Understanding IP address (internet protocol)

What is IP (internet Protocol) Address?

IP address is the medium or the way to communicate the network device which is connected to the physical devices. The connection between physical devices like computer to router, switch to modem etc IP address is required.  To make the communication the IP address is the main key to communicate the devices from network to host or server to client.

To understand Internet Protocol (IP) in deep, we’ll need to understand about the networks and various physical/hardware devices. So let us go through the beginning.

Physical Connection:

            The devices which help or create the medium of the network are known as physical devices. Some examples of physical devices are Cables, Routers, Switch, Switch Hub, Modem, Firewall etc.  To communicate the Device with server, proper physical connection is also required, for example LAN cable is the physical connection between PC to Router or to Switch. Only the physical connection is not sufficient for the network connection, it requires IP (internet protocol) address.

Logical Connection:

          The medium or the path created by the physical devices through which the device communicate to each other (for example: server to client /ISP to home network) is the protocol. The protocol over network or Internet is called internet protocol (IP). In brief sense, protocol is a protocol/medium through which physical devices over network communicates to each other for different purpose. For further understanding, it can be viewed as a road between two cities without which the two cities cannot be connected. So the connection or flow of information by the path like FTP, IP (File Transfer Protocol, Internet Protocol) created by physical devices can be considered as logical connection.

Formation of network:

          In general sense, Computer network means the interconnection between the computers or the devices for the flow of information or communication between each other. when a single computer is connected to other sub computers or devices through physical devices like cables , then it forms a network. Once a network is formed, the devices under network can share information and access one another within the network. On the basic of the coverage area of the networks, it is divided into two major types, they are:

A.      Peer to peer network:

B.      Server to  client network:

A.      Peer to peer Network:

It is a network in which there is two or more workstation/client without server. In such networks, every computers/systems over network can access information of all other systems. It is a network where every system acts as a server and can access all information of entire network. In such network, the advantageous thing is that it doesn’t disturbs the whole network in case of failure of some systems  but the  disadvantage is that there is low security as every system can access all information.

B.      Server to client Network:

It is a network in which there is two or more workstation/client and one server. In such networks, all the internal activities are managed by server and client can access only that information which is allowed by the server. There is high security as only the allowed candidate can access information but the risk is also high as the failure of server disturbs the whole network.

         

IP Address:

IP address is a number tag or a special set of numbers/characters used in networking device that helps to access information within network with the help of Physical devices. Whenever we are connected to a particular network, we/our device is provided with a special set of unique number through which we can access the information on the internet. For understanding, we have already considered protocol as a road or path to connect two cities but IP address is like your house address which provides the information to you and only you. It is the special character of number through which the Device or Server identifies your device and make the communication on your network devices. The general example of IP address is 192.168.1.64

Generally there are two types of IP Address. They are:

A.      IPv4 address

B.      IPv6 address

A.   IPv4 address:

Ipv4 (Internet protocol version four) address where number range from 0-9 is used which is divided into four segment separated by decimal (for example 192.168.1.1). IPv4 address is a 32 bit address divided into four segments and each segment holds 8 bit.

B.   IPv6 address:

IPv6 (Internet protocol version six) address is in hexadecimal form 0-9, a-f which is separated by columns (for example 2001:abcd:asdf:1232:abcd:asdf:1232:aaff) IPv6 is a 128 bit address divided into eight segment and each space occupies four bit.