If you have recently wondered what an IP address is, what it is for, and how it works, you are in luck, because this time we are going to tell you everything you need to know about it. This post will also give you a basic overview of why many people make transactions regarding an IP address. For example, many companies lease IPv4 and of course, they do it for some important reasons.
Let’s go there!
What is an IP address?
What exactly is an IP
Like any important issue, the main thing is to start with the simplest and most necessary: the concept of what is an IP address and what it has to do with my business. Why is it important to know how an IP address works?
An IP address is in simple words a numerical identification with which you must connect to the Internet. It is the way in which you identify where a computer is (PC, Tablet, IoT device, website, or mobile phone) and, to some extent, what this computer is. The acronym IP stands for “Internet Protocol”.
In short, it is a regulatory system that allows information to be sent and received over the Internet, whether it involves sending mail, video transmission, chat, or connection to a website.
An IP identifies a network or device on the Internet.
Being a numerical figure, it has the quality of being unique, so it could not be duplicated (or more) in any other team under any circumstances, since it allows a team to be identified and located.
Now, it is important to differentiate the meaning of IP Address.
An IP address is the identification number of a computer/device / website, while IP refers to a system of rules (Internet Protocol) that these computers must follow to communicate with others.
What are IP addresses at a technical level?
An IP is a 32-digit binary number. An IP is a binary figure of 32 digits or bits, which are structured in 4 blocks of 8 binary numbers. By means of this unique identification number, a certain device will be able to connect to the Internet without problems.
In general, electronic devices that connect to the Internet are called Hosts. Hosts are devices that have the ability to connect to the Internet, such as tablets, smartphones, and IoT televisions, among others.
Thus, the IP numbers would be like the license plate numbers of the vehicles, telephone numbers or the different DNI numbers of the people. For example, with the DNI number, we can know who a person is (age, gender, full name) and where we can locate them in case they have committed an illegal action, or in case they need help.
Today, IP addresses, the IPv4 ones, tend to be deprecated due to the transition to IPv6 addresses. However, there is still a great chance for IPv4 address owners to monetize the addresses. One of them is by using the IPXO platform, as a secure platform for rental transactions of IPv4 addresses. IP address is an address, an identity, is everything on the Internet. That is why the monetization rate for IP addresses tends to be stable from year to year.
How does it work?
An IP address is like the DNI number of your computer or website. With the above example, we can get a pretty good idea of what an IP address is. Taking this into account, it is possible to fully understand how this so-called “Internet Protocol” works. As we mentioned before, an IP is like a telephone number, which allows identifying a certain device/equipment.
So, for example, when you call someone on the phone, your phone number identifies who you are and assures the person answering the phone that you are who you say you are.
IP addresses do the exact same thing when you are online.
Now, who is in charge of assigning the IP numbers to the teams?
In a home network, our wireless router is responsible for assigning the IP address of each connected device. When we connect to the Internet router in our home, it is this equipment that is responsible for setting an exclusive IP, that is, unique and unrepeatable to each of the devices or equipment that is connected. In this way, our information can be identified and, in addition, the router will ensure that there are no two computers with the same address.
Now, let’s see below what are the types of IP and what are the ways in which an IP is used in certain cases, in order to understand this process much better.
What are the types of IP?
There are some types of IP addresses like:
Private IP addresses
A private IP address is the address of your device or computer connected to your home or business Internet network, that is, to your home or business network. If you have a few different devices connected to one ISP (Internet Service Provider), all of your devices will have a unique private IP address.
However, this IP cannot be accessed from devices outside of your home or business network. In this case, the private IP addresses will not always be unique because there are a limited number of devices connected to your home or business Internet Wi-Fi network.
How can I find out the IP address of my computer?
If you have a Windows computer, then click on the Windows search engine (if you have Windows 10, you can locate it in the lower left, right next to the main operating system icon), and add “Command Prompt”. In the results, the application with this name will appear. Click on this icon. A command window will appear shortly. Here enter the command “ipconfig” with your keyboard and press “Enter”.
The IP number of your computer will appear immediately.
How do I know what my IP address is on a Mac computer?
To find out the IP address of your Mac computer, you must first click on the magnifying glass icon. This icon called spotlight can be found at the top right of your desktop. Then, write the word “Terminal” into the blank field. Afterward, click on the Enter key on your computer. Finally, enter the word “ifconfig”, then hit the Enter key again. Now the results will be shown to you. Among them, you will find your private IPv6 IP address on Mac.
Public IP addresses
On the other hand, we have the public IP address, which is the Main IP address to which your home or business network is connected. It is this IP address that allows you to connect with the rest of the world and is exclusive to all users who send information and receive information from them as well.
To find out what your public IP address is, simply go to the SupportAlly website from your browser, and it will immediately show you your public IP address and other relevant information from your browser. A public IP address may be visible to any user because as we mentioned before, it is a unique identifier within the Internet world.
We hope this information was helpful!