Everything you need to know about the IP address

What is an IP address

An IP address (Internet protocol address) is the unique address of a device connected to the Internet. It is a combination of 4 numbers from 0 to 255, separated by dots, and its presence allows you to transmit and receive information between network nodes. By analogy with the postal address, the combination of numbers in the IP address carries information about the location of the device.

Do not think that you can track people by IP like in a movie: narrowing the search circle to a couple of square meters and seeing where in the room the owner of the device is now. In fact, by IP address, you can narrow your search only to the provider. Today there are a number of sites where you can perform a similar operation.

Only a provider that assigns addresses to its users can determine the subscriber by IP. If gray addressing is used, IPs run between subscribers, so it will not work at all to track a specific user.

Types of addresses

Today there are two versions of the protocols: IPv4 and IPv6. Version 6 succeeded version 4, when the assigned addresses simply ceased to be enough. Unlike IPv4, an IPv6 address is eight four-digit numbers written in hexadecimal. Addresses of this kind simply cannot end (for each inhabitant of the earth there are several hundred million IPs). However, not all sites work on IPv6. Due to the shortage of IPv4 addresses, a division into static and dynamic addresses has appeared.

A static (external, real or white) address is unique on the network and is issued to only one node. When disconnecting and reconnecting to the Internet, the subscriber's IP address remains unchanged. Having such an address, you can make a server out of your computer, to which it will be easy to connect from the outside.

Some providers do not have enough reserved IP addresses to give each subscriber a unique one. Then dynamic (gray) addresses are used. These device IP addresses constantly move from one to another, changing when reconnecting.

Note! When configuring the router in the «Connection type» item, it is usually advised to specify «Dynamic IP». This does not mean that you will have a gray address, it only means that you will not assign it manually, but will automatically receive it from the provider.

Do you think that these questions are not important for you? You are wrong. Imagine what would happen if today you were given an address that was used yesterday, for example, to hack a government website. It is unlikely that you will like this development of events. That is why it is safer to have a permanent address.

How to see your address

There are two ways to find out the current IP address of a computer:

1. Through the properties of the current connection. Right-click (RMB) on the Internet connection icon on the taskbar and click on «Internet Settings» (or «Network and Sharing Center» for Win7).

   
   
   

   On the left side of the new window, select «Ethernet» and «Configure adapter settings» (or «Change adapter settings» for Win7).

   
   
   

   In the new network connections window, right-click on the Ethernet connection icon and select «Status».

   
   
   

   In the connection status window, click the Details... button. In the new window, you need to find the line «IPv4 Address». Opposite it will be the IP address of your computer on the network.

   
   
   

2. It is easier and faster to look at the address through the command line. It is called by the key combination Win + R or through the Start menu and search for the query «Run». In the line «Open» enter the command «cmd» and click «OK».

   
   
   

   Next, in a new window, enter «ipconfig /all».

   
   
   

   In the list that opens, find the line «IPv4 address», its content is the desired address

   
   
   

   All is ready! To consolidate the acquired skills and get to know the process as clearly as possible, we recommend watching our video.

Almost forgot the easiest way!

3. The fastest option is available to those who have a working Internet connection at the time of the search. You can use one of the sites that track addresses, for example, 2ip.ua. After clicking on this link, the user instantly sees his address, city and the name of the provider.

In addition, it is worth noting the following: when the PC is connected via a Wi-Fi router, the gray IP address issued by the router will be displayed in the PC properties. In such a situation, the IP address issued by the provider must be viewed in the router settings, namely: in the Internet or WAN status.

If the IP address in the status of the router does not match the one you see on the 2ip.ua website, then most likely the provider has given you a gray IP. Such gray IPs most often begin with 10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x. or 172.16.x.x.