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What is an IP address?
IP address also called Internet Protocol address is a numeric
identifier assigned to a computer connected to the Internet. It
is a unique number that devices use in order to identify and
communicate with each other on a network utilizing the Internet
Protocol standard. Any participating device on the network such
as routers, computers, time-servers, printers, internet fax
machines, telephones, webcams, servers etc., must have its own
unique numeric identifier. This allows transmission of data
packets on behalf of the sender to indicate where to send them
next and for the receiver of the data packets to know that it is
the intended destination. The numbers currently used in IP
addresses range from 1.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255 and some of
these values are reserved for specific purposes. This does not
provide enough possibilities for every internet device to have
its own permanent number. Subnet routing, Network Address
Translation and the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
server all allow local networks to use the same IP addresses as
other networks elsewhere though both are connected to the
Internet. IP addresses used locally within the confines of a
local area network are called local IP addresses and those used
over the internet are called public IP addresses. There are two
types of IP addresses (1) Static IP address and (2) Dynamic IP
address. Static IP addresses are assigned to a specific device
and the assignment does not change while Dynamic IP addresses
can be shared or rotated amongst many devices although not at
the same time. IP addresses are conceptually similar to phone
numbers, except they are used in LANs (Local Area Network), WANs
(Wide Area Network), or the Internet.What is the difference between a Domain Name, an IP Address
and a Computer host Name?
Domain names are similar to vanity phone numbers where words
are assigned to represent the phone number. Domain name is a
text name that a computer network registers for the numerical ID
of the computers in the network. The domain name is used to give
computers text names rather than using the numeric IP addresses.
Domain name examples are Abika.com, cnn.com, usatoday.com.
Computer (host) name are names given to individual computers.
Each host name corresponds to an IP address. Host names and
domain names are optional and everything can work fine with
using just IP Addresses. Examples of host names: www.cnn.com,
mail.people.com, Cust112.tnt3.gm3.na.UU.net.... What is ping
or pinging?
Ping
sends signals (packets) to another computer on the Internet or a
network to see if they send a return or an 'echo.' If all the
signals 'timeout' the computer may be disconnected from the
Internet or is unreachable. This feature only checks if a
computer is connected. It cannot verify the validity of an
e-mail address. It also cannot check a specific web page.
What is tracert or trace input?
Tracert looks up the route data packets take through the
Internet from one computer to another. The signal generally goes
from a computer to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and then
to their provider until it reaches a 'backbone' provider. This
could take one or many steps. It then eventually transfers to
the destination 'backbone' provider and reverses the process to
the destination computer. This feature only checks a computer
that is connected to the Internet, it cannot verify the validity
of an e-mail address. It also cannot check a specific web page.
Note that a traceroute may follow a completely different path as
compared to downloading web pages or sending e-mail. A Trace
route gives you information about each computer between the
originating computer and the destination, including ping times,
IP addresses and the names of all of the computers.
What is a Reverse DNS Lookup?
A Reverse DNS lookup will give you the name of a computer as
listed in the Domain Name Server databases maintained by the
ISP's from the IP address.
How do I increase the relevancy of my search?
The more search criteria you input the higher the possible
relevancy of your search results.
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