How Do IP Addresses Work?

Here is a simple way to understand IP addresses and how IP address validation can work for you. An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label attached to each device, as in a printer or computer that participated in a computer network using Internet Protocol for communication.

An IP address serves two primary functions: host or network interface location addressing and identification. To its designers, an IP address is a 32-bit number, and the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) manages IP address space allocations worldwide. It delegates regional Internet registries (RIRs) to assign IP address blocks to local internet service providers.

IP addresses are assigned to a host either anew upon booting time or permanently through fixed configuration of its software or hardware. Using a "static IP address" means persistent configuration. Using a "dynamic IP address," on the other hand, is assigning a computer's IP address every so often.

A static IP address is manually assigned to a computer by an administrator, and there is a specific procedure for each platform. This is differently done in the case of dynamic IP addresses, which are assigned by the computer interface or host software, or by a server using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol or DHCP. These dynamic IP addresses are most usually assigned on LANs and broadband networks by DHCP servers, and they rid the admin of the added task of assigning specific static addresses to every device on the network. They also allow numerous devices to share limited network address space if only a certain number of them will be online at once.