What is IP addressing | Public Address | Private address | Binary Number

IP addressing is a fundamental concept in computer networking that allows devices to be uniquely identified and communicate with each other over an IP-based network, such as the internet. An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

Key aspects of IP addressing include:

IPv4 and IPv6: There are two main versions of IP addresses: IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) and IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6). IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long and are expressed as four sets of numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.0.1). However, with the growth of the internet, IPv4 addresses have become scarce. IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long and are expressed in hexadecimal notation with eight groups of four digits separated by colons (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). IPv6 provides a significantly larger address space to accommodate the increasing number of devices connected to the internet.

IP Address Classes: In IPv4, IP addresses are divided into classes based on their network and host portions. This classification scheme is referred to as IP address classes. The classes include Class A, Class B, and Class C, as well as Class D and Class E reserved for special purposes. Each class has a different range of network and host addresses, allowing for different scales of networks.

Private IP Addresses: Private IP addresses are reserved for use within private networks and are not routable on the public internet. These addresses are commonly used in home and office networks to facilitate internal communication. Examples of private IP address ranges include 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 and 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255.

Subnetting: Subnetting is a technique used to divide a large IP network into smaller, more manageable subnetworks or subnets. It allows for efficient allocation of IP addresses and helps in organizing and managing networks.

Dynamic and Static IP Addresses: IP addresses can be assigned dynamically or statically. Dynamic IP addresses are assigned by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server and are temporary, typically with a lease period. Static IP addresses, on the other hand, are manually assigned to a device and remain constant.

IP Addressing and Routing: IP addressing plays a crucial role in the routing of data packets across networks. Routers use IP addresses to determine the best path for forwarding packets from the source to the destination based on routing tables and protocols such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) or BGP (Border Gateway Protocol).

IP addressing is a foundational concept in networking, enabling devices to locate and communicate with each other over IP-based networks. It provides the basis for the internet's interconnectedness and the seamless transmission of data between devices worldwide.