What is an IP address and why is it needed?
Probably each of us knows the famous joke "I'll find you by IP!" And laughed at it more than once.
Computer technologies have been accompanying our lives for quite a long time and no longer seem to be some kind of accessory for a rich and luxurious life, as it was just a few decades ago. Surely each of you has at least one own computer, because otherwise it is very difficult to read our blog. Computers, of course, can be completely different. It can be a desktop, monoblock, laptop or even a tablet computer. No less important for us is the Global Internet, which interacts very closely with our personal computers. Today we cannot imagine a computer that is not connected to the Internet.
But, despite the fact that computers and the Internet have been accompanying us for decades, and it seems to us that we know absolutely everything about them and are very comfortable using all the benefits that modern IT technologies provide us, there are still many questions that sometimes pop up when working at home. Sometimes, even familiar terms can cause surprise and bewilderment that we have never wondered what it means and why it is necessary. Most often this happens with the IP address of our computer. Probably, if not all, then the vast majority of our readers understand that a computer has some kind of IP address, but what it is needed for and what it is, most often, remains a mystery.
Probably each of us knows the famous joke "I'll find you by IP!" And laughed at it more than once.
Computer technologies have been accompanying our lives for quite a long time and no longer seem to be some kind of accessory for a rich and luxurious life, as it was just a few decades ago. Surely each of you has at least one own computer, because otherwise it is very difficult to read our blog. Computers, of course, can be completely different. It can be a desktop, monoblock, laptop or even a tablet computer. No less important for us is the Global Internet, which interacts very closely with our personal computers. Today we cannot imagine a computer that is not connected to the Internet.
But, despite the fact that computers and the Internet have been accompanying us for decades, and it seems to us that we know absolutely everything about them and are very comfortable using all the benefits that modern IT technologies provide us, there are still many questions that sometimes pop up when working at home. Sometimes, even familiar terms can cause surprise and bewilderment that we have never wondered what it means and why it is necessary. Most often this happens with the IP address of our computer. Probably, if not all, then the vast majority of our readers understand that a computer has some kind of IP address, but what it is needed for and what it is, most often, remains a mystery.
What is a computer IP address?
The IP address, in essence, is a kind of name of our computer, which is used only when entering the Internet. But this name does not look familiar to us, because it does not sound like Petya, Vasya or Misha, it is a certain numerical set. Unfortunately, you cannot assign such a name to your computer yourself, because it is provided to us by our Internet provider. IP address is a very important component of our visit to the network, because it stores a lot of important information. Since the IP address of a computer is a kind of computer name, it is completely individual, but, most often, it is not permanent and changes regularly, so we should not get used to the same numerical set.
Usually IP address is divided into two main types - static and dynamic. The first (static) is the one that does not change and remains unchanged every time our computer is turned on. This address is provided by the provider. But, in the vast majority of cases, our IP address is dynamic. This email address is able to change with each new login to the Internet. There are two more types of IP addresses - IPv4 and IPv6. Most likely, this is less interesting information for most ordinary users, but for the sake of curiosity, we will talk about it. These types determine the number of available individual address options. The first offers us about four billion different options, but this is not enough for everyone. Thus, we needed the second version of IPv6, which brought the number of options almost to infinity.
The IP address, in essence, is a kind of name of our computer, which is used only when entering the Internet. But this name does not look familiar to us, because it does not sound like Petya, Vasya or Misha, it is a certain numerical set. Unfortunately, you cannot assign such a name to your computer yourself, because it is provided to us by our Internet provider. IP address is a very important component of our visit to the network, because it stores a lot of important information. Since the IP address of a computer is a kind of computer name, it is completely individual, but, most often, it is not permanent and changes regularly, so we should not get used to the same numerical set.
Usually IP address is divided into two main types - static and dynamic. The first (static) is the one that does not change and remains unchanged every time our computer is turned on. This address is provided by the provider. But, in the vast majority of cases, our IP address is dynamic. This email address is able to change with each new login to the Internet. There are two more types of IP addresses - IPv4 and IPv6. Most likely, this is less interesting information for most ordinary users, but for the sake of curiosity, we will talk about it. These types determine the number of available individual address options. The first offers us about four billion different options, but this is not enough for everyone. Thus, we needed the second version of IPv6, which brought the number of options almost to infinity.
Why do you need an IP address?
The Global Internet is truly global, because it covers the whole world without exaggeration. When we turn on our computer to check the weather, read the latest news, communicate with friends and relatives in social networks, we rarely think about the fact that our computer has an IP address, and we may need information about it. However, sometimes, the need to know information about your IP and apply it correctly arises. In such cases, we begin to feverishly search for at least some information on the same Internet and look for methods of its application. So why do we need information about what is the IP address of our computer?
For example, if we know the IP address of our home computer, we can easily connect to it remotely and access important information stored on it. No less relevant may be the situation when we suspect that our page, for example, in a social network has been hacked. In this case, it should be understood that sites store information about the last IP that visited this resource. So we can compare it with ours and confirm or dispel our fears. Of course, such events may not be held every day, but having basic knowledge about the methods that help us find out the IP address of our computer will not be superfluous for us.
The Global Internet is truly global, because it covers the whole world without exaggeration. When we turn on our computer to check the weather, read the latest news, communicate with friends and relatives in social networks, we rarely think about the fact that our computer has an IP address, and we may need information about it. However, sometimes, the need to know information about your IP and apply it correctly arises. In such cases, we begin to feverishly search for at least some information on the same Internet and look for methods of its application. So why do we need information about what is the IP address of our computer?
For example, if we know the IP address of our home computer, we can easily connect to it remotely and access important information stored on it. No less relevant may be the situation when we suspect that our page, for example, in a social network has been hacked. In this case, it should be understood that sites store information about the last IP that visited this resource. So we can compare it with ours and confirm or dispel our fears. Of course, such events may not be held every day, but having basic knowledge about the methods that help us find out the IP address of our computer will not be superfluous for us.
How to find out the IP address of your computer?
In order to take advantage of all the benefits and opportunities that open up to us when we know the exact IP address of our computer, we need to know the methods that will allow us to find out the same individual numerical set of dynamic or static address of our PC. Running a little ahead, I will say that this is a very simple process that will not take us much time. Thus, you can determine the most optimal method for yourself and easily remember it. The first popular method to determine the IP address of your computer is the command line. To do this, hold down Win + R and type "cmd" in the window that appears. Then press "Enter" and in the command line write "ipconfig", and then press "Enter" again.
You can find out your address a little differently. To do this, we need to go to the "Start" menu and find the item "Network and Sharing Center". Then we click on the link "Local Area Connection", and in the window that opens, click on "Information". These two methods we can use thanks to the resources of our computer and operating system. But there is a method that provides us with a variety of Internet resources. Most likely, this is the easiest method, which is that we just need to click on the link to the desired site, and it will automatically give us our IP address. Some resources immediately offer us to change it to another.
In order to take advantage of all the benefits and opportunities that open up to us when we know the exact IP address of our computer, we need to know the methods that will allow us to find out the same individual numerical set of dynamic or static address of our PC. Running a little ahead, I will say that this is a very simple process that will not take us much time. Thus, you can determine the most optimal method for yourself and easily remember it. The first popular method to determine the IP address of your computer is the command line. To do this, hold down Win + R and type "cmd" in the window that appears. Then press "Enter" and in the command line write "ipconfig", and then press "Enter" again.
You can find out your address a little differently. To do this, we need to go to the "Start" menu and find the item "Network and Sharing Center". Then we click on the link "Local Area Connection", and in the window that opens, click on "Information". These two methods we can use thanks to the resources of our computer and operating system. But there is a method that provides us with a variety of Internet resources. Most likely, this is the easiest method, which is that we just need to click on the link to the desired site, and it will automatically give us our IP address. Some resources immediately offer us to change it to another.
How to change your IP address?
Surfing the Internet takes a lot of time and not always this very surfing is useless. We use various resources in order to find out the information we are interested in, to communicate with friends, relatives or just like-minded people. Sometimes, on the contrary, we argue or even quarrel with someone. As a result, in some cases, when entering any of the resources, we may wish to remain incognito or bypass the "ban" that the site administrators have given us for the persistent desire to prove their case. These reasons are the most popular motivators for changing IP addresses. But what is the best way to carry out such a substitution?
Before proceeding with such changes, you should clearly understand what kind of IP address your computer has, static or dynamic. Such information can be most reliably obtained from the provider who will give you the most correct information. You can also conduct an independent check, for example, determine your address using one of the methods we have already described and remember it. After that, disconnect our PC from the network and connect it again. Then we again determine the IP address and compare it with the previous one. If they match, then your email address is most likely static, and if there is no match, then it is dynamic.
To change a static address, we need to contact a provider who is able to provide us with such a service. You can also use special Internet resources, but in this case we will change our address only for a while. If our IP is dynamic, then to change it, we just need to reconnect to the Internet or simply restart the computer.
Surfing the Internet takes a lot of time and not always this very surfing is useless. We use various resources in order to find out the information we are interested in, to communicate with friends, relatives or just like-minded people. Sometimes, on the contrary, we argue or even quarrel with someone. As a result, in some cases, when entering any of the resources, we may wish to remain incognito or bypass the "ban" that the site administrators have given us for the persistent desire to prove their case. These reasons are the most popular motivators for changing IP addresses. But what is the best way to carry out such a substitution?
Before proceeding with such changes, you should clearly understand what kind of IP address your computer has, static or dynamic. Such information can be most reliably obtained from the provider who will give you the most correct information. You can also conduct an independent check, for example, determine your address using one of the methods we have already described and remember it. After that, disconnect our PC from the network and connect it again. Then we again determine the IP address and compare it with the previous one. If they match, then your email address is most likely static, and if there is no match, then it is dynamic.
To change a static address, we need to contact a provider who is able to provide us with such a service. You can also use special Internet resources, but in this case we will change our address only for a while. If our IP is dynamic, then to change it, we just need to reconnect to the Internet or simply restart the computer.
"I'll find you by IP!"
The joke "I'll find you by IP!" has already become a kind of aphorism and a catchphrase. Almost everyone has laughed at it, and we associate it with young people of school age (more often, we call them "schoolchildren"). We never take this phrase seriously, but in fact, if someone gets the exact IP address of your PC, they can get some information about you. In the vast majority of cases, this information is limited to the country you are in and the city, as well as information about your ISP. More detailed information, such as the exact address, name and surname, is owned by the ISP itself, but it is provided by the ISP only in exceptional cases.
Much more information about you can be obtained if you have a dedicated static IP address. But do not panic prematurely! The thing is that it is almost impossible to get your IP address remotely. To do this, you need to either transfer this information to the attacker yourself, or he can receive data from the provider (but, as we remember, the provider provides such data only in exceptional cases). Thus, we understand that it is extremely difficult to get the IP address of our computer and an ordinary person cannot do it. Therefore, you should not take threats like "I will find you by IP!" or any other similar threats seriously at all.
The joke "I'll find you by IP!" has already become a kind of aphorism and a catchphrase. Almost everyone has laughed at it, and we associate it with young people of school age (more often, we call them "schoolchildren"). We never take this phrase seriously, but in fact, if someone gets the exact IP address of your PC, they can get some information about you. In the vast majority of cases, this information is limited to the country you are in and the city, as well as information about your ISP. More detailed information, such as the exact address, name and surname, is owned by the ISP itself, but it is provided by the ISP only in exceptional cases.
Much more information about you can be obtained if you have a dedicated static IP address. But do not panic prematurely! The thing is that it is almost impossible to get your IP address remotely. To do this, you need to either transfer this information to the attacker yourself, or he can receive data from the provider (but, as we remember, the provider provides such data only in exceptional cases). Thus, we understand that it is extremely difficult to get the IP address of our computer and an ordinary person cannot do it. Therefore, you should not take threats like "I will find you by IP!" or any other similar threats seriously at all.
Let's summarize
As we have found out from all of the above, information about the exact IP address of our computer is of little interest to most users and, most often, useless. But, sometimes, there are situations when we need it and we need some simple skills and techniques that will allow us to easily find out the exact IP address of our PC. We have provided you with these skills and you probably made sure that they are quite simple and easy to remember. It is practically impossible to find out the IP address of a third-party computer without contacting the computer itself, so the threats of homegrown hackers and the rest of the virtual "wickedness" with the phrase "I'll find you by IP!" should not be taken seriously at all.
As we have found out from all of the above, information about the exact IP address of our computer is of little interest to most users and, most often, useless. But, sometimes, there are situations when we need it and we need some simple skills and techniques that will allow us to easily find out the exact IP address of our PC. We have provided you with these skills and you probably made sure that they are quite simple and easy to remember. It is practically impossible to find out the IP address of a third-party computer without contacting the computer itself, so the threats of homegrown hackers and the rest of the virtual "wickedness" with the phrase "I'll find you by IP!" should not be taken seriously at all.