it to a different network. For example, if you're surfing the web at home using Wi-Fi on your smartphone, you can turn off Wi-Fi and use mobile data instead. Since each network link gets its own IP address, this will change it.

Reset your modem or router

The IP address will also be changed when you turn off and on your modem or router. Just unplug the modem or router for thirty seconds, then plug it back in and join as usual.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect

If you use a VPN, your public IP address will be hidden, and the network will think you are linked from a different location. This changes your IP address. Your ISP won't be able to see what you're doing because this is done over a secure path. Check out other options like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and TunnelBear.

Use a proxy server

You can set up your web browser's proxy settings so that they are automatically set up. The Online Proxy (HTTP) setting is fine for basic web browsing, but you might need more specific settings for other reasons.

What is my IP address currently?

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