The Internet Protocol address, IP is a unique address that is assigned to every computer or electronic device that is connected to the internet and ensures the computer is able to send and receive requests. It is like a mail or postal address, you can not receive or send emails without a mail address that is unique to you or your organization.
What human sees and can easily recall are the words in a DNS. what the computer sees are the numbers behind the domain names. The IP address as a range of numbers is divided into four parts each separated by a dot. For eg 192.42.240.10. This set of numbers serves as the address or the basic locator of any device, website, or application that uses or connects with other networks or servers within the internet.
Different versions of IP IPv4 - a 32-bit address length with a 20-60 byte header IP address made up of only numbers in one field that is presented in a range of four(4) and separated by a dot(.). The IP version 4 is the current and mostly used address and is unique to every computer.
IPv6 - a 128-bit in length IP address in a hexadecimal presentation that is separated by a colon(:) and runs within the range of 8 partitions and 2 octets in each partition and a fixed 40 bytes header. The IP version 6 is the next generation of IP addresses and has a large address space of 340 undecillion unique addresses, unlike the IPv4 which has only 4 billion.
Types of IP address Private IP address - this is the local IP address that the computer uses to communicate with other computers within the same local network. Working only on the Local Area Network (LAN) it is connected to, it uses a uniform manner in its differentiation and it is freely available and easily accessible within the system.
Public IP address - this is an IP address assigned to a computer by the Internet Service Providers (ISP). the computer uses this IP address to connect with other computers or servers outside its local network. It is not differentiated from other IPs in any uniform manner, it enables the local system to get internet access, it is dynamic and controlled by the service providers, and enables a global reach.
How to find public IP addresses
You can find your local and public IP address, use the terminal, with any of the following commands
- ifconfig
- IPconfig /all
- IP addr
- arp -a
- curl ifconfig.me
Find your public IP address using a browser
whatismyip.com or whatismyip.org DNS lookup. icanhazip.com this IP search goes straight to the point in finding your IP without any long queries or processes.
Protecting your IP address
Through your IP address, your device can easily be seen, spied on, monitored, and traced by bad guys. Not hiding your IP address can be a good way of allowing unknown entities to follow you around the internet since your IP address is visible by default.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a good technique to adopt when you want effectively hide your IP. the VPN gives you another address that is not the actual one assigned to your device by the ISP and hides your main IP. basically when you visit any website, what they will see and record through their cookies in the IP made available to you by the VPN.