What is an IP address and how does it work?

What is the meaning of IP address?

An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to a device on the internet or a local network. Short for "Internet Protocol," IP refers to the rules that dictate how data is formatted and transmitted across networks.

IP addresses are essential for the internet’s functionality, facilitating communication by directing data between devices, and ensuring it reaches the intended destination. Each IP address includes location details that make devices identifiable within a network, allowing the internet to differentiate between computers, routers, and websites.

How do IP addresses work?

IP addresses work by providing a unique label to each device on a network, allowing them to send and receive data packets according to TCP/IP protocols. Routers and other network devices use these addresses to route packets to their correct destination, ensuring efficient and accurate communication between devices.

Here’s a closer look at how IP addresses help facilitate network data transfers:

1. Device initialisation: Your device connects to a network and prepares to communicate.
2. IP address assignment: The network router assigns separate IP addresses to each network device, after receiving its own IP address allocation from an organisation like ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) via the ISP (internet service provider).
3. Domain Name System (DNS) resolution: When you enter a domain name (like google.com), the DNS translates it into a machine-readable IP address. This process allows your device to locate and communicate with the correct server on the internet.
4. Data packet transmission: Data is broken into packets, each containing the source and destination IP addresses. These data packets are then sent by the transmitting device and forwarded across the network.
5. Network address translation (NAT): NAT modifies IP address information in packet headers as data passes through a router, replacing the private IP address with the router’s public IP address. This allows multiple devices on a private network to share a single public IP.
6. Routing and switching: Routing uses IP addresses to direct data packets between different networks, while switching handles traffic within a single network, using MAC addresses to route packets to specific devices.
7. Delivery and response: Data packets arrive at the destination device or server, identified by its IP address. The destination may send a response or acknowledgement back to the source device, using IP addresses to ensure the correct return path.
8. Renewal and reassignment: Dynamic IP addresses are periodically renewed and reassigned as devices connect and disconnect from networks. This process ensures each device has a valid, unique IP address, preventing conflicts and maintaining efficient network organisation.

Types of IP addresses

Different types of IP addresses are used to manage the limited pool of available addresses, improve security, and meet specific networking needs. These include IPv4 and IPv6 IP addresses, public and private IP addresses, and static and dynamic IP addresses.

IPv4

IPv4 is a legacy generation of IP that’s still widely used. They use a 32-bit address format, represented in dotted decimal notation, with a maximum of 15 characters. Its main drawback is limited address space, with only around 4 billion possible unique addresses. To help cope with address exhaustion, ISPs use techniques like NAT, enabling multiple devices to share a single public IP.

An example of an IPv4 address is: 192.168.1.1.

IPv6

IPv6 addresses are the newest IP address iteration. These types of IPs offer a greatly expanded address space, by using 128-bit addresses written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. This allows for more than 340 undecillion unique addresses — a limit we’ll likely never hit. IPv6 also improves routing efficiency and network security by incorporating IPsec authentication and encryption protocols.

An example of an IPv6 address is: 2401:0fc8:85b3:0000:0000:8b6e:0730:7314.

Public IP address

A public IP address is assigned to devices like routers, which are directly accessible over the internet. Public IPs are globally unique and traceable, which allows external devices to communicate with your network — but it also makes them visible and traceable to a specific location. To enhance privacy and security, devices within a local network typically share one public IP address.

Private IP address

A private IP address, or local IP address, is assigned by your router to devices within your local network. Each device gets a unique private IP to help the router direct traffic correctly. Unlike public IP addresses, which are visible on the internet, private IPs remain confined to your local network, which means they don’t need to be universally unique and can be reused across multiple networks.

Static IP address

Static IP addresses, also known as dedicated or fixed IP addresses, don’t change. Once a device is assigned an IP address, that address remains the same. Static IP addresses are common for web servers, email servers, or other devices that need to be consistently accessible at the same address.

Dynamic IP address

Dynamic IP addresses are temporary addresses assigned to devices by a network’s DHCP server each time a device connects to the network. This allows efficient use of available addresses, making it ideal for networks with many users. Dynamic IPs also offer security benefits, since their changing nature makes it harder for hackers to target.

How to find your IP address

You can find your public IP address by Googling “What is my IP?” Google and other web services know your IP address because it’s assigned to your device and is required to connect to the internet in the first place. When you search, Google usually displays your public IP address in an info box, but you might need to scroll down a bit to see it.

But if you want to see your computer or phone’s network-provided IP address — known as your private IP address — you’ll need to look up the local IP directly on your device.

Find your IP address on Windows

Here’s how to look up your IP address on a PC:

        1. Go to Start > Settings > Network & internet.

        2. Select Wi-Fi (for wireless connections) or Ethernet (for wired connections).

        3. Click your network’s Properties icon, then scroll until you see your IP address.

Find your IP address on Mac

To find your Mac’s IP address, follow these steps:

1. Open System Settings > Wi-Fi > Details.
2. Scroll until you see your IP address.

Find your IP address on Android

You can also check your phone’s IP address by following these steps:

1. Go to Settings > About phone.
2. Scroll down until you see your IP address.

Find your IP address on iPhone

To see your iPhone’s IP address:

        1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.

        2. Tap the blue info icon next to your network.

        3. Scroll down to see your IPv4 and (if applicable) IPv6 IP addresses.

You may see multiple IP addresses listed if you’re assigned a public IP address from your mobile network operator and a private IP address from your Wi-Fi network.

What can someone do with your IP address?

If someone has your IP address, they can approximate your location, track your online activity, and potentially target you with ads or cyber attacks. While an IP alone won’t typically lead to hacking, it can be a starting point for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in your network.

Here’s a closer look at ways a cybercriminal may use your IP address:

• Monitor your online activity: A criminal could monitor your online activity using your IP address by intercepting network traffic or exploiting vulnerabilities to access your devices or data.
• Launch cyber attacks: Your IP address could be used to launch attacks like DDoS attacks, overwhelming your network with traffic to disrupt your connection. They may also target you with spyware or malware, potentially gaining access to your device and personal data.
• Personalise spam and scams: Cybercriminals can use your IP address to find your general location. Later, they can leverage this information to personalise scams and spam messages, making them seem more relevant to you.
• Impersonate you: If a hacker has your IP address, they could attempt to impersonate you by spoofing your IP to make it seem like their activity originates from your device.

How to hide your IP address

Common methods for hiding an IP address include using a VPN, proxy server, NAT firewall, or anonymizing browser. You can also try connecting to a non-static IP address or resetting your router.

Here’s a closer look at different ways to hide your IP address:

• VPNs: A VPN hides your IP address by encrypting and routing your internet traffic through a VPN server, which assigns you a new IP address and masks your original one.
• Proxy servers: Although they typically lack encryption, proxies can help hide your IP address by displaying their server IP address to the sites you visit.
• Dynamic IP addresses: Your IP address won’t exactly be obscured, but by changing periodically, dynamic IP addresses assigned by a public Wi-Fi network or your mobile network provider make it harder for you to be tracked or targeted.
• NAT firewalls: A NAT firewall on your router helps hide your IP address by using a shared public IP for multiple devices, preventing incoming traffic from accessing your devices directly without port forwarding.
• Reset your router: Resetting your router can assign a new dynamic IP address, replacing your previous IP and disrupting any ongoing tracking or attacks aimed at your old IP address.
• Browse with Tor: By routing your internet traffic through an encrypted network of server “nodes,”  Tor helps mask your original IP address — although it is still exposed to the first node in the network.
• Reset your router: Performing a router reset may assign a new local IP to devices, but it won’t necessarily change your public IP unless your ISP provides a dynamic IP.

Mask your IP address

Don’t want hackers turning up on your digital doorstep? Hiding your IP address with a VPN from a trusted brand is the most effective and reliable way to boost your internet privacy and security.

Norton VPN helps shield your IP address from prying eyes looking to track your online activity, uncover your location, or steal sensitive personal or financial data. Thanks to bank-grade encryption, your IP is masked, and your data is routed through a secure tunnel, helping to ensure a private and secure online experience every time you connect.

FAQs

Can I change my IP address?

Yes, you can change your IP address. An easy and secure way to do so is to use a VPN to assign your device a virtual IP address whenever you connect, keeping your real IP address private.

What's the difference between a MAC address and IP address?

A Media Access Control (MAC) address is a permanent and unique hardware identifier for a device’s network interface controller (NIC), used for communication within a local network. In contrast, an IP address identifies a device’s connection to a network and can change depending on location and connection type.

Does your IP address change with location?

Yes, an IP address can change with location. When you connect to the internet from different places, such as different Wi-Fi networks or using mobile data, your device is assigned a new IP address based on the network's location. This helps identify your approximate geographical location.

What is a loopback IP address?

A loopback IP address routes data packets from the original device back to itself so it doesn’t travel over the internet. Developers and network administrators typically use loopback IPs to perform tests or debugging.

What is the 192.168 IP address?

192.168.x.x is a private default address commonly used for routers in home networks and other small private networks. Each device connected to the same local network shares the same number sequence at the beginning but has a unique identifier at the end.