You probably heard the term “IP address,” maybe in your school, college, or elsewhere. But have you ever bothered yourself to know what is an IP address is? If your answer is no, then we’ll cover all about IP addresses in this article.
The term “IP” stands for Internet Protocol, and the term “address” refers to a special and unique number that gets linked to all online activities you perform. The IP address is considered the fundamental building block of the internet. An IP address is an identifier of different devices using the internet.
When your mobile phone or computer is connected to the internet by the Internet Service Provider and you use the Internet for shopping, email, or chat, your request has been sent and whatever response and information you want comes back directly to you, there is an IP address. The IP address is responsible for all your online activities.
An IP address works for you when you use the internet and do your online activities. The Internet Protocol plays a significant role in making your online activities go smoothly and faster.
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Your online request is addressed, delivered, and routed by A IP.
Now you may think, who is responsible for providing us with an IP (Internet Protocol) address? That’s because the Internet Service Provider gives you access to the internet; that’s why it’s their responsibility to assign an IP address to your computer. The use of the Internet Protocol happens only behind the scenes.
The IP (Internet Protocol) address assigned by your ISP (Internet service provider) is permanent or can it be changed from time to time? So the answer is, it is not permanent and it cannot change from time to time.
The IP address can change each and every time you want. Internet Protocol is not your permanent IP address; in fact, you can change your IP address at home by doing things like turning your modem or router ON or OFF.Or your Internet service provider can change your IP address if you tell them.
If you are in a hotel and using the public internet for your online activities like email, chats, or streaming, etc., your computer or mobile phone will change automatically as you are using a different network.
How does an IP address work?
As we have already discussed, what exactly does IP (Internet Protocol) perform? Let’s again understand this in brief. When you jump online to send an email or chat, you’re accessing a network that is connected to the internet. It will be one or more than one that gives you access to the internet. Connecting to your internet service provider (ISP) from home, a hotel, or another public network in the office.It works the same way as any other language works while communicating. You may have known that the different machines and networks allocated need a way to communicate with one another. All the different devices find, search, and then exchange information with other devices (connected) using the Internet Protocol.
Your computer uses an IP (internet protocol) address to do this successfully. It is a virtual return address to establish a connection.
Types of IP addresses
IP addresses often come in one of four categories:
| Serial No | These are the Four Types of IP Addresses |
|---|---|
| 1 | Public |
| 2 | Private |
| 3 | Static |
| 4 | Dynamic |
Public and private addresses depend on the network’s location, with private addresses being used inside networks and public addresses being used outside of networks. Let’s take a closer look at each of these IP address types.
#1. Public Internet Protocol Addresses.
A public IP address is one where your whole network is linked to a single main address. Each connected device has the same IP address using this kind of IP address. Your ISP gives this kind of public IP address to your router.
#2. Private Internet Protocol Addresses.
Every device that connects to your home internet network, such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones used by your family, is given a private IP address, which is a particular IP number.
Additionally, it probably contains any Bluetooth devices you use, such as printers, smart gadgets like TVs, etc. You are more likely to have more private IP addresses in your house as the market for internet of things (IoT) equipment expands.
#3. IP address that changes dynamically.
Dynamic IP addresses are continually in flux. It is transient and is given to a device each time it establishes a web connection. Dynamic IPs can be traced back to a group of IP addresses that are used by several machines. Another significant kind of internet protocol address is dynamic IP addresses. It has a set expiration date after which it ceases to be operational.
#4. IP Addresses That Remain Static.
An IP address that cannot be modified is known as a static IP address. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, which might change, will nevertheless assign a dynamic IP address. Although a static IP address is static and never changes, it can be modified as part of standard network management.
Static IP addresses are reliable since they are allocated just once and remain constant throughout time. You may obtain a great deal of information about a device with the aid of this kind of IP.
How do I find out what my IP address is?
Depending on your equipment, you can get the IP address of your personal electronics like your computer or smartphone. In the shortest amount of time possible, Google “What’s my IP address?” to find out. The first result will provide you with the IP address of the computer you’re now using.
There are more ways to find out your IP address, which may be useful if you don’t have access to the internet, for example.
How to Find Your IP Address on Macbook
- 1.Switch to System Preferences.
- Choose Network.
- Ensure that the connection you are using right now is chosen in the list on the left. Your IP address will be displayed on the right panel.
- Secure Your Mac IP : Best VPNs for The MacBook
How to Find Your IP Address on Windows
- 1.Select Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, then choose the Wi-Fi network you’re on if you’re connected through Wi-Fi.
- Choose Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet if you are using an Ethernet connection.
- Next to your IPv4 address under Properties, your IP address will be shown.
How to Find Your IP Address on Iphone
- . Settings
- Choose Wi-Fi.
- Next to the Wi-Fi network you’re currently using, tap the blue “information” symbol.
- Next to Wi-Fi Address, your network’s IP address will be shown.
Why should my IP address be protected?
Your online identity is determined by your IP address, and in the data-driven world of today, your online behaviour is quite important. In order to regain control over your online privacy, it’s critical to mask your IP address. Your IP might expose sensitive information such as where you are physically located and your shopping and purchasing history. Why then, would you conceal your IP? You have a lot to gain and little to lose.
How to protect and hide your IP address
Because your IP address is a distinctive identifier that lets websites and services know who you are online, it makes sense that you would occasionally wish to hide it. Learn how to use three internet privacy tools—VPNs, Tor, and proxy servers—to conceal your IP address. With Avast SecureLine VPN, you can begin masking your IP address right now. Let’s look at three methods you may use to conceal your IP address right now. Each provides a unique fusion of usefulness, security, and privacy.
Protect IP adress using VPNs
A VPN is a middle server that hides your IP address and encrypts your connection to the internet. A VPN encrypts all of your traffic, including that which you send from other apps as well as your browser, and then forwards it to its intended location. Since they’re a well-liked privacy option, VPN companies have a strong incentive to provide solutions that are both user-friendly and safe.
- Must Read: Top 10 Best Vpns For Your Security
Protect IP adress using Tor Browser
Tor is a free network made up of thousands of volunteer-run server nodes that uses many levels of encryption to mask your online identity. Your communication is relayed and encrypted across a sequence of three relay nodes when you use Tor, usually by using the free Tor Browser. Each relay node decrypts one layer of encryption to determine the identity of the next node. Your traffic is completely decrypted and transmitted to its destination when it leaves the last node. Due to Tor’s extensive encryption scheme, the relay system costs money to conceal your IP address because of how long it takes for your traffic to travel. Tor’s anonymity will compromise your surfing speed.
it is a worthwhile trade-off when it matters most, such as for political dissidents and whistleblowers. However, if all you’re looking for is to mask your IP address, a VPN will prove to be a far more practical and quick option when compared to Tor.
Protect IP adress using Proxy Server
Your internet traffic is managed by a proxy server on your behalf. A proxy is a server that lies between a client or network of clients and the servers, transmitting requests and receiving and delivering responses. If you wish to use a proxy, you might have to manually change the proxy settings on your device.
Proxy servers are often more dependable than proxy servers, particularly free web-based proxies. Proxy servers are therefore better employed as a short-term fix than as a long-term privacy strategy.
Conclusion
An IP ( Internet Protocol) address is used for communication between two or additional devices. It’s within the network operating TCP/IP protocol to detect and guide devices operating an Internet Service Provider( ISP). We hope our blog was helpful to you and you learned everything you needed to know about IP addresses.
