WHAT IS IP ADDRESS OR INTERNET ADDRESS

An internet is made up of a combination of physical networks (LANs or WANs) connected by ROUTERS. When a host communicates with another host, the packets may travel from one physical network to another using these routers. From this it is clear that communication at network layer also needs global identification system. A host must be identified uniquely and globally at this layer also. In addition, for efficient and optimum routing, each router must also be identified uniquely and globally at this layer.

The identifier that is used in the IP layer of the TCP/IP Protocol is called IP ADDRESS or INTERNET ADDRESS. It is a 32 bit binary address, implemented in software that uniquely and globally defines a host or a Router on the internet.

The IP address unique in sense that each address defines one, and only one,deice on the internet. Two devices on the internet can never have the same address. A device may have more than one Ip address if it is connected to more than physical network.

Each Ip address 32 bit binary digits ie; 4 blocks of 8bits(1 byte).
IP address has two parts:

1. NETWORK ID
2. HOST ID

  Few bits of  NETWORK ID determine the class of  the address.

5 types  Ip address classification

1. CLASS A : One (1)byte allotted to Network ID and remaining 3 for  Host ID
2. CLASS B : First 2 byte for Network ID and remaining 2 byte for  Host ID
3. CLASS C : First 3 byte for Network ID and remaining 1 byte for  Host ID
4. CLASS D : No Network ID and Host ID. Known as Multicast Address
5. CLASS E : No Network ID and Host ID. Reserved for internet special use

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