What is an IP address?
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique identifier for devices connected to a network. This unique identifier allows devices to find and communicate with each other. Originally, the main devices that needed an IP address were network devices such as computers, servers, routers and printers. With new uses and possibilities, however, the list grows every day and now includes mobile phones, televisions, fridges, cars, light bulbs, or anything able to receive or exchange information over a network.
An IP address is a unique sequence of numbers assigned to each device connected to a computer network. Your local network (the network in your house, apartment, hotel…) and the internet both rely on IP addresses, and this protocol (the IP protocol) is the foundation of it all.
IP address example
Classic IP addresses (IPv4) are made of four groups of numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.1. With the rise of connected devices, a new format, IPv6, was introduced to provide a much larger number of possible addresses. IPv6 addresses look like this: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.
What types of IP address are there?
An IP address can be public or private. Public addresses are used to find a device or a resource on the internet. A private IP address cannot be used on the internet and only lets your devices communicate locally, on your local network.
A public IP address is visible on the internet and is assigned to a network by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is what websites and online services use to interact with your network.
IPv4 or IPv6 address?
Both. To meet the growing need for connected devices, the limits of version 4 of the IP protocol had to be overcome by creating version 6, which allows every device to have its own IP address.
- IPv4: introduced in the 1980s, this format is made of 32 bits, providing about 4.3 billion unique addresses. With the growing number of connected devices, this limit has been reached.
- IPv6: created to solve this problem, IPv6 uses a 128-bit format, providing a virtually unlimited number of unique addresses.
Is an IP address unique?
An IP address is unique on the public network or on your private network, for the simple reason that it gives access to the resources behind it, and a duplicate would break the system.
Is my public IP address static or dynamic?
It depends on your Internet Service Provider, which alone assigns IP addresses. Depending on availability, it may give you a static IP address, which does not change when you reconnect, or a dynamic IP address, which changes on every reconnection.