2.5 (Internet Protocol (IP) addressing)

Question 1

What is IP addressing?

Answer 1

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, is a series of numbers that identifies any device on a network. Computers use IP addresses to communicate with each other both over the internet as well as on other networks

An IP address is a 32-bit number. It uniquely identifies a host (computer or other device, such as a printer or router) on a TCP/IP network. IP addresses are normally expressed in dotted-decimal format, with four numbers separated by periods, such as 192.168.123.132.

Question 2

What do home IP addresses look like?

Answer 2

Typical home networks use IP addresses that start with 192.168. Often the router will have an IP address such as 192.168. 1.1 or 192.168. 2.1.

Question 3

How are IP’s set?

Answer 3

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

DHCP automatically sets up the entire configuration, saving you the headache of manual configuration. In some cases, for example machines that should not “move” in terms of their addressing such as web, DNS, and email servers, these machines would use static or manual addressing for reliable discovery by all clients. Here is a typical residential/SOHO configuration. Examine the configuration and picture manually adding this to each client along with the DNS settings.