What is IP Address?

Learn what your IP address is and what it implies for your online experience. We will examine how to locate your IP address, the many sorts of IP addresses, an IP address example, and how to conceal your IP address. Also covered will be the distinction between public and private IP addresses.

By the end of this article, you’ll know all you need to know about your IP address!

What is an IP address?

An IP address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique identifier that is assigned to your computer or device that allows it to communicate with other devices. It’s like a street address, in that it tells other devices where to find you and your computer on the internet. Your IP address is an important part of your online experience, and understanding it is the first step to being controlling your online safety.

The IP address is made up of four numbers that range from 0-255 and is separated by periods (example: 192.168.1.1). Billions of IP addresses are needed every day to identify every computer, router, device and website on the internet.

How to Find Your IP Address

Now that you know what an IP address is, let’s look at how to find your IP address.

Depending on your device, the steps may vary slightly. In general, you’ll want to go to your device’s Settings menu and search for “Network” or “Network and Internet” settings. Once you’re in the correct menu, you should be able to see your IP address.

For Windows users, you can also find your IP address by doing a simple search. Just type in “cmd” and select the Command Prompt application. This will open a terminal window that you can use to access your device’s information. On the prompt, type in “ipconfig” and hit enter. This will give you the details of your device’s IP address.

If you’re using a Mac, you can find your IP address from the Network Preferences application. Another way would be to just open the Terminal and type in “ifconfig”. This will give you a very detailed view of the details of your device’s IP address.

Types of IP Addresses

There are two main types of IP addresses – public and private. A public IP address is one that is visible to everyone on the internet. This is the address that is assigned to your device like your Router by your internet service provider (ISP).

A private IP address is one that is only visible to devices connected to the same network. This could be either a home or office network, or any other type of private network. Private IP addresses are usually assigned by your router or modem.

IP Address Example

Let’s look at an example of an IP address. The IP address 172.68.10.1 is a private IP address that is commonly used by home networks. This IP address is made up of four numbers, with each number separated by periods. The first number (172) represents the network, the second number (68) represents the subnet, the third number (10) represents the host, and the fourth number (1) represents the specific device.

How to Hide Your IP Address

You may be wondering why you would want to hide your IP address. Well, there are several reasons why you might want to do this. First, it can help protect your online privacy by making it hard for others to track you online. It can also help prevent malicious attacks, as hackers won’t be able to target you if they can’t identify your IP address.

There are a few ways to hide your IP address. The most common method is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN will encrypt your data and assign you a new IP address when you connect to the internet. There are many reputable VPN services available, so make sure to do your own proper research before choosing one. 

Some of the more popular ones are Norton VPN, Proton VPN, Express VPN and SurfShark. 

Another way to hide your IP address is to use a proxy server. A proxy server is a computer that acts as an intermediary between you and the internet. When you connect to the internet through a proxy server, your IP address is hidden from the websites you visit.

What is the Difference Between a Public and Private IP Address?

Now that you know what an IP address is, the different types of IP addresses, and how to hide your IP address, let’s discuss the difference between a public and private IP address.

A public IP address is one that is visible to everyone on the internet. This is the address that is assigned to your device by your internet service provider (ISP). It is used to identify your device on the internet, and it can be used to track your online activities.

A private IP address is one that is only visible to devices connected to the same network. This could be either a home or office network, or any other type of private network. Private IP addresses are usually assigned by your router or modem. They are used to identify devices on the network, but they can’t be used to track your online activities.

What is the Difference between an IP v4 and IP v6 Address?

IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers that are typically shown as four decimal numbers that range from 0 to 255 and are separated by periods. There are about 4.3 billion possible IPv4 addresses. When IPv4 was made, this number seemed like a lot, but as the number of devices connected to the internet has grown, it has become by far too small.

IPv6 addresses are 128-bit numbers that are written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. They look like this: x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x, where x is a hexadecimal number. An IPv6 address is something like 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 – for sure far more difficult to read for a human. The address space supports a total of 2128 (about 3.4×1038) addresses – or approximately 5×1028 (roughly 295) addresses for each of the roughly 6.5 billion (6.5×109) people alive today. From a different perspective, this is 252 addresses for every observable star in the known universe.

The length of the address is a big difference between IPv4 and IPv6. Since IPv6 addresses are longer than IPv4 addresses, they can support more devices on the internet. IPv4 addresses are made up of decimal numbers, while IPv6 addresses are made up of hexadecimal numbers. Lastly, IPv4 and IPv6 use different ways to get data from one device to another on a network.

Conclusion

So there you have it! Now you know all you need to know about your IP address. With this information, you can take control of your online safety and privacy and protect yourself from malicious attacks. The next time you’re online, make sure to keep your IP address safe and secure!