Everything You Should Know About IP Address: Types, Uses, and Differences

1. Understanding IP Address and Its Importance
2. IPv4 - The Standard for Internet Connections
3. Private IP Addressing and Its Classes
4. Private IP and Public IP Address Comparison
5. FAQ

Understanding IP Address and Its Importance

In this article, we are going to be talking about what is an IP address and the different types of IP. An IP address is similar to a home. Just as you provide your house address to a food delivery driver to ensure they deliver your food correctly, in the world of networking, an IP address serves as an identity. This identity allows computers and mobile devices to communicate with one another, whether they are sending a file or messaging via social media apps. All these interactions are considered data deliveries over the network.

IPv4 - The Standard for Internet Connections

Us the IP address most commonly in use today is version 4. While many of you may have heard of IPv6, I will explain deeper into IPv6 in our next video. IPv4 was first introduced in the 1980s, marking over four decades of its use. It employs a 32-bit addressing system allowing for up to 4 billion IP addresses. When it was created, the architects of IPv4 couldn't have foreseen the explosive growth of the internet in the 1990s. They believed 4 billion addresses would be sufficient, especially since mobile devices and Wi-Fi were not as ubiquitous as they are today.

Private IP Addressing and Its Classes

Private IP addresses are categorized into three different classes, each supporting a different number of IP addresses within the same network. So, Class A starts with the number 10. This class is typically used for large organizations. Class B starts with 172. This is typically used for medium-sized organizations. Class C starts with 192. This is used for small or home networks. So don't get surprised if you are using 192 networks at home. And this is the under IPv4. A maximum of 4 billion devices can be connected to the internet. However, with the growth of modern technology, there are over 20 billion devices in circulation including smartphones, watches, tablets, and IoT devices.

Private IP and Public IP Address Comparison

Public IP addresses are unique and serve as the primary identifiers for devices connecting to the internet. Security attack is one of the biggest challenges since they are accessible to any online user. Employing firewalls can mitigate potential internet-based attacks. If you enjoyed this video, please click like and subscribe to my channel. Thank you!

FAQ

Q: What is an IP address?
A: An IP address is similar to a home address in the world of networking. It serves as an identity that allows computers and mobile devices to communicate with each other over a network.

Q: What is IPv4 and why is it important?
A: IPv4 is the most commonly used version of IP addressing. It employs a 32-bit addressing system allowing for up to 4 billion IP addresses. Despite its limitations, IPv4 has been the standard for internet connections for over four decades.

Q: What are private IP addresses and their classes?
A: Private IP addresses are categorized into three classes - Class A, Class B, and Class C. Each class supports a different number of IP addresses within the same network. Class A is for large organizations, Class B for medium-sized organizations, and Class C for small or home networks.

Q: How do public and private IP addresses differ?
A: Public IP addresses are unique and serve as the primary identifiers for devices connecting to the internet. Private IP addresses are used within a local network and are not accessible from the internet directly.