{"id":12581,"date":"2016-09-26T20:14:17","date_gmt":"2016-09-26T14:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.resellerclub.com\/?p=12581"},"modified":"2026-02-18T05:29:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T05:29:51","slug":"what-is-an-ip-address-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.resellerclub.com\/blog\/what-is-an-ip-address-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is an IP Address Anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Internet Protocol (IP) was first created in the 1970\u2019s to connect the first computers to each other and allow them to send and receive packets of information. Today, every device that connects to the internet requires an IP address. An example IP address that many people will recognize is: <\/span><\/p>\n

192.168.0.1<\/span><\/p>\n

However, that is not really your IP address, it is the IP address your router gives you. (I will explain later)<\/span><\/p>\n

Every IP address is assigned to an endpoint device (routers, personal computers, tablets, wireless printers, smartphones, or any \u201csmart\u201d device that connects to a network) Basically, an IP address is like a home address; without one, the mailman wouldn\u2019t know where to deliver your packages. Similarly, without an IP address, the network wouldn\u2019t know which end device to deliver all the information from emails, webpages, or any other packets of data. <\/span><\/p>\n

But did you know that there are different kinds of IP addresses, each of which offer specific benefits to different users? In order to decide which IP address is right for you, it is necessary to understand the basics of IP addressing. <\/span><\/p>\n

What’s the Difference between a Private and Public Network?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

These days, it is your router that usually assigns IP addresses to each of your devices. A router usually creates its own network called a Sub-Network (<\/span>subnet<\/span><\/a>). These IP addresses assigned by a router are called \u201cinternal IPs,\u201d meaning they are only unique within your subnetwork. <\/span><\/p>\n

Think of it this way, if you have the same name and street address as someone who lives in another town, the mailman still knows which person to deliver the package to, based on the zip codes. Each zip code is like its own subnetwork, where the post office is like your router. So, you can have the same internal IP address as someone else (like 192.168.0.1), if you both belong to a different sub-networks (created by your router).<\/span><\/p>\n

If you did have the same name and street address as someone in the same zip code, then things would get confusing. The same thing is true for networks. If two endpoints have the same address in the same network, it is called an IP conflict, and no information can be sent or received until the conflict is resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n

If a network is solely made up of internal IPs, then that network is called a \u201cprivate network.\u201d Private networks are usually not able to connect to the internet or other networks, so they are usually built with security in mind. <\/span><\/p>\n

Networks that have an \u201cexternal IP,\u201d which means that it connects to the internet or another network, are called \u201cpublic networks.\u201d With an external IP, public network can be hacked, and, once in the network, hackers can infect any connected computers and steal private information. So, if you want an IP that is nearly impossible to hack, you should look into getting a private IP address to protect your most important and secretive information. <\/span><\/p>\n

What’s the Difference between a Static and Dynamic IP Address?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

If you have never dealt with IPs, it means that you were probably assigned one by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP like Time Warner, Roadrunner, or Comcast usually handles all of your IP issues for you automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

You probably never even noticed that your IP address actually changes all the time. That\u2019s because almost all home routers use a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or a shared IP address. ISPs lease out a lot of IP addresses, but each IP address is only active for a limited time. When the lease expires, your router will automatically assign a new IP address out of the shared pool of IP addresses allocated. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is why unplugging your router can resolve problems connecting to the internet; when you unplug your router, your ISP assigns you a new IP address dynamically. <\/span><\/p>\n

ISPs use a dynamic IP address to increase the available number of IPs. Since only a fraction of IPs are connecting to the internet at any given time, the same IP addresses can be used in rotation by different people at different times. As long as it is not being used by two endpoints at the same time, there are no conflicts. <\/span><\/p>\n

Using shared IP address can make things a lot easier. Since the IP is automatically assigned, you never really have to worry about anything, but if you want to run your own email server or control your IPs for other reasons, a \u201cstatic IP\u201d might be a better choice. <\/span><\/p>\n

A static IP is one that does not change, it remains the same for as long as it is owned by the same entity. No one else can have the same IP, which means that if you use it for your website, you can actually type the IP address into the address bar of your browser instead of the website name. In that way, it is actually just a translated version of your URL address. <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Buying a \u201cstatic IP address,\u201d usually only costs a few extra bucks a month. They tend to be reserved for businesses, but anyone can buy one from their ISP at any time. <\/span><\/p>\n

Which IP Address Is Right for You?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we have an idea about IP addresses, we can discuss which one is right for you. <\/span><\/p>\n