IP addresses are like real addresses but for the internet. Well, they are more like phone numbers, but you get the idea. Anytime you connect to the internet, your internet service provider assigns you an IP address.
Similarly, every other entity on the internet has an IP address. So, it includes website servers, other clients, and even IoT devices. When you navigate to a website in a browser, your computer is navigating to the IP address of the server the website is hosted on. Similarly, the server uses your address to send you the website data so it can load.
In this article, we will teach six more basic things about them.
6 Basic Things to Know About IP Addresses
Public and Private IP Address
You encounter two sorts of addresses in your day-to-day life. The first is the public IP address, and the second is the private IP address. So, what’s the difference?
Well, everybody who connects to the Internet uses a router/modem. This router is provided by the ISP, or you can buy it yourself. This router is known as the internet access point. The access point has its own IP address (assigned by your ISP), which is known as the public IP address. All the online tools for checking IP show your public IP.
A private IP address belongs to each device that connects to the access point. So, if you have a computer and smartphone connected to your router, they will have different addresses that differentiate them.
Private IP addresses are typically hidden from the Internet. When a server sends you information to load a website, it uses the public IP address of your access point. Your access point (router) receives the information and sends it to the correct private address that created the original request to the server.
This segregation of public and private addresses is necessary for security. IP addresses can be used for personal identification, and as such, they can be used for doxing. Public IP addresses alleviate that issue. We will learn about that in more detail in a later section.
IPv6 and IPv4
IP addresses have two versions: version 4 and version 6, which are known as IPv4 and IPv6, respectively.
IPv4 addresses consist of 4 octets. They typically look like this:
255.168.45.6
Each octet can range from 0 to 255, for a total of 256 values per octet. This means the maximum possible address space in IPv4 is 4,294,967,296. However, this address space has run out. There are just too many devices that connect to the Internet.
To deal with this, IPv6 was introduced. This address space has 16 octets instead of 4. Additionally, Instead of just numbers, IPv6 addresses also use hexadecimal notation. Here’s what a typical IPv6 address looks like:
FE38:DCE3:124C:C1A2:BA03:6745:EF1C:683D
Owing to bigger octet sizes and more variations available per octet, the IPv6 address space is extremely huge—to be precise, it is 340 trillion trillion trillion. With IPv6, the address space problem has been resolved.
IPv4 addresses are far more common today, but as companies roll out new internet infrastructure, IPv6 is gaining more and more traction.
Static IP Address
So, remember public IP addresses? The ones assigned by your ISP. They are changeable, and they change quite a lot. But most people don’t realise this because nothing changes on the client side.
However, servers and website hosts don’t have this feature. Their addresses remain the same. An address that does not change is called a static IP address. Servers require these as that’s what enables client computers to find them.
Without them, servers would be difficult to find because no client would know where they are. To understand this concept, we must discuss routing tables. The Internet is an amalgam of routers, switches, servers, and edge clients.
Routers and some servers maintain routing tables. These tables contain information on the IP addresses of every router and server directly connected to a particular router.
When a client requests a specific IP address, the routers ask each other about it. Once the router with the IP address is reached, it sends the information back, and the client can find the server.
Since servers have static IPs, their information is stored in a routing table and stays there indefinitely. If their IPs changed, routing tables would need to be updated constantly, and that’s not easy. It takes a long time. So, until the update was done, the server would be unreachable.
Dynamic IP Address
Dynamic addresses are the opposite of static addresses. They are usually assigned to edge clients, including your access point, i.e., your public IP address.
This is a security feature that prevents people from getting doxxed. Every few days or every time you power cycle your router, your ISP assigns you a new public address.
Remember that private addresses are not dynamic and are hidden from the internet.
How to Find Your IP Address
Let’s learn how you can find your IP address. Both private and public.
So, there are several ways to find your public IP address. The easiest method is given below.
- Open a browser.
- In the search bar, type “What is my IP address.”
- Open one of the search results from the top 10 entries.
- Your public address should be listed in a conspicuous place.
This method works regardless of the operating system and device. It can be used on phones, laptops, desktops, and tablets.
They are listed below if you want more specific methods to do an IP address lookup.
For Windows
- Open the command prompt.
- Type “ipconfig -all” and hit enter
- A slew of information will be given. Under the ethernet or Wireless adaptor heading, find the IPv4/IPv6 address.
That’s your public IP address.
For Linux
- Open the terminal.
Type “ifconfig” and press Enter. - Look for “inet” under the network interface (usually eth0 or wlan0).
For Mac
- Open the Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
- Type “ifconfig” and press Enter.
- Look for “inet” under the network interface (usually en0 or en1).
For Android
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on Network & Internet or Connections.
- Tap on Wi-Fi (ensure Wi-Fi is on and connected).
- Tap on the connected network’s name.
- Your address will be displayed.
For iOS
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on Wi-Fi.
- Tap on the i icon next to the connected network.
- Your address will be displayed under the IP Address section.
Some of these instructions may have more steps depending on the version of your operating system. So, if they don’t work, just use a location tool to find your public IP.
How to Hide Your IP Address
IP addresses can be used to identify people to a shocking degree. With an IP location finder, one can easily locate the approximate location of the user. Thus, websites use information associated with an IP address for marketing purposes. Many people believe that is an invasion of privacy, so they wish to hide this.
There are several ways in which you can do that. So, let’s take a look.
With a VPN
A VPN basically provides your client with a borrowed IP address. This address is from a server in a different location than yours. Anyone who tries to find your address just finds the borrowed IP and your real one remains secret.
Proxy Server
A proxy server is similar to a VPN, but the difference is that it doesn’t tunnel your information through a secure channel. They hide your IP the same way, though. Your real one gets hidden behind the proxy server’s.
Public WiFi
Since all access points have a unique public IP, you can use public WiFi away from your home to hide your personal access point’s public IP. This is a very contrived solution and the least convenient.
There is also the TOR browser, but network experts use it. A VPN is the best solution for a normal person, as it is the most secure and hassle-free option.
Conclusion
So, there you have six basic things you should know about IP addresses. While this information does not change much for the average user (except for the hiding part), it is still good to know more about the technology that one uses daily. Hopefully, this sparked some interest in the world of networking.
Emily Anne is a seasoned tech writer, blending her expertise in technology with her passion for clear and concise communication. With a background in computer science, she navigates the intricate world of technology with ease, breaking down complex concepts into accessible content for readers. Emily's articles cover a wide range of topics, from the latest advancements in artificial intelligence to practical tips for cybersecurity. When she's not immersed in the digital realm, Emily enjoys hiking, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and playing video games.