Editing IP Addressing

= IP Addressing =

IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are numerical labels used to identify devices on a network. Without them, no device would know where to send or receive data.

== What is an IP Address? ==

An IP address is a unique identifier for a device on a network. It works like a digital address so data knows where to go.

=== IPv4 Format ===

Most commonly, IP addresses appear in IPv4 format: four numbers (0–255) separated by dots.

Example:
* `192.168.1.10`

Each number is called an **octet**, representing 8 bits of data:
* `192 = 11000000`
* `168 = 10101000`
* `1   = 00000001`
* `10  = 00001010`

Together: 32 bits total.

== Private vs Public IP Addresses ==

There are two main types of IP addresses based on visibility:

{| class="wikitable"
! Type !! Description !! Example
|-
| Private IP || Only used inside local networks (not visible on the internet) || `192.168.1.10`
|-
| Public IP || Assigned by your ISP, used to identify your network online || `86.157.52.21`
|}

Devices on the same network share one public IP but each have their own private IP.

== Example Setup ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Device !! Private IP !! Public IP
|-
| Laptop || 192.168.1.5 || 86.157.52.21
|-
| Desktop || 192.168.1.10 || 86.157.52.21
|}

These devices can talk to each other using their private IPs. Any connection they make to the internet will appear as coming from the public IP.

== Dynamic vs Static IPs ==

IP addresses can change or stay the same, depending on how they’re assigned.

{| class="wikitable"
! Type !! Description
|-
| Dynamic IP || Assigned automatically by a router using DHCP. Changes over time.
|-
| Static IP || Manually assigned to a device. Remains fixed unless changed manually.
|}

Most home networks use dynamic IPs, but in hacking or server setups, static IPs are often required for consistency.

== IPv6 Overview ==

Due to the limited number of IPv4 addresses, a newer format was introduced: '''IPv6'''.

* IPv6 uses '''128-bit''' addresses (compared to 32-bit in IPv4)
* Allows over '''2<sup>128</sup>''' unique addresses
* Supports direct device-to-device communication
* Helps eliminate the need for NAT

'''Example IPv6 address:'''
<pre>
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
</pre>


== Relevance for Hacking ==

Understanding IP addresses is key to:

* Scanning and identifying targets
* Avoiding detection and filtering
* Navigating local vs. external access
* Recognizing how routing and NAT affect visibility

== See Also ==
* [[ARP Protocol]]
* [[MAC Addressing]]
* [[Routing Basics]]
* [[NAT]]
* [[Subnetting]]