Structure and Types of IP Address

An IP address represents an Internet Protocol address. A unique address that identifies the device
over the network. It is almost like a set of rules governing the structure of data sent over the Internet
or through a local network. An IP address helps the Internet to distinguish between different routers,
computers, and websites. It serves as a specific machine identifier in a specific network and helps to
improve visual communication between source and destination.

IP address structure: IP addresses are displayed as a set of four digits- the default address may be
192.158.1.38. Each number on the set may range from 0 to 255. Therefore, the total IP address range
ranges from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255.

IP address is basically divided into two parts: X1. X2. X3. X4

1. [X1. X2. X3] is the Network ID

2. [X4] is the Host ID

1. Network ID–
It is the part of the left-hand IP address that identifies the specific network where the device
is located. In the normal home network, where the device has an IP address 192.168.1.32,
the 192.168.1 part of the address will be the network ID. It is customary to fill in the last part
that is not zero, so we can say that the device’s network ID is 192.168.1.0.

2. Hosting ID–
The host ID is part of the IP address that was not taken by the network ID. Identifies a
specific device (in the TCP / IP world, we call devices “host”) in that network. Continuing with
our example of the IP address 192.168.1.32, the host ID will be 32- the unique host ID on the
192.168.1.0 network.

Version of IP address:

Currently there are 2 versions of IP addresses are in use i.e IPV4 and IPV6

1. IPV4 (Internet Protocol Version 4): It is the first version of Internet Protocol address. The
address size of IPV4 is 32 bit number. In this Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) with respect to
network security is optional. It is having 4,294,967,296 number of address still we are seeing
a shortage in network addresses as the use of network & virtual devices are increasing
rapidly.

2. IPV6 (Internet Protocol Version 6): It is the recent version of Internet Protocol address. The
address size of IPV6 is 128 bit number. In this Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) with respect
to network security is mandatory. It allows 3.4 x 10^38 unique IP addresses which seems to
be more than sufficient to support trillions of internet devices present now or coming in
future.

IP Address Types:
There are 4 types of IP Addresses- Public, Private, Fixed, and Dynamic. Among them, public and
private addresses are derived from their local network location, which should be used within the
network while public IP is used offline.

1. Public IP address–
A public IP address is an Internet Protocol address, encrypted by various servers/devices.
That’s when you connect these devices with your internet connection. This is the same IP
 address we show on our homepage. So why the second page? Well, not all people speak the
IP language. We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to get the information they
need. Some even call this their external IP address. A public Internet Protocol address is an
Internet Protocol address accessed over the Internet. Like the postal address used to deliver
mail to your home, the public Internet Protocol address is a different international Internet
Protocol address assigned to a computer device. The web server, email server, and any
server device that has direct access to the Internet are those who will enter the public
Internet Protocol address. Internet Address Protocol is unique worldwide and is only
supplied with a unique device.

2. Private IP address–
Everything that connects to your Internet network has a private IP address. This includes
computers, smartphones, and tablets but also any Bluetooth-enabled devices such as
speakers, printers, or smart TVs. With the growing internet of things, the number of private
IP addresses you have at home is likely to increase. Your router needs a way to identify these
things separately, and most things need a way to get to know each other. Therefore, your
router generates private IP addresses that are unique identifiers for each device that
separates the network.

3. Static IP Address–
A static IP address is an invalid IP address. Conversely, a dynamic IP address will be provided
by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, which can change. The Static IP
address does not change but can be changed as part of normal network management.
Static IP addresses are incompatible, given once, remain the same over the years. This type
of IP also helps you get more information about the device.

4. Dynamic IP address–
It means constant change. A dynamic IP address changes from time to time and is not always
the same. If you have a live cable or DSL service, you may have a strong IP address. Internet
Service Providers provide customers with dynamic IP addresses because they are too
expensive. Instead of one permanent IP address, your IP address is taken out of the address
pool and assigned to you. After a few days, weeks, or sometimes even months, that number
is returned to the lake and given a new number. Most ISPs will not provide a static IP address
to customers who live there and when they do, they are usually more expensive. Dynamic IP
addresses are annoying, but with the right software, you can navigate easily and for free.