Website Basics

What Is an IP Address?

Published Şubat 4, 2025

Every device that connects to the internet — your phone, laptop, smart TV, and the servers hosting every website — has an IP address. Without IP addresses, the internet simply could not function. Understanding what they are helps you understand how the web works.

Quick answer: An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device on a network. It identifies where data should be sent, like a postal address for internet traffic. Example: 192.168.1.1 (IPv4) or 2001:db8::1 (IPv6).

IPv4 vs IPv6

IPv4

The original IP address format, using 32 bits — written as four numbers separated by dots: 93.184.216.34. This allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. We ran out of IPv4 addresses in 2011.

IPv6

The newer format, using 128 bits — written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits: 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946. This allows for 340 undecillion unique addresses — essentially unlimited. IPv6 adoption is growing but IPv4 still dominates today.

Public vs Private IP Addresses

  • Public IP address — Assigned by your ISP, unique across the internet. This is what websites see when you visit them. Your router has a public IP address.
  • Private IP address — Used within a local network (home, office). Your laptop, phone and other devices have private IPs (e.g. 192.168.1.10) assigned by your router. Private IPs are not reachable from the internet directly.

Static vs Dynamic IP Addresses

  • Static IP — Fixed, never changes. Web servers use static IPs so DNS records remain accurate.
  • Dynamic IP — Changes periodically, assigned by DHCP. Most home internet connections use dynamic IPs.

IP Addresses and Websites

Every web server has a public IP address. When you visit a website, DNS translates the domain name to the server's IP address. Your browser then connects to that IP to request the page.

One IP address can serve multiple websites — this is called virtual hosting. Web servers use the HTTP Host header to determine which website to deliver to a given request.

How to Find Your IP Address

  • Your public IP: Search "what is my IP address" in Google
  • Your private IP: Windows: ipconfig in Command Prompt; Mac/Linux: ifconfig or ip addr
  • A website's IP: Use our DNS Lookup tool — query the A record for the domain

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