What is an IP address?
Your IP address is your computer's unique address on the
Internet; it consists of four numeric
segments separated by periods (e.g., 64.236.16.116),
and it is different from the MAC address
of your Ethernet card.
For
instructions on how to determine your IP address, see
How do I determine my computer's IP address?
IP addresses can be static, meaning a permanent number is assigned to your computer (by your network or DNS administrator); or they can be dynamic, meaning a temporary number is assigned each time you connect to the network.
At Indiana University, most computers have dynamic IP addresses assigned by DHCP. At IUB or IUPUI, if you need a static (i.e., permanent) IP address, see At IUB or IUPUI, how do I request a static IP address?
Last modified on May 13, 2009.
