What? You don't know what an IP address is used for?
Don't worry. Most of the billions of computer users don't know either, and to tell you the truth, that's perfectly alright. Because even though it's your passport to the Internet, you never have to think about it.
Here's a "pocket definition" that you can use if someone asked. "It's a network address for your computer so the Internet knows where to send you emails, data and pictures of cats."
That puts you way ahead of the curve. In fact, 98% of people on computers right now don't know what an IP address even looks like.
Let me explain.
What? You don't know what an IP address is used for?
Don't worry. Most of the billions of computer users don't know either, and to tell you the truth, that's perfectly alright. Because even though it's your passport to the Internet, you never have to think about it.
Here's a "pocket definition" that you can use if someone asked. "It's a network address for your computer so the Internet knows where to send you emails, data and pictures of cats."
That puts you way ahead of the curve. In fact, 98% of people on computers right now don't know what an IP address even looks like.
Let me explain.
Don't get too attached. It's not permanent—you'll find out why in a bit...
But for now, somehow you found your way to this website and page about the "IP address." And unless you're a "techie," you may not have more than a passing idea what an IP address is or how it works. ("It has to do with networking or something," is the usual guess.)
Let's clear up this concept for you, just to give you an idea why the misunderstood IP address is very important to our lives.
Don't worry. We promise not to get too techie on you.
In the end, you'll love your IP address.
The IP address is a fascinating product of modern computer technology designed to allow one connected computer (or "smart" device) to communicate with another device over the Internet.
IP addresses allow the location of literally billions of digital devices that are connected to the Internet to be pinpointed and differentiated from other devices.
Because, in the same way you to need a mailing address to recieve a letter in the mail from a friend, a remote computer needs your IP address to communicate with your computer.
Your house has a street address to get mail; your connected device has an Internet address to get and receive data on the Web.
Your home as a street number; your laptop, smartphone or your lights, baby monitor, thermostat (anything device that connects to the Internet and works wirelessly) has an Internet number. (That's what the Internet of Things is all about.)
So, what does an IP address tell you? It lets you know you are connected to the Internet.
It's important because it follows rules of connectivity, so you don't need to think about it.
The word protocol refers to a standard of guidelines, and that's a key part of the definition. The networking part of the Internet is defined by exact specifications (guidelines) for connecting on the Internet.
The IP address you're using at any given time is your device's "digital address" that allows a connection to the systematically laid-out, interconnected grid that governs global connectivity.
But can you be sure IP address is 100% reliable?
When anyone pops a letter in a mail box, you don't think about its route, or how many trucks the postal office uses, or how many packages the letter carrier delivers a day. You just want it to go the right address
Want to know something extra cool?
Every website (Disney, Amazon, Apple, etc.) has a unique IP address, but it goes by its name instead (Disney.com, Amazon.com, Apple.com.) But without IP addresses you couldn't connect with them and they couldn't share information with you.
The IPv4 Address.
The common type of IP address (is known as IPv4, for "version 4"). Here's an example of what an IP address might look like:
66.171.248.170
An IPv4 address consists of four numbers, each of which contains one to three digits, with a single dot (.) separating each number or set of digits. Each of the four numbers can range from 0 to 255.
Thanks to our IP addresses, we're pretty much guaranteed that our emails will come and go as expected, and that all our Google searches and website visits will work to perfection.
This versatile group of segmented numbers create the addresses that lets you and everyone around the globe to send and retrieve data over our Internet connections.
Without this numeric protocol, sending and receiving data over the World Wide Web would be impossible.
What would happen if we ran out of IP addresses?
Guess what—we did!
Suddenly, major companies (even Microsoft!) were scrambling to buy unused IP addresses from other companies...for millions of dollars.
What went wrong?
The past decade has seen explosive growth in mobile devices including mobile phones, notebook computers, and wireless handheld devices. The format for IPv4 wasn't designed to handle the sheer number of IP addresses.
Fortunately, there was a backup IP address type waiting in the wings.
Goodbye IPv4. Hello IPv6.
It's called IPv6 and it offers a maximum number of IP address for today and for the future.
Whereas IPv4 supports a maximum of approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses, IPv6 supports, in theory, a maximum number that will never run out.
An IPv6 address consists of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. If a group consists of four zeros, the notation can be shortened using a colon to replace the zeros. Here's an example IPv6 address:
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
How to Hide Your IP Address
Borrow a different IP address to go anywhere online and stay hidden.
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Four ways to hide your IP address:
Use a VPN Servicehe reasons why you might want to mask your IP address may include: Hiding your geographical location, preventing Web tracking, avoiding a digital footprint, or to bypass any content filters, bans or blacklisting.
There are a few ways to hide your IP address...that unique number assigned to the network connection on the computer.
Use Tor
Use a Proxy Server
Use Free/Public WiFi
Use a VPN Service – The Best Way
Sign up with these services and when you go online, you'll be showing the world a different IP address...one that's on loan from the service you're using.
There are many more advantages to using a personal VPN service over a proxy such as high speed bandwidth, usability, a secure connection, private access to blocked sites, and the ability to choose the country and city where you appear to be.
There are hundreds of VPN companies you could choose from...many of them shady or poor quality.
Use the Tor Browser – The Slowest Choice
Tor LogoPeople from all over the world use Tor to search and buy products and communicate with others with restricted Internet access, such as what exists in some foreign countries.
The Tor Browser (like Chrome, Firefox or Safari) is a free software program that you download onto your computer that conceals your IP address every time you go online anonymously. This free process is layered with heavy-duty encryption, which means your data is layered with security and privacy protection.
Use a Proxy Server – The Riskiest Method
A proxy server (sometimes called an "open proxy" or just "proxies") can be use to re-route your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, or Edge) around company or school content filters.
There are risks involved in using masking your IP address with a proxy: Many will slow down your internet connection, some are run on compromised machines, and may not be legal in some countries.
Use Free/Public WiFi – The Long Distance Option
Free Wi-Fi
An IP address doesn't travel with you. So if you simply go to a coffee shop, bookstore or hotel lobby and tap into their Wi-Fi, you will temporarily hide your usual IP address. How so? You'll be using their network's IP address for as long as you're online.
Try it out. First, click show my ip to see your current IP address, and then visit any place with free Wi-Fi, log in to their Internet and check it again.
However, if you don't use a VPN, your Internet activity is at risk of being spied on or intercepted by a bad guy without your knowing it.
How likely is that?
Who knows! But don't make online purchases or check your bank account while drinking your Grande Espresso.
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.[1][2] An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.