What is IP Address ?



🌐 What is IP Address? How does that even work?

Today we will discuss in depth about the "IP Address" that we all use it everyday but often don't pay attention to. As a professional, I believe this topic is not only for beginners but also for every digital age traveller to know.

IP Address or Internet Protocol Address is a special identification number that can be identified by any device on the network. Take this as a "digital identity" not a name. When billions of computers and phones in the world exchange information, one device finds the other and says "this information is for you" this address is necessary. Just like you can't send a letter without an address, you can't do any activity on the internet without an IP address.

The main benefit of IP address is to direct information in the right way (#Routing). When we open a website on the internet, our device sends a request to the server. That server will send us any information we want by making our IP address as the source. This process is carried out by a complex way called "Packet Switching", the information is divided into small packages and follows our address and reaches our phone or computer as a target.

When we talk about IP, it is important to clear the difference between IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 is an address that we have been using for a long time and it can distinguish four numbers point by point. But since the number of IPv4 addresses in the world is only around 4.3 billion and the number of people and weapons is more than that, the addresses are gone. The new address called IPv6 came to solve this problem. Since IPv6 covers a very large number of addresses, we will not be short of addresses for any modern devices in the future.

The other thing we should know is the difference between Public and Private IP. Public IP is a "public" address given by your internet service provider (ISP( Safaricom Ethiopia , Ethio telecom )) that the whole world knows your network. Private IP is the internal address that the router in your house gives to each phone and laptop. This operation will enable many devices to access internet using one Public IP, which plays a big role in keeping the network safe and not wasting addresses.

Finally let me remind you a little bit about IP address security. Your IP address can accurately indicate where you are, which internet provider you use, and other basic information. Therefore, when we travel in the digital world, it is better not to touch unknown links and not to give our personal address to hackers. Using technologies like VPN that hide addresses when necessary will give us more protection.

Subsection: IT Knowledge
Section: Student Zone

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Last edited REHAN - 18 Apr 2026, 13:44
Latest Activity: 18 Apr 2026, 13:44