Internet Protocol (IP)

The Internet protocol (IP) is a communication protocol used for locating and communicating between computers and other network equipment throughout the world. It is the protocol on which the Internet operates.

IP was because a method was needed to locate the expanding numbers of computers in various geographic locations and allow for communication between them. IP gives each system a unique IP address.

Additionally, IP allows the network to find an optimal route, specifically in the case of computers located in different countries where many different communication routes are possible from one computer to another.

IP can connect different types of networks together, including communication between phones, computers, routers, and other equipment. This versatility is the reason that IP is the preferred communication protocol used over the Internet today. Applications like web browsers, instant messaging, and file transfer software all use IP.

IP is known as a "best effort" protocol, meaning the transfer of data is not guaranteed. This is why, in times when a lot of users are using the network, connections can get dropped. Applications that use IP, however, typically use a form of retransmission, so the user just sees a slow loading of a web page, or downloading a file etc. In severe cases, the connection may time out, but a user can simply try again.

The most prevalent version of IP is called IPv4. This version, however, does not provide good authentication or encryption. Another problem is that the IP addresses provide by this version are 32 bits long, and so can serve only 4.3 billion machines. It is estimated that the world will soon run out of IPv4 addresses. Users will likely shift to the new version, called IPv6. IPv6 has authentication and encryption built in, which helps prevent IP spoofing. IPv6 addresses are 128 bits each, which would serve the needs of all the people on earth.