What is an IP Address?
An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical label assigned to every device connected to a computer network. For websites, the IP address identifies the physical server where the site is hosted.
Types of IP Addresses
- IPv4 — The traditional format (e.g.,
192.168.1.1). Uses 32 bits, allowing about 4.3 billion unique addresses. - IPv6 — The newer format (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334). Uses 128 bits, providing virtually unlimited addresses.
What can you learn from an IP address?
- Geographic location — The country, city, and sometimes the exact data center
- Hosting provider — Which company operates the server (AWS, Cloudflare, Hetzner, etc.)
- ASN (Autonomous System Number) — The network the server belongs to
- Shared hosting — Whether multiple sites share the same IP
Why does it matter?
- Sites on shared IPs may be affected by neighbors' bad reputation (email deliverability, SEO)
- CDN usage (Cloudflare, Fastly) means the IP belongs to the CDN, not the origin server
- IP geolocation helps understand where a site's infrastructure is physically located