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Your computer's IP Address is a bit like your street
address. It tells other computers where to deliver
information so that it gets to your computer.
Unlike your street address, which is expressed as plain
text, an IP address is a 32 bit binary number.
This number is usually represented as 4 fields
each representing 8 bit numbers in the range 0 to 255
(sometimes called octets) separated by decimal points.
Even though am IP Address is a single 32-bit number,
it contains two pieces of information. The first
three octets specify the network ID, which is a group
of computers all located on the same logical network.
The fourth octet identifies your computer within the
logical network.
For most people, they connect to the Internet
using a modem attached to (or inside) their computer.
The connection made is from your modem to the modem
of an Internet Service Provide (ISP) so that you can
access the Internet via the ISP's Internet connection.
IP Addresses are finite and limited.
Being a fixed 32-bit number, there is a maximum number
of values that can be assigned to this number.
Therefore, most people do not own a static IP Address.
Rather, their ISP assigns an IP Address when they connect
to the ISP via modem.
This automatically assigned IP Address
is often referred to as a Dynamic IP Address, and is
assigned only for the duration of your current connection.
| So,
how do you find out what your IP Address is ?
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There are a number of ways that you can
determine what your IP Address is. Some of these
methods are more straightforward than others.
ipAddress
v2.50.4 from
Castle Software makes it very easy to determine
your IP Address. ipAddress displays your computer's
current IP Address(es) in a user-sizeable window.
You can change the background colour of
the window and force the window to be 'Always on Top'
if desired.
ipAddress v2.50.4 from Castle Software
is free, just download
it and install it on your computer.
| Why
do you need to know your IP Address ?
|
There are times when it is essential to
know what your IP Address is. There are a
number of software products around that require you
to enter you computer's IP Address when configuring
them. These products will not work if you don't
enter your correct IP Address
The present system of IP network numbers (IPv4), established
in 1981, uses a 32 bit number to identify computers
on the internet. This protocol is getting old
and a bit tired.
A new protocol called IPv6
has been designed by the IETF
to replace the current version Internet Protocol, IP
Version 4 ("IPv4"). IPv6 is short for
"Internet Protocol Version 6", and fixes a
number of problems in IPv4, such as the limited number
of available IPv4 addresses. It also adds many improvements
to IPv4 in areas such as routing and network auto configuration.
IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the
two coexisting for a number of years during a transition
period. See the IPv6
web page for more details.
RFC
791 - Internet Protocol
RFC
1180 - A TCP/IP Tutorial
IPv6
IP
Version 6 (IPv6)
Microsoft
- An Introduction to IPv6
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