What Is an IP Address? A Beginner’s Guide

Published: July 31, 2025 • Category: Networking

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is like your device’s home address on the internet or local network. It helps data know where to go — just like a letter needs a destination.

📌 What Does an IP Address Look Like?

The most common format is IPv4 — four numbers separated by dots, like 192.168.1.1.

There’s also IPv6, a newer format made of hexadecimal numbers, like 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

🌍 Public vs. Private IPs

• Public IP: The address your router uses to connect to the internet.
• Private IP: Internal address used inside your local network (e.g. 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x).

🔎 How to Find Your IP Address

• 📱 On mobile: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the connection → see IP details.
• 💻 On Windows: Open Command Prompt and type ipconfig.
• 🐧 On Linux/macOS: Use ifconfig or ip addr.
• 🌐 Online: Visit whatismyipaddress.com.

🛠️ Why It Matters

IP addresses are essential for:

• Network troubleshooting
• Port forwarding
• Blocking unwanted traffic
• Connecting devices (SSH, ping, etc.)

📌 Coming up next: How DNS Works — turning names into numbers.

Got questions? Reach out or drop a message!