What Is An IP Address?

Your Digital Identity on the Internet

The Basics: What Is an IP Address?

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a computer network. Think of it as your device's home address on the internet—it allows data to find its way to and from your device.

When you visit a website, send an email, or stream a video, your device is communicating with servers across the internet. Your IP address makes this communication possible by ensuring data packets reach the correct destination.

IPv4 vs IPv6: Understanding the Difference

Feature	IPv4	IPv6
Format	32-bit (4 bytes)	128-bit (16 bytes)
Example	192.168.1.1	2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
Total Addresses	~4.3 billion	340 undecillion (3.4×10^38)
Notation	Decimal	Hexadecimal

IPv4: The Original Protocol

IPv4 was deployed in 1983 and is still the most widely used protocol. It uses a 32-bit addressing scheme, which allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. An IPv4 address is written as four groups of numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1).

IPv6: The Future of IP Addressing

IPv6 was developed in the late 1990s to address the anticipated exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. It uses a 128-bit addressing scheme, providing an almost unlimited number of addresses (340 undecillion—that's 340 followed by 36 zeros). IPv6 addresses are written in hexadecimal format separated by colons.

Why Are We Running Out of IPv4 Addresses?

When IPv4 was created in the 1980s, the internet was primarily used by universities and government agencies. The inventors never anticipated that billions of devices would eventually connect to the internet—from smartphones and laptops to smart refrigerators and security cameras.

By 2011, the global IPv4 address space was officially exhausted. While techniques like Network Address Translation (NAT) have helped extend IPv4's lifespan by allowing multiple devices to share a single public IP address, the transition to IPv6 is inevitable.

How Many IP Addresses Do We Need?

With the rise of IoT (Internet of Things) devices, it's estimated that by 2025, over 75 billion connected devices will be in use worldwide. IPv6 provides enough addresses for every grain of sand on Earth to have multiple IP addresses—ensuring we won't run out anytime soon.

A Brief History of IP Addresses

1983

IPv4 is deployed with the ARPANET.

1994

Concerns about IPv4 address exhaustion begin to grow.

1998

IPv6 is formally introduced as the successor to IPv4.

2011

IANA allocates the last available IPv4 address blocks to regional registries.

Today

Dual-stack implementation allows both IPv4 and IPv6 to operate simultaneously during the transition period.

Interesting Facts About IP Addresses

The first IP address (0.0.0.0) and the last one (255.255.255.255) are reserved for special use.
If IPv6 addresses were distributed equally among the world's population, each person would have approximately 5×10^28 addresses.
The price of an individual IPv4 address on the secondary market has increased from about $6 in 2011 to over $50 today due to scarcity.
Some IPv4 addresses are worth more than others—blocks with no history of spam or malicious activity can fetch premium prices.
The transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is one of the largest infrastructure upgrades in internet history.

Check Your IP Address

Want to know what type of IP address you're using? Visit our home page to see if you're connected via IPv4 or IPv6.

Privacy Considerations

Your IP address can reveal information about your location and browsing habits. While it doesn't show your exact address or identity, it can be used to track your online activities. To learn more about protecting your online privacy, check out our Privacy & Security Guide.

IPv4 vs IPv6 Addresses

Global IPv4 Address Distribution

The distribution of IPv4 addresses is notably uneven across the globe. Despite having only about 4.4% of the world's population, North America holds approximately 35% of all IPv4 addresses. Europe follows with 25%, while Asia—home to nearly 60% of the global population—has only 22% of IPv4 addresses. This imbalance reflects the early internet adoption patterns and underscores why IPv6 adoption is particularly important in rapidly developing regions facing severe IPv4 scarcity.

Quick Facts

→ Every device on the internet needs a unique IP address
→ IPv4 has a total of 4,294,967,296 addresses
→ IPv6 has 340 undecillion unique addresses - that's 340 trillion trillion trillion addresses, or roughly 340 billion billion billion billion addresses. To put this in perspective, it's enough for every single grain of sand on Earth to have many trillions of its own IP addresses.
→ Many home networks use private IP addresses (192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x)

Quick Links

Want to learn how to protect your privacy online? Check out our Privacy & Security Guide.

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