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An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. [1] [2] IP addresses serve two main functions: network interface identification, and location addressing.
The TCP/IP model includes specifications for translating the network addressing methods used in the Internet Protocol to link-layer addresses, such as media access control (MAC) addresses. All other aspects below that level, however, are implicitly assumed to exist and are not explicitly defined in the TCP/IP model.
IP addressing entails the assignment of IP addresses and associated parameters to host interfaces. The address space is divided into subnets , involving the designation of network prefixes. IP routing is performed by all hosts, as well as routers , whose main function is to transport packets across network boundaries.
The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) performs this IP-address-to-hardware-address translation for IPv4. In addition, the reverse correlation is often necessary. For example, unless an address is preconfigured by an administrator, when an IP host is booted or connected to a network it needs to determine its IP address.
The physical layer is responsible for physical transmission of the data, link encapsulation allows local area networking, IP provides global addressing of individual computers, and TCP selects the process or application (i.e., the TCP or UDP port) that specifies the service such as a Web or TFTP server. [7]
Link-local addresses may be assigned manually by an administrator or by automatic operating system procedures. In Internet Protocol (IP) networks, they are assigned most often using stateless address autoconfiguration, a process that often uses a stochastic process to select the value of link-local addresses, assigning a pseudo-random address that is different for each session.
In Internet networking, a private network is a computer network that uses a private address space of IP addresses. These addresses are commonly used for local area networks (LANs) in residential, office, and enterprise environments. Both the IPv4 and the IPv6 specifications define private IP address ranges. [1] [2]
Network diagram with IP network addresses indicated e.g. 192.168.100.3.. A network address is an identifier for a node or host on a telecommunications network.Network addresses are designed to be unique identifiers across the network, although some networks allow for local, private addresses, or locally administered addresses that may not be unique. [1]