IP
Another factor of using the internet is internet protocol or IP. This is an identification number, a form of label for your computer.
Static vs. Dynamic
A static IP means that your IP may change every time your computer boots up and connects to the internet. Dynamic, on the other hand, means that your IP is fixed, or does not change, every time you boot up your computer and connect to the internet.
Your computer has two IPs:
Local IP
Your computer’s local IP, given to you by your router, identifies your computer on your local network. For example, your computer is 192.168.1.2, then when you access your router or gateway settings and view the list of the attached device and find 192.168.1.2 you know that it is your device, although since you lock IP can change it may be easier to go by your computer’s MAC address which you can learn more about below.
Public IP
The other IP that is assigned to your computer is a public IP. This is the address that websites use to identify you when you access their website. They can also be publicly searched for using sites like WhatIsMyIPAddress.com
DNS
Your Domain Name System, or DNS, is the “phone book” or the “address book” of the internet. When you go to any website the address is searched for in your DNS it is then is converted into an IP and your website is loaded. For example when you type apple.com into your address bar without you knowing it converts to 17.142.160.59, 17.172.224.47, or 17.178.96.59. Go ahead try it for yourself copy one of those IP and see if you’re taken to Apple.com. All of this happens in the background without you even knowing it. To find a website’s IP you can go to Google’s Public DNS and search for a website.
Usually, the default DNS is configured by your ISP so this is something that you sent to have to really worry about. For more advanced users you can customize your DNS on either your router or computer. By doing so you might find that it quicker than your ISP.
MAC Address
A media access control address, or MAC address, is another way your device is labeled on your local network. A MAC address is a unique string of letters and numbers that are hard-coded into the WiFi card or ethernet port in or on your computer, so unlike your local IP address, your MAC address will never change making it easier to identify computers.