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So you hear all this talk about IP addresses? What's your IP? Is it Static or Dynamic? And you think to yourself "I have no idea and I don't care". I am not here to tell you that you should care but it will probably help you to know what all this mumbo-jumbo is all about.

An IP address (for those "in the know" it stands for Internet Protocol) is a series of numbers that just about EVERY computer connected to any network has.  The number is actually a set of 4 numbers (separated by a dot) each ranging from 1 to 255, so you could have an IP of 1.1.1.1 or you could have 255.255.255.255,and anything in between.


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So that information can find you.  Your network is like an apartment building. Each apartment must have an apartment number so that mail, rent notices, and pizza deliveries can find you.  The   building superintendent could keep a master list of apartments by your name, like Joe's, Sue's or Frank's, but what if there are 2 Kimberly's?  So he keeps a list by apartment number, 201 or 192 or 100.
Computers work the same way, they keep a list by name, Frank's PC or Bob's PC, but the better way is by your IP address, 201, 192 or 100.

Why four sets of numbers then? Well because there are a lot of computers out there, imagine how mail gets to your apartment building.  Each set of numbers tells where your computer is. Here is an example IP address, 192.168.001.100.  When information is sent to you it figures out how to get to your computer buy reading your IP address from the left. So in our example it says, find the 192 set of computers, then find the 168 group inside there, then the 001 group inside of that and then the computer numbered 100.

It works the same as postal mail coming to your apartment. First it takes your zip code, then you street , then your building and lastly your apartment number. So in our example (192.168.001.100) your zip code would be 192, street name would be 168, building number would be 001 and finally apartment number would be 100.

So what is a static IP  and what is a dynamic IP?  A static IP is an address that never changes and it set manually.  A dynamic IP is one that can change.  A DHCP Server, like a Server or Router, can give out IP addresses to anyone who asks. When it does this it gives that computer a lease on that number, for either a day, a week, or an hour. When the lease is up the device that gave out the  address checks to see if your computer is still there. If it is

it extends the lease, if not then it puts it back in the available pool of numbers. That way you it doesn't hold onto a number that isn't being used any more.

That is the basics of an IP address. Everything has an IP address these days, be it a computer, printer, copier, or even a web site. What's your IP?  To find out click on Start and go to run.  Type in "cmd" and press enter. This will bring up a black screen. Type in "ipconfig" (short for IP Configuration) and press enter.

This will display your IP Address, among other info.