What ia an IP address?

Question

Not exactly sure what it is pls can anyone confirm for me?

Answer 1

An IP address is basically the address, in numerical form, to identify the location of a computer device.  The best description for you to think of is an "address", to like your home.

It is 4 sets of numbers between 0 and 255 (this represents 8 bits (or 8 ones and zeros)).  

In order for a device to send information on a local area network (connected to the same switch (or connected switches)), you need a "private" IP address.  These usually fall in the 192.168.X.X or 10.X.X.X realm.  X represents a 0 to 255 number.

Once you need to reach the Internet via your router, you need to have a "unique" IP address called a "public" IP.  This is given to you by your Internet Service Provider.  You would be thee ONLY one in the world that would have this IP address.  Any traffic for this IP address would be routed to you!

Computers need the numbers, however... there is no way for us to remember the IP for ALL of our favorite websites.  So DNS was created.  DNS is Domain Name System and translated the www.x.coms into an actual "public" IP.  If you open up the command prompt (start > run > type cmd.exe) and type ping www.dell.com you will see that the very first time there is a pause as DNS translated the IP and then you will see that the ping is now doing some number 143.166.224.244 that is specific to www.dell.com's web server!

Once you know the IP, you can put it in your address bar (try it).  If you type 143.166.224.244 you will pull up Dell's website!!!

Answer 2

An IP Address, is a unique address  that is assigned to each computer that connects to the internet..

An Example of an IP address: 172.166.454.42

lol.. Well the user below me explained it in far more detail.. ^.^