What is an IP Address: an Overview

In this Blog, We will discuss what is an IP address and Classifications of IP address.

What is an IP Address?

IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique address of any Computers and network Devices via which they communicate with each other. Internet Protocol divided into parts Network and Host.

In Other Words, the Internet Protocol address is a unique identifier of any machine in Network and used to communicate with each other. An IP address allows users to transfer to files and email each other.

IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) defined or allocated an IP address globally. ICANN(Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is non Profit private Organisations that managed to IANA.

IANA widely response to provide Unique Names and numbers that are used in IP addresses. The main responsibility of IANA is to provide IP Address, Domain Names, Protocol assignments and managed the timezone database.

Classifications of IP(Internet Protocol) Address

IP address classifications of four parts such as

• Assignment
• Classes
• Public and Private
• Version

Assignment Method

From the Assignment method, you can be assigned the IP Address classifications as following-

1. Static IP Address

Static IP addresses are manually assigned by the administrator. In the Statics address, you need to types the IP address manually in each and every computer.

2. Dynamic IP Address

Dynamic IP addresses are automatically assigned either by computer Interface or host software itself. In Dynamic IP address, you do not need to type IP range manually, you will select on Dynamic IP address, your host or computers automatically itself assigned the IP address.

What is the Difference between Static IP Address and Dynamic IP address

S. N.	Static IP Address	Dynamic IP Address
1.	Do not need to Installed any Server.	You need to installed DHCP Server on the Network
2.	Useful for small Network and Server.	Useful for large Network.
3.	Static IP Address can easily Trace.	Dynamic IP address can not be trace.
4.	Statics IP address is not more secure.	Dynamic IP address is More secure.
5.	Do not changed automatically.	Dynamic IP address will be changed after some lease times

How to assign Statics IP address on Computer

For assign Static IP address you need to following steps-

1. Press Windows+R(RUN) and Type NCPA.CPL.
2. Select the LAN, Right Click on LAN and select Properties.

3. Select IP version 4 or 6 Depending on your requirement and click on Properties.

4. For assign, static IP address click on Use the Following IP address.

Then type IP address and Click on OK.

5. For assign, IP address on V6, You need to select IP version 6 and Click on Properties.

6. Click on Use the Following IPv6 address and Type address then ok.

How to assign Dynamic IP address on Computer

For assign Dynamic IP address on a computer, You need to follow below steps-

You follow the above Step from 1-3

7. select Obtain an IP address automatically and then OK.

What is an IP Address Classes

Internet Protocol address classes defined the category of IP addresses. IP addresses classed categories on two categories –

• Classful
• Classless

Classful IP address

In Classful IP address IP address defined into five categories from A to E.

Class A

Class A starting From 1-126 that is used for large organizations or reserver for government organizations. In Class A IP address of containing 24 bits for Hosts and 8 Bit for Network.

Class A, You can use 128 possible networks and 16 million hosts. As per Example – 10.1.1.29.

Class B

Class B starting from 128-191 that is used for medium organizations or companies. In Class B 16 Bits used for the Networks and 16 Bits used for Hosts address.

In Class B, You can possibly use 16000 thousands of network addresses and 65000 thousands of maximum of host addresses.

Example- 128.134.1.10

Class C

Class C IP address starting from 192-223 that is used to small organizations or companies. Class C used 24 bits for the Networks and 8 bits used for host Addresses. Class C is popular and commonly used in organizations.

In Class C, You can create or used maximum 2 million of network address and 256 possible hosts. Example 192.168.1.1

Class D

Class D IP addresses used for multicasting and starting from 224-239. Multicasting not deserved for particular Hosts, that does not need to extract hosts address from IP address. Example 239.255.255.255.

Class E

Class E IP address starting from 240-255 that is used for experimental purposes and R&D. Example 240.0.0.1

Classless IP Address

A classless IP address is also called CIDR(Classless Inter-Domain Routing) is a method for allocating IP Address that developed by IETF(Internet Engineering Task Force) introduced in 1993. The classless IP address to too popular because you can define your network addressed according to your choice. Example- 200.200.200.200/24.

Basically Classless IP address used by Internet service Provided to used to allocate a number of addresses to company or home. If you have received 200.200.200.200/24 address of IP address from any ISP that means you have a pool of 8 IP addresses.

What is an IP Address in terms of Public and Private

IP address Classified in two parts in terms of Public and Private.

Public IP Address

In Public IP address, you can manage the IP address on the local Network and choose the IP address from Class A to Class C. For Public IP address you do not need to purchase from ISP.

In public IP address, you can share your information within networks.

Private IP Address

Private IP address provided by Internet Service Provider to access of Internet. Private IP address you can access you network on globally.

Private IP address is to importance on large Organisations or Internet access.

What is an IP Address Versions

In the Term of Versions IP address Classified in to two parts IPv4 and IPv6.

IPv4

IPv4 is the most popular IP version in the world developed by ARPANET in 1983. IPv4 consists of 32 bits. IPv4 uses a 32-bit address space which provides 4,294,967,296 (2³²) unique addresses in the network.

IPv6

IPv6 is the most recent version of Internet protocol that developed by IETF in 1994. IPv6 Consists of 128 bits of address space that provides 340 undecillion unique address space.

What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6 addresses

The Difference between between IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are following-

S. N.	IPv4	IPv6
1.	Consists of 32 bit of address.	Consists of 128 bit of address.
2.	IPv4 support numeric address and separated by dot.	IPv6 supports alphanumeric address that seperated by :
3.	IPv4 has checksum field.	IPv6 has not checksum field.
4	IPv4 has small address space.	IPv6 has Large address space.
5	IPv4 has assigned manually or Via DHCP.	IPv6 assigned by ICMPv6 or DHCP.
6.	IPv4 has not inbuilt security features.	IPv6 has inbuilt security features.

Now your concepts have been cleared about What is an IP Address. If you have any doubts and query please comments on the below sections.

Thanks For Reading Have a Nice Days.

You may be also read

• What is a Computer Network? – Types & Definition
• Difference between LAN and WAN
• What are the Disadvantages of the Internet
• INTERNET: ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET