What Is an IP Address?

IP address is a term that sounds technical, but it's a simple idea. Here's what it means.

An IP address is a unique address

Every computer connected to the internet has an IP address — a unique set of numbers that identifies it, like a street address for a building. It's how other computers know where to send data.

Your website lives on a server, and that server has an IP address. When someone visits your domain, the address book (DNS) finds the server's IP and sends them there.

Think of it like a mailing address

• Your domain (yourbusiness.com) is like the name on a letter.
• The IP address is like the street address — the precise location the mail goes to.
• DNS is the address book that connects the name to the address.

See What is DNS? and The complete guide to DNS records.

Why you might hear about it

• Pointing a domain — you set the domain's IP (A record) to your server's address. See Point your domain.
• A dedicated IP — some plans (like VPS and dedicated servers) give you your own IP address, separate from other customers.
• Email — your mail server has an IP too.

Do you need to remember your IP?

No. That's the whole point of domains — you use yourbusiness.com, and DNS handles the IP behind the scenes. But now you know what it is.

See also: What is a domain name? and What is DNS?.