IP address - (1)

Internet Protocol Address

(IP address) - 1

Tutorial Objectives :- 

• Explaining IP address
• Identify different classes of IP address
• Explain Subnet Mask
• Assign IP address to a PC Statically or Dynamically
• Explaining Different types of IP address
• Special IP address
• IPv6 IP address

        

(#) Introduction :-

     A device on the network needs an IP (Internet protocol) address to communicate with the other devices. IP address is a unique 32-bit logical address assigned to each device which is connected to a network. An IP address is used to communicate with various networking devices and operates at Network layer. IP address is similar to a telephone number which is unique.

(1) IP address :-      

    
      A unique address mostly used by computers to communicate over a network that uses IP as its basic protocol is known as IP address. IP address is a unique number assigned to any device operating on a network, for example, Computer, Router, Printer, Internet fax machines. Hence, an IP address is used to identify the device in network.

      

      For example, IP address is 11000000.10101000000.00101010.00000001 in binary format but generally with denote in dotted decimal i.e.192.168.42.1. Each of the decimal numbers in an IP address is called an Octet. So, for the IP address 192.168.42.1, the first octet is 192, the second is 168 and so on. The range of decimal numbers in each octet varies is from 0 to 255.

      

      Generally, we do not assign IP address to a computer rather we assign it for the interface i.e. Network Interface Card (NIC). So, if you have two NICs in your computer then you have to assign two IP addresses for both NICS to communicate to the same or two different networks.

(1.1) Dotted decimal Notation of IP address :-

      To make the IP address easier to read and interpret, they are written in decimal format where a point is separated by a Byte. As each byte is 8-bit long, each Number specified by dotted decimal notation lies between 0 and 255.

(2) IP address Classes (Classful IP addressing) :-

IP address is divided into 5 classes:- 

• Class A 
• Class B 
• Class C 
• Class D 
• Class E 

      The scheme of IP addressing using address classes is called Classful addressing. Classful addressing allows only network blocks from Class A, Class B, Class C, prefix corresponding to 8-bit,16-bit,and 24-bit network prefix addresses. This addressing scheme does not allow any other network prefix address. TCP/IP define Class D for Multicasting and class E for Experimental purpose. 

      

      IP address contains two addresses; Network address and Host address.

              Structure of IP address

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