WHAT IS MY IP?

What is IP?

(Internet Protocol)

An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.

IP addresses are written in decimal notation and divided into four octets, each representing eight bits, that are separated by periods. The binary form of an IP address is also known as its dot-decimal notation. In the early days of the Internet, IP addresses were represented in dot-decimal notation by the four octets of the address expressed individually in decimal form and separated by periods. For example, an address might have been written as 172.16.254.1.

Why is IP used?

.

The number of devices connected to the Internet and the number of applications requiring IP addresses has grown exponentially, leading to the need for a more efficient way of representing IP addresses. In binary form, an IP address is a 32-bit number, and in decimal form, it is usually written as four octets that are separated by periods. The four octets are also known as the N.NN.NN.N notation. The first octet of an IP address represents the network number, and the last octet represents the host number on that network. The middle two octets represent the subnet number. 

The network and subnet number together identify the particular network on which a host is located. The host number uniquely identifies a particular host on that network. The network number is used to identify the particular network to which a host is attached. The subnet number is used to further divide a network into subnetworks, or subnets. A subnet is a logical subdivision of a network. The host number is used to identify a particular host on a particular network or subnet. IP addresses are usually assigned to devices by a network administrator. However, they can also be assigned automatically by a DHCP server.