IP address

A 32-bit number assigned by the system administrator, usually written in the form of four decimal fields separated by periods---for example, 192.9.200.1. Any computing device that uses IP must be assigned an Internet or IP address. Part of the Internet address is the IP network number (IP network address), and part is the host address (IP host address). All machines on a given IP network use the same IP network number, and each machine has a unique IP host address. The system administrator sets the subnet mask to specify how much of the address is network number and how much is host address.