Living in the age of information and technology comes with a set of skills that an average person needs on their side. While it might have seemed to only be important for the IT guys and those more tech-savvy, it is actually quite beneficial to know a thing or two about the gadgets and software we use every day. Being ignorant of changes and not keeping up with the times is more dangerous than it seems especially when surfing the web and depending on it for everyday actions is so prevalent.
You have probably heard of IP addresses before, but do you know what they are, how they work, and why they are important to you? If you lack answers to either of these three questions, you are already behind. In this guide, we bring IP addresses closer to you so that you know exactly why there is so much talk surrounding them as well as why you should have some kind of protection like a VPN service that hides and changes the one you have.
Internet Protocol (IP) Address Overview
IP is short for Internet Protocol and it refers to the numerical label that is assigned to every device connected to a computer network. They exist for two reasons, network interface identification and location addressing. An IP identifies the host and shows the location they have in the network. Therefore, users have to protect them because they can be used for malicious purposes. There are plenty of ways to get ahead of this, mainly a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which allows the users to access things from across the world and not be limited by their IPs.
An address is a string of numbers like 192.0.2.1 for example. It can be longer and with more numbers and dots. There are two versions in use today. The original from the earliest days of the internet is IP version 4 (1983) and the newer one which is also quite old in technology terms, IP version 6 (1995). They are in simultaneous use today and each has its features. Other versions, from 1 to 9, were tested and theorized but only 4 and 6 are widespread.
What Can People Do With an IP?
Knowing what you can do with an IP address is important because it can help you navigate the internet safely or make you exposed and easier to take advantage of. Third parties that obtain someone’s address can do a selection of things that can cause their internet presence and experience to suffer.
The most notable symptom of this is a restriction of websites. You have probably come across this, where you cannot access pages because of your geographical location. The pages know this because of the IP. Pages can also go a different route and show certain people from specific places in the world targeted ads and spam. Not all advertisement is made equal and what works in one country does not work in another. Therefore, knowing the people’s IPs is crucial for the quality distribution of advertising online.
Tracking online activity and carrying out various forms of attacks like DDoS is another way to ruin someone’s web experience. Sadly, it has become normal for users to experience this in the modern world. Tracking what people do is common and many bodies, agencies, and organizations do it. DDoS attacks happen in games but also on pages of big corporations and government institutions.
The worst forms of IP address stealing and use for illicit activities come in the form of selling data on the dark web. Data is the most important asset in the 21st century and everyone is out to get it. Selling it to shady people on the worst corners of the internet is unfortunately a big business. Even in more lighthearted scenarios, people take advantage of IPs, like when they ban or get someone banned from online games after obtaining someone’s address. Stay safe, use the right tools to keep your IP secured, and be careful who you trust online.
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