| What is the purpose of an IP address



The purpose of an IP address is to handle the connection between devices that send and receive information across a network. The IP address uniquely identifies every device on the internet; without one, there’s no way to contact them. IP addresses allow computing devices (such as PCs and tablets) to communicate with destinations like websites and streaming services, and they let websites know who is connecting.

An IP address also acts like a return address on postal mail. When a letter you've mailed is delivered to the wrong address, you get the letter back if you include a return address on the envelope.

The same holds true for email. When you write to an invalid recipient (such as someone who left their job and no longer has a company email address) your IP address lets the company’s mail server send you back a bounce message so that you know your email wasn't sent to the right place.


IP addresses and geolocation

In addition to making sure other computers on the internet can communicate with yours, IP addresses also mark the real-world location of your device. This comes in handy when a website wants to customize itself to suit your needs — such as by automatically changing its language, or showing you products that are available in your country. Streaming platforms can also use your IP address to show you the content that they’re allowed to provide you based on where you live.

While your IP address won’t give away your precise location, it can get pretty close. Your IP address can be used to identify your city, postal code, internet service provider (ISP), and latitude and longitude. Since you may not want everyone in the world knowing roughly where you are, consider hiding your IP address with a VPN.


IP address security

You should protect your IP address for all the reasons you would protect your home address. Cybercriminals may attempt to take advantage of you for a variety of reasons. With your IP address, they might be able to:

  • Download or access illegal content:

    • Pirates can download movies, music, and other content and appear to be you, so you could get in trouble with your ISP for something you didn’t do

  • Trace your home address:

    • It is possible to trace an IP address to a real-world address, exposing you to potential physical danger or robbery when you are not home. Security experts have long advised people to never say on social media that you are on vacation, because that tells criminals you’re not home.

  • Spy on your private internet traffic:

    • Your sensitive personal data, including financial information, can be at risk when hackers are able to access your IP traffic.

  • Directly attack you:

    • In a DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack, cybercriminals flood a server with so much traffic that it becomes overwhelmed and shuts down. Consider adding privacy tools to your online toolset, including one that hides your IP address.



  • Source: by Andy Patrizio
  • Wrote:
  • Updated: Updated on September 26, 2022
  • Posted: November 24, 2022 | Azar 3, 1401