When we see a string of numbers such as “192.168.0.1”, most of us know that we’re looking at an IP address. But what exactly is an IP address, and why does it take that form? These are things you might not know – and that’s fine, because you don’t need that level of knowledge to keep your home or small office network running smoothly and securely.
Even so, the information can be useful when it comes to troubleshooting and optimising your network – and it’s interesting, too, in a geeky sort of way. Here’s a quick guide to the mysteries of IP and how it works.
01 What needs an IP address?
The full name of IP is “internet protocol”, but it’s not just used for internet connections. In fact, any device that’s on any sort of network must have an IP address. If it doesn’t have an address, it’s not on a network, because nothing else can talk to it.
To be fair, that’s a simplification. There
