What is an IP address?

What is an IP address?

IP stands for Internet Protocol Address and is an identification number that is assigned to devices connected to the Internet or a local network so that they can communicate. This refers not only to computers, but also to routers or smartphones. What else is worth knowing about the IP address and should it have any meaning for you? How can you check the IP of your device?

What does the IP number look like?

Currently, there are two basic types of IP address formats, namely IPv4 and IPv6. In the case of IPv4, there are four numbers separated by dots. It is always an 8-bit number in the range from 0 to 255. Such a number can be as follows:

67.235.156.239

IPv6 takes the form of an integer in 128-bit format. It consists of 8 numbers separated by colons. An example of such an address is:

2001:db8:3333:4444:CCCC:DDDD:EEEE:FFFF

Why was IPv6 created in the first place? Well, IPv4 was introduced in 1981 and provides 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. At the time, such a number seemed huge, the world’s population was less than 5 billion, and only a few people had access to the network. IPv6 solves the problems that have arisen over time, as an almost unlimited number of IP addresses can be generated with it. According to January 2022 data published by w3techs.com, more than 20% of Web sites use IPv6.

Source: https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/ce-ipv6

The pool of IPv4 addresses ran out in 2019. Did you feel it in any way? Probably not. First, IP addresses are being reclaimed from sites and devices that are no longer working. Secondly, IPv6 addresses are being allocated. The number of such available addresses is about 340 sextillion. A sextillion is one and 36 zeros in decimal notation. There are about 40 quadrillion IP addresses for every person on the planet, which is rather unrealistic to use in practice.

Types of IP addresses

The division of IP addresses by format is not the only one. There are also at least two others.

Fixed and floating IP

The fixed IP always remains the same. You can restart the device and the address will not change anyway. Fixed IP is used primarily in business. Having such an address, you can set up an FTP server that will serve not only devices that are hooked up to the network at the company’s headquarters. Any employee who performs duties outside the company will have access to files when they need them.

With ITH NET, in all packages you get a public, fixed IP address – from 1 to 5. Use it for your business!

A floating IP address, on the other hand, means that it is different every time a device connects to the network or after a certain period of time. The vast majority of Internet users use this solution. The address that a device stops using goes into a pool of free ones and is assigned to the next equipment in the queue.

Public and private IPs

Public IP is assigned to devices that connect to the Internet. It can be otherwise called external. This number is visible to everyone outside. It is thanks to it that you can connect to the network at all. Public IP is most often dynamic, less often fixed.

What is a private IP? Otherwise known as its internal and is assigned to local network users. It is not visible on the Internet. Devices that have a private IP form a local network and can communicate with each other. Most often a router is responsible for assigning such an IP. A private IP is unique to a local network – only one device, such as a printer or smartphone, can have it.

How to check the IP of a website?

IP has not only equipment connected to the network, but also websites. Thanks to the DNS system, you don’t have to enter a string of characters, you just conveniently enter the address of a particular site and get to it through your browser. Want to check the IP address of a particular site? Use this tool: narzedziaseo.godziolink.pl/sprawdz-ip-prony-internetowej/output.

Note that typing the IP address 167.235.156.239 in your browser will take you to kru.pl. The DNS system makes it convenient to use websites. You don’t need to know their IP addresses.

Source: https://narzedziaseo.godziolink.pl/sprawdz-ip-strony-internetowej/output

How to check the IP address of your device?

Verification of this does not require technical knowledge. You’ll find plenty of tools on the web that allow you to check your IP. For example, go to: https://www.adres-ip.pl/sprawdz.html. You don’t have to enter any information – automatically the tool will display the IP address, host name and country. If you have a dynamic IP, you may see a different number every time you start the device. If you are using a VPN-type program, the tool will not show you the real IP, only the one resulting from the current location enabled in the application.

Source: https://www.adres-ip.pl/sprawdz.html

How to change the IP address?

Some Web sites or applications are blocked for users from a particular country. Some sites with video-on-demand or live TV capabilities have such a block enabled. Overseas, such as in Arab countries, it is difficult to use instant messaging, mainly due to vision problems. In such a case, the simplest solution is to turn on a VPN program. Mostly it allows you to choose from dozens to hundreds of IP addresses from all over the world. Paid and free solutions are offered, but in the case of free ones the possibilities are very limited – most often they allow you to use a few IP addresses and a given amount of transfer. In the case of paid options, there are no limits in this regard.