Every device on the internet needs an address. An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to devices on a network. It tells data where to go. When you load a webpage, your request travels from your IP address to the server's IP address, and the response comes back the same way.

IPv4 addresses look like 192.168.1.1. They are 32 bits long, allowing about 4.3 billion unique addresses. That ran out. IPv6 uses 128 bits, allowing a virtually unlimited number. Adoption is growing but not complete. Many networks run both.

Types of IP addresses

• Public: visible on the internet
• Private: used inside home or office networks
• Static: does not change
• Dynamic: assigned by DHCP and can change
• IPv4 vs IPv6: old and new formats

IP addresses are not personal identifiers, but they can reveal approximate location and ISP. Websites log them. Advertisers use them. VPNs mask them by routing traffic through another server. Privacy and convenience trade off again.