Difference between revisions of "IP address"
(Addes some extra information) |
(Added Reference) |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
IP addresses are often traced to service providers using WHOIS searches such as those provided by the five RIRs. WHOIS search results usually provide useful information for contacting the ISPs to report abuse. | IP addresses are often traced to service providers using WHOIS searches such as those provided by the five RIRs. WHOIS search results usually provide useful information for contacting the ISPs to report abuse. | ||
| − | IP version 4 is what's currently used by most network devices. However, with more and more computers accessing the internet, IPv4 addresses are running out quickly. Just like in a city, addresses have to be created for new neighborhoods but, if your neighborhood gets too large, you will have to come up with an entire new pool of addresses. IPv4 is limited to just 4,294,967,296 addresses. IP version 6 is the replacement for the aging IPv4. The estimated number of unique addresses for IPv6 is 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 or 2^128. | + | IP version 4 is what's currently used by most network devices. However, with more and more computers accessing the internet, IPv4 addresses are running out quickly. Just like in a city, addresses have to be created for new neighborhoods but, if your neighborhood gets too large, you will have to come up with an entire new pool of addresses. IPv4 is limited to just 4,294,967,296 addresses. IP version 6 is the replacement for the aging IPv4. The estimated number of unique addresses for IPv6 is 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 or 2^128. <ref name="What is My IP">http://www.whatismyip.com/faq/what-is-an-ip-address.asp</ref> |
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
*[http://www.afrinic.net African Network Information Center] | *[http://www.afrinic.net African Network Information Center] | ||
*[http://www.lacnic.net Latin American/Carribean Network Information Center] | *[http://www.lacnic.net Latin American/Carribean Network Information Center] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Notes== | ||
| + | {{reflist|2}} | ||
[[Category:Information technology]] | [[Category:Information technology]] | ||
Revision as of 04:34, November 29, 2010
An IP address ("Internet Protocol", commonly known as an IP) is a number which is an exclusive number all information technology devices including printers, routers, modems, et al. It is given to a computer upon accessing the Internet or a LAN.
IP addresses may be either static or dynamic. Static IP addresses do not change, while dynamic IP addresses do. Dynamic IP addresses are issued from a pool of IP addresses allocated by your ISP or DHCP Server. If a computer's dynamic IP address expires, the computer is assigned a new one.
IP addresses are often traced to service providers using WHOIS searches such as those provided by the five RIRs. WHOIS search results usually provide useful information for contacting the ISPs to report abuse.
IP version 4 is what's currently used by most network devices. However, with more and more computers accessing the internet, IPv4 addresses are running out quickly. Just like in a city, addresses have to be created for new neighborhoods but, if your neighborhood gets too large, you will have to come up with an entire new pool of addresses. IPv4 is limited to just 4,294,967,296 addresses. IP version 6 is the replacement for the aging IPv4. The estimated number of unique addresses for IPv6 is 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 or 2^128. [1]
See also
External links
- American Registry for Internet Numbers
- European Network Information Center
- Asia Pacific Network Information Center
- African Network Information Center
- Latin American/Carribean Network Information Center
