What is an IP Address?
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a network. It serves as an identifier that allows devices to communicate with each other over the internet, much like a postal address identifies a physical location.
How Does IP Address Work?
There are two versions of IP addresses in use today. IPv4 addresses use a 32-bit format written as four numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1), supporting about 4.3 billion unique addresses. IPv6 uses a 128-bit format written in hexadecimal (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334), providing a vastly larger address space to accommodate the growing number of internet-connected devices.
In web hosting, your server has at least one public IP address that allows the internet to reach it. DNS translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses so browsers can locate servers. Some hosting plans offer dedicated IP addresses for your website, which can be important for SSL certificates and email deliverability, while shared hosting typically uses a shared IP address with multiple sites.