Definition:
An IP address has two main functions: to be the host or network interface identification and to mark the addressing location. Its role has been characterized as follows: A name indicates what we are looking for. An address indicates where you are. A route indicates how to get there.
Types of IP
The designers of the Web Internet Protocol defined an IP address as a 32-bit number, and this system, known as Internet Protocol version 4(IPv4), is still in use today. However, due to the growth of the internet and the predicted exhaustion of available addresses, a new version of IP(IPv6), using 128 bits for the address, was developed in 1995. IPv6 was standardized as RFC 2460 in 1998, and its implementation has been steady since the mid-2000s.
IP addresses are typically written and displayed in readable annotations, such as 172.16.254.1 (IPv4), and 2001: db8:0:1234:0:567:8:1 (IPv6).
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) manages IP address assignments globally and delegates five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) to assign IP address blocks to local Internet Service Providers and other entities.
IPs are assigned to a host, either again at boot time, or permanently by the fixed configuration of your hardware or software. If your configuration is persistent, it is known as a static IP address. Conversely, in situations where the computer’s IP address is assigned to it again each time, this is known as the use of a dynamic IP address.
Related Terms
