If you have a little bit of basic knowledge regarding IT, you definitely have encountered the term “IP address” a few times. But if you’re unsure about what it means and would like to find out, you’re free to dedicate a couple of minutes to this article!
The function of an IP address
The term “IP address” refers to the Internet Protocol address, a numerical label that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. Thus, the IP is basically the set of rules that defines the format of the data that is being sent through the Internet or a local network, while the IP address is used to identify any device while online.
Just like a home address, which identifies the location of your house on national soil, an IP address locates your device on a network. The reason why this system exists is pretty self-explanatory: there is a need to differentiate between all of the computers, routers and websites that routinely access or operate on the Internet. Giving each entity a unique identifier makes communication an easier task.
An IP address serves two main functions: it identifies the host – or more specifically its network interface – and it provides the location of the host in the network, and thus the capability of establishing a path to that host.
How does an IP address look?
Now, you might be wondering how an IP address looks. Well, it appears as a string of numbers separated by periods, such as 192.0.233.11. The 4 numbers that compose the set can only range from 0 to 255, making the full IP addressing range go from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255. Note that IP addresses are not randomly assigned. Indeed, they are mathematically produced and allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is a division of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
Check your IP address on SYR.US, and find out about static and dynamic IP addresses
With that said, let’s address the topic of this article: how can you check your IP address? And is it bad if it changes every now and then?
As for the first question, it’s super easy. You can discover your current IP address on SYR.US itself by visiting this webpage. You can also simply search “what’s my IP address?” on Google Search, and you’ll get the answer at the top of the search page.
On to the next question: it’s possible for your IP address to change, but there’s nothing to worry about if it happens. Know that IP addresses can be static – which never change – or dynamic – which can change. A static IP address is used when a given service needs to be available at the same address for a long time: that same static IP address is always assigned to the specific server that hosts a given website. A dynamic IP address, on the contrary, is usually used by users who don’t need to initiate a connection to their computer from a remote location. Most users will use dynamic IP addresses, since there’s no need for external devices or websites to remember their (the users’) IP address.
So, if your IP address changes from time to time, it’s simply because it is a dynamic IP address, and there’s nothing to worry about. This type of IP address can change, for example, in case your Internet Service Provider (ISP) decides that it’s time for some network maintenance.
Sources: Kaspersky, Wikipedia, Ask Leo!