IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are unique numerical labels assigned to devices connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. There are two main types of IP addresses: IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) and IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), each serving a specific purpose in the modern Internet landscape.

 

Additionally, IP addresses can be categorized into different classes based on their intended use and allocation:

1. IPv4 Addresses:

   • Public IP Addresses: These are globally routable IP addresses used on the public internet. Every device connected to the internet has a unique public IP address, allowing them to communicate with other devices across the world.
   • Private IP Addresses: These are used within private networks, such as homes or businesses, for local communication. Private IP addresses are not routable on the public internet. Common private IP address ranges include:
     • Class A: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
     • Class B: 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
     • Class C: 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

2. IPv6 Addresses:

   • Global Unicast Addresses: These are the equivalent of public IPv4 addresses in the IPv6 world. They are globally routable and can be used for internet communication. IPv6 was introduced to address the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses.
   • Link-Local Addresses: Used for communication within a single network segment or link. They are not routable beyond that segment.
   • Unique Local Addresses (ULA): Similar to private IPv4 addresses, ULAs are used for local network communication within an organization or home. They are not meant to be routed on the public internet and provide a measure of network security.
   • Anycast Addresses: Anycast allows multiple devices to share the same IP address, and the data is routed to the nearest device using that address. It's often used for load balancing or redundancy in server setups.

3. Special-Purpose IP Addresses:

   • Loopback Address: In IPv4, this is 127.0.0.1, and in IPv6, it's ::1. It's used to establish network connections with the local host (the device itself) for testing and diagnostic purposes.
   • Broadcast Address: In IPv4, this is an address where data is sent to all devices in a network segment. Broadcast addressing is not supported in IPv6.
   • Multicast Address: Used to send data to multiple devices in a group. IPv4 and IPv6 both support multicast, and multicast addresses are used for various applications like video streaming and online gaming.

4. Reserved IP Addresses:

   • These are addresses reserved by standards organizations for specific purposes, such as documentation, experimental use, or future expansion. Examples include 192.0.2.0/24 (for documentation) and 2001:db8::/32 (for documentation and testing in IPv6).

5. Dynamic and Static IP Addresses:

   • IP addresses can also be classified based on how they are assigned. Dynamic IP addresses are assigned by a DHCP server and may change over time. Static IP addresses are manually configured and remain fixed.

 

These are the primary types and categories of IP addresses in use today. The transition to IPv6 is ongoing due to the depletion of available IPv4 addresses, and IPv6 addresses are becoming more prevalent as the internet continues to grow.

 

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