IP Address | Computer for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

IP Address

• IP addresses serve to identify and locate devices on the internet, facilitating the exchange of data between them.
• An IPv4 address consists of four numbers separated by periods, each representing a byte ranging from 0 to 255. The IPv4 system supports over 4 billion unique addresses. For instance, an IPv4 address could appear as 192.164.3.1.
• Routers and gateways possess distinct public addresses. These addresses are assigned by internet service providers and function as the network's IP address.
• Public addresses are typically static, implying that they remain constant and do not frequently change.

A diagram showing how Private and Public IP addresses are used to identify devices on the Internet and within a LAN

• A router assigns private IP addresses to devices connected within its network.
• Private IP addresses are often dynamic, allowing them to change.
• Dynamic addresses are assigned from a pool of available addresses when needed.
• The IPv4 system is running out of addresses due to the surge in networked devices.
• IPv6 has been developed to provide unique addresses for every networked device.
  • IPv6 utilizes a 128-bit address, distinguishing it from IPv4.
  • Digits in IPv6 addresses are categorized into eight groups.
    • Each group consists of four hexadecimal digits.
    • For instance, an IPv6 address looks like: bb43:ff3f:0000:549b:e43e:db84:1f1f:0b9e

A comparison of IPv4 and IPv6 IP addresses