IP Address

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique address used by computers to identify and communicate with each on a network. Any network device may be assigned it’s own unique address. This includes routers, switches, printers, internet fax machines and infrastructure servers. Some IP addresses are intended to be unique specifically within the scope of the internet while others are intended to be unique within the scope of a specific organization. An IP address acts a locator that enables one device to find another and communicate with it. However, it is not always intended to act as an identifier of unique devices because of other current technologies such as network address translation and dynamic assignment. For this reason, IP addresses are created and managed by the IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). The IANA is generally responsible for allocating super-blocks of IP addresses to RIRs (Regional Internet Registries). A Regional Internet Registry then allocates smaller blocks to ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and organizations.