What Is an IP Address?
FRITZ!Box
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What Is an IP Address?
The term IP address is the abbreviation for Internet Protocol
address.
The IP address corresponds to the “postal” address of a de-
vice located in the Internet or in a local IP network. So that
data packets are sure to be delivered to the right address,
each IP address may be assigned only once within the Inter-
net or a local IP network.
The IP address consists of four three-digit groups of num-
bers (e.g. 192.168.178.154). Each group of numbers can as-
sume values between 000 and 255.
IP addresses can be public or private, and also fixed or as-
signed dynamically.
Public IP Address
A public IP address is an IP address valid in the Internet. Ev-
ery computer or router participating in the Internet must
have a uniquely assigned public IP address. This address is
usually negotiated dynamically with the Internet Service
Provider when a connection to the Internet is dialed. The In-
ternet Service Provider assigns the negotiated IP address to
the computer or router for the duration of an Internet ses-
sion.
Private IP Address
Private IP addresses are used for computers and other net-
work devices within local IP networks.
Since many local IP networks are not connected to the In-
ternet except via single computers or routers (gateway), cer-
tain address ranges are excluded from the publicly avail-
able IP addresses so that they are available for assignment
in local IP networks. An IP address may only be assigned
once within the local network. A private IP address may ex-
ist in any number of other local networks.
Fixed IP Address
Fixed IP addresses are IP addresses which are permanently
assigned to a computer or another device like a network
printer.
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