An IP Address is an interesting product of modern computer technology designed to allow one computer (or other digital device) to be able to communicate with another over the Internet. IP Addresses will allow the literal location of the billions of digital devices connected to the Internet to designate and differentiate from other devices. In a literal sense the same as when someone needs your address to send mail, so remote computers need your IP address to communicate with your computer.
“IP” stands for Internet Protocol, so an IP address is an Internet Protocol address. What does it mean? The Internet Protocol is a set of rules that govern Internet activities and can facilitate the completion of various actions on the World Wide Web. Therefore the Internet Protocol address is part of the systematized placed on the interconnected network that regulates online communication by identifying the two devices initiating various Internet destinations, thereby making two-way communication possible.
An IP address consists of four numbers, each containing 1-3 digits, with a dot (.) where the dot separates each number or series of numbers. Each of the four numbers can range from 0 to 255.
Here is an example of what an IP Address would look like: 78.125.0.209. This group of four numbers is the key that empowers you and me to send and retrieve data over an internet connection, thereby ensuring that our messages, as well as our requests for data and data that we request, will reach the correct ones on the Internet. Without this numerical protocol, sending and receiving data over the World Wide Web would not be possible.
IP addresses can be either static or dynamic. Static IP addresses never change. They serve as permanent internet addresses and provide a simple and reliable way for remote computers to contact you. And a static IP address is capable of revealing information such as the continent, country, region, and city where the computer is located; also regarding the ISP (Internet Service Provider) of certain computer services.
In addition, a static IP also provides technical information such as the exact latitude and longitude of the country, as well as the locale of the computer. Many sites provide IP address look-up services to their visitors for free. If you are curious about your own IP address, you can find the website by doing a Google search.
For dynamic IP addresses are temporary and assigned each time the computer will access the Internet. They are, in effect, borrowed from a pool of IP addresses that are shared among various computers. Since a number of static IP addresses are available, many ISPs set aside a portion of their assigned addresses to share among customers in this way. This will lower costs and allow them to serve customers far more than their stated capacity can.
Static IP addresses are generally preferred for uses such as VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), online gaming, or other purposes where users really need to make it easy for other computers to find and connect to them. Easy access can also be facilitated when using a dynamic IP address through the use of a dynamic DNS service, which allows other computers to find you even though you may be using a temporary IP address.
However, this often costs extra, so you can check with your ISP. Static IP addresses are considered somewhat less secure than dynamic IP addresses, as they are easier to track when for data mining purposes. However, following safe Internet practices can help reduce these potential problems and keep your computer safe no matter what type of IP address you use.
