5.3.1

IP Addresses

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IP Addresses

Just as an address is essential for sending a letter in the post, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are used to identify where data packets need to be sent to and where they have come from.

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IP addresses

  • IP addresses are used by routers to determine whether a packet's destination is within the current network or not.
    • If not, then the router will pass the packet onto the wide area network (WAN), where other routers can use the IP address to figure out where to send the packet.
  • IP addresses are also used by network applications to specify which device they wish to communicate with.
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Properties of an IP address

  • IP addresses must be unique within the same local area network.
    • IP addresses do not need to be universally unique.

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1Problem Solving

2Programming

3Data

4Computers

5Communication & The Internet

6The Bigger Picture

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