An IP address is a string of numbers separated by dots. IP addresses are a set of four numbers, for example, 192.158.1.38. Each number in this set belongs to a range from 0 to 255. Thus, the full IP address range is addresses from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255.

IP addresses are not random. They are calculated mathematically and distributed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a division of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is a non-profit organization founded in the United States in 1998 to keep the Internet safe and available for all users. Every time someone registers an Internet domain, they use a domain name registrar that pays ICANN a small fee to register a domain.

Understanding how IP addresses work can help you figure out why a particular device is not connecting as expected and troubleshoot network problems.

Internet protocol works just like any other language: it transmits information using established rules. Devices detect other connected devices and exchange information with them using this protocol. Simply put, all computers, wherever they are located, can communicate with each other.

The use of IP addresses is usually discreet. The process works as follows:

  • The device doesn’t connect to the Internet directly: it first connects to a network connected to the Internet, and the network, in turn, gives the device access to the Internet.
  • If you’re at home, that network is probably your Internet service provider’s network. At the office, it will be your company’s network.
  • The IP address is assigned to the device by your ISP.
  • Your Internet activity flows through your ISP, and your ISP forwards responses to your requests using your IP address. Since your ISP provides Internet access, its role is to assign an IP address to your device.
  • However, your IP address may change, for example, when you turn your modem or router on or off. You can also contact your Internet service provider to have them change the IP address.
  • If you are away from home, such as traveling, and take your device with you, the home IP address is not assigned to the device. This is because the device will use another network (Wi-Fi in a hotel, airport, cafe) to access the Internet and a different temporary IP address assigned by the Internet service provider in the hotel, airport or cafe.