Internet Protocol: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About IP Addresses
Did you know that the IPv6 was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) roughly a decade ago?
This is the task force that is responsible for designing the internet’s backbone technology. With a pool of 340 undecillion addresses (340 followed by 36 zeroes), we’ll never run out of addresses, theoretically speaking. But, if you’re unfamiliar with internet protocol or how an IP address works, no worries.
You’ve come to the right place. Keep on reading to learn all about the top three IP address facts.
1. Internet Protocol 101: What Is an IP Address?
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are the foundation for all the regulations that govern how people may communicate with one other online using the Internet Protocol (IP), which includes things like sending email and streaming video. On the worldwide web, a network or device is identified by its IP address.
The internet protocols are responsible for assigning each individual device an IP address. Aside from the routing of internet traffic, internet protocols also perform additional functions.
Like phone numbers, IP addresses are used for the same reason. You can be sure that the person who answers the phone knows who you are when you provide them with your phone number when you call them.
Every device connected to the internet has an IP address since they all perform the same function while you’re online. Of course, this is where the modern IP tracking strategies come from. If you’re interested in learning more, you should read it here.
2. What Is the Origin of IP Addresses?
Back in the early 1980s, when the internet was still only a military-only network, IPv4 was still a relatively new technology. There are 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses in all, which is a lot.
IPv6 was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) roughly a decade ago, which is responsible for designing the internet’s backbone technology. With 340 undecillion addresses (340 + 36 zeroes), we can (in principle) never run out of them. For the time being, IPv6 is gradually taking over from IPv4, although both are still in use.
3. IP Addresses: Public vs. Private
There are two different kinds of IP addresses: external (also known as “public”), and internal (sometimes known as “local,” or “private”).
Your external IP address is provided by your ISP. In order for you to access a website, it must know who you are (for traffic-monitoring reasons). In order to link you to the website, your ISP will utilize your external IP address.
You may use a different IP address to identify your devices inside a private network, such as the one in your house than you do outside of it. The router, the gear that links a local network to the internet, is what assigns your computer a local or internal IP address. In most circumstances, the router will automatically assign the internal IP address (or cable modem).
What really important is this: As a rule of thumb, your internal IP address will be different from your public one. Local IP addresses reflect your device on the network, while public IP addresses represent your network as a whole online.
Your IP Address: Explained
If you’re new to the world of internet protocol, things can seem a bit overly complex. But, we hope that our guide and three facts have shed some light on what makes IP addresses tick.
And, if you’re still thirsty for more information, you should head straight to our technology section and check out our other blogs and explainers.
