IP address
label used to identify a network interface of a computer or other network node
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label, such as 192.168.1.1 or 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334, that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: network interface identification, and location addressing.
Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) was the first standalone specification for the IP address, and has been in use since 1983. IPv4 addresses are defined as a 32-bit number, which later then became too small to provide enough addresses as the internet grew, leading to IPv4 address exhaustion over the 2010s. Its designated successor, IPv6, uses 128 bits for the IP address, giving it a larger address space. Although IPv6 deployment has been ongoing since the mid-2000s, both IPv4 and IPv6 are still used side-by-side as of 2026, with IPv6 recently exceeding 50% globally after 18 years.
IP addresses are usually displayed in a human-readable notation, but systems may use them in various different computer number formats. CIDR notation can also be used to designate how much of the address should be treated as a routing prefix. For example, 192.0.2.1/24 indicates that 24 significant bits of the address are the prefix, with the remaining 8 bits used for host addressing. This is equivalent to the historically used subnet mask (in this case, 255.255.255.0).
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “IP address” is label used to identify a network interface of a computer or other network node. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through address, label and used, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “label used to identify a network interface of a computer or other network node” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q11135. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2001, 1983 and 2026.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “IP address”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow IP address primary sources, IP address archive and address research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “IP address”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “IP address” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.