IP address

An IP address is a numerical identifier assigned to a network interface for locating and communicating with it on an Internet Protocol network. IPv4 and IPv6 are its principal formats.

Internet Protocol: The network-layer protocol that carries datagrams between interfaces across interconnected networks. IP addresses are the source and destination identifiers carried in its packet headers.
IP address notation: The conventions for writing IP addresses, including dotted decimal for IPv4 and colon-separated hexadecimal for IPv6. Notation makes the two address formats readable and distinguishes their component groups.
Domain Name System: The distributed naming system that maps domain names to information including IP addresses. DNS lets people use domain names while network connections rely on destination IP addresses.
MAC address: A link-layer identifier assigned to a network interface for communication on a local network. A MAC address operates on the local link, while an IP address supports internetwork routing.
IPv4: The fourth version of Internet Protocol, using 32-bit addresses commonly written as four decimal octets. It is the widely deployed address format with a limited address space.
CIDR: Classless Inter-Domain Routing represents an IP network with an address prefix length, such as /24. Prefix lengths specify how much of an address identifies its network.
Network Address Translation: A technique that rewrites IP address information as packets pass through a network device. NAT lets multiple private-address devices share one or more public addresses.
Domain name: A human-readable name in the Domain Name System that can resolve to network addresses. Names are memorable and service-oriented; IP addresses are numerical routing identifiers.
IPv6: The sixth version of Internet Protocol, using 128-bit addresses written in hexadecimal groups. Its much larger address space supports vastly more unique interface identifiers.
Private network: A network using address space reserved for internal communication and not directly routed on the public Internet. Private IP addresses work within local networks but are not globally reachable.

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