What Is IP Address?
IP address (short for Internet Protocol Address), or as sometimes called IP number, is a code consisting of numbers and dots identifying a particular device (computer, Web server, printer, smartphone, tablet, and the like), attached to an IP (TCP/IP) network. In other words, it is the address that enables the attached devices to be accessed by or to access the other devices also attached to the same IP network. Simply put, it is like your phone number that people dial to reach you, or you dial to reach other people. Current IPv4 address consists of four sets of numbers, each ranging from 0 to 255, and separated by commas. The IP address is typically represented as 225.126.168.212.
Depending on the service used, or the contract, the ISP (Internet Service Provider) assigns you either a dynamic. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Also, an IP may be exclusive or shared. Static IP addresses are permanent, i.e., they never change, and serves like a permanent physical address where other network enabled devices can reliably contact you. On the other hand, dynamic IP addresses are temporarily assigned by the ISP to your device, and may change when you turn off and on your network device (such as Cable/DSL modem).
What is a Static IP Address?
Static IP addresses are, as said above, permanent numbers that do not change over time or after off or down periods. They are usually used by web servers. For example, IP addresses of web sites such as this are always static. Otherwise, visitors cannot reach the web sites, or search engines cannot locate them.
What is a Dynamic IP Address?
Dynamic IP addresses, on the other hand, are temporary and can change each time a the device that connects to remote locations is turned off and on again. For example, when you turn off your Cable/DSL modem for a few moments, and the turn it on again, you may see that your IP address has changed. In fact, dynamic IP addresses are not different from the static IP addresses. The only difference is that the ISP allocates you an IP address from a pool of available IP addresses whenever you connect to Internet. It is very likely that your IP address is a dynamic one.
With an IP address, you can learn many details associated with that IP address. For example, the ISP, country, city, longitude and latitude, and the like. For example, this site associates the IP addresses with the corresponding longitude and latitude information fetched from a database to map the geographic location of the IP address. |