Therefore, your router generates private IP addresses that are unique identifiers for each device that differentiate them on the network. Your router needs a way to identify these items separately, and many items need a way to recognize each other. With the growing internet of things, the number of private IP addresses you have at home is probably growing. This includes computers, smartphones, and tablets but also any Bluetooth-enabled devices like speakers, printers, or smart TVs. Private IP addressesĮvery device that connects to your internet network has a private IP address. The terms public and private relate to the network location - that is, a private IP address is used inside a network, while a public one is used outside a network. Consumer IP addressesĮvery individual or business with an internet service plan will have two types of IP addresses: their private IP addresses and their public IP address. There are different categories of IP addresses, and within each category, different types. This is because you will be using another network (Wi-Fi at a hotel, airport, or coffee shop, etc.) to access the internet and will be using a different (and temporary) IP address, assigned to you by the ISP of the hotel, airport or coffee shop.Īs the process implies, there are different types of IP addresses, which we explore below. When you are out and about – for example, traveling – and you take your device with you, your home IP address does not come with you.Or you can contact your ISP, and they can change it for you. For example, turning your modem or router on or off can change it. Since they are giving you access to the internet, it is their role to assign an IP address to your device. Your internet activity goes through the ISP, and they route it back to you, using your IP address.Your IP address is assigned to your device by your ISP.At work, it will be your company network. When you are at home, that network will probably be your Internet Service Provider (ISP).Your device indirectly connects to the internet by connecting at first to a network connected to the internet, which then grants your device access to the internet.The use of IP addresses typically happens behind the scenes. By speaking the same language, any computer in any location can talk to one another. All devices find, send, and exchange information with other connected devices using this protocol. Internet Protocol works the same way as any other language, by communicating using set guidelines to pass information. If you want to understand why a particular device is not connecting in the way you would expect or you want to troubleshoot why your network may not be working, it helps understand how IP addresses work. Each time anyone registers a domain on the internet, they go through a domain name registrar, who pays a small fee to ICANN to register the domain. ICANN is a non-profit organization that was established in the United States in 1998 to help maintain the security of the internet and allow it to be usable by all. They are mathematically produced and allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a division of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Each number in the set can range from 0 to 255. IP addresses are expressed as a set of four numbers - an example address might be 192.158.1.38. What is an IP?Īn IP address is a string of numbers separated by periods. IP addresses provide a way of doing so and form an essential part of how the internet works. The internet needs a way to differentiate between different computers, routers, and websites. In essence, IP addresses are the identifier that allows information to be sent between devices on a network: they contain location information and make devices accessible for communication. IP stands for "Internet Protocol," which is the set of rules governing the format of data sent via the internet or local network. An IP address is a unique address that identifies a device on the internet or a local network.