what is ip

IP stands for "Internet Protocol". It is a set of rules governing the format of data sent via the internet or local network. An IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to each internet or network device. It is a numerical label connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: network interface identification and location addressing. It identifies the host, or more specifically its network interface, and provides the location of the host in the network, and thus the capability of establishing a path to that host. IP addresses can be static or dynamic, public or private. A private IP address is usually 10.x.x.x, 172.x.x.x, or 192.x.x.x, and is used on local area networks (LANs) like your home WiFi network. IP addresses are not random, they are mathematically produced and allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) .