We often tend to have questions on how our gadgets such as phones and computers work and how they can communicate and relay information. You come across terminologies such as IP address, among others, and get curious about their functions and role on our phones and what they are.
Phones have IP addresses. The IP address of a phone acts in the same way as the address of a typical computer and uniquely identifies the item. IP addresses can be discovered, and phones can be tracked using their IP addresses. An owner can find their phone’s IP address by exploring its settings.
Many people have questions on IP addresses, and here we will answer some of those questions.
What is an IP address?
An IP address is a unique code that identifies a particular gadget on the internet or a local network. IP stands for internet protocol, a set of rules that govern the fort of information sent through the internet or local network. The IP address contains information that is sent from one device to another and contains information such as the device’s location that brings the accessibility of the information. To send information from one device to another, there is a need to have a way of differentiating the different devices and knowing which device you are sending the information to. In other words, it communicates user information from one browser to another. This address is very vital in how the internet functions because it shapes internet communication.
IP addresses are presented as a string of numbers separated by periods and grouped in four numbers sets. The numbers range between 0 and 255. An example of an IP address could be 192.158.1.38. The numbers found on an IP address are not random but are mathematically produced under an authorized body. IP addresses aim to foster security and allow the internet by all people at all times.
All devices that can connect to the internet network have private IP addresses. These devices include phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, and all other gadgets that connect to the internet; with the current growth of technology, more devices and gadgets are expected to have connectivity to the internet, therefore a likelihood of more devices with IP addresses.
How does an IP address work?
IP addresses work through communication just as any other language does but through specific guidelines to relay information. You sometimes wonder why your device is not working in a particular way or not connecting in the network as you may expect, but you may understand why when you know how IP addresses work.
By speaking the same language, devices can communicate with each other in any location. Devices can send, receive and exchange data with other devices connected to the internet protocol.The IP address works through a process.
Your device, such as your phone or computer, is usually connected to a network through your internet service provider, which usually assigns the IP address to your phone. Your internet service provider can route all your internet activities through your IP address. Being your providers of the internet, it is their role to you have an IP address. Your IP address can always change when you use a different service provider or when you are out or traveling.
Do phones have IP addresses?
Yes. Phones have IP addresses. Phones are connected to the internet network and have an IP address just like any other device connected to the internet network. All devices on the internet have two IP addresses which are private and public. In the same way, phones have public and private addresses.
The two IP addresses help keep track of each device. The public IP address is also known as the global IP address, which is network specific. It is how the internet sees all the devices in your network.
Therefore, your global IP address when using your phone is the same as when using your computer or any other gadget in your possession at home.
Can a cell phone IP address be traced?
The IP address of a phone can be traced but not very likely. For it to be certain traceable factors, need to be in place. One thing to note is that your phone’s IP address keeps changing depending on your internet connection. When the phone is connected to WIFI, it is possible to trace it. When using a regular data plan, it is very hard for someone to trace your phone’s IP address.
It is not easy to know the IP assigned by your network provider and what it is, which makes it harder to trace the location.
It is not easy to trace the IP address because every time one is connected to a new Wi-Fi network, a new IP address is randomly generated, and it is very hard to guess the address that has been allocated to a certain phone. One notable thing is that the IP address you’ve been using at home will change when you leave the house and every time you move to another location.
Moreover, hackers and other network specialists may have a way to track your phone’s IP address.
What is the IP address on my phone?
It is easy to find the IP address of your phone. Your phone has two IP addresses which are the private address and the public IP address. You can always easily find your public IP address and also your private address. By just searching your public IP address on the internet, Google will always generate it for you. This address will not change as long as you maintain the same location. If you move from one location to another, the IP address might change in your new location.
IP addresses are aimed at ensuring communication among devices and fostering security, and allowing the use of the internet by people at all times. However, you can hide your IP address in case of fear of being hacked or traced. You can hide your IP address on your iPhone by launching settings on the home screen and tapping Safari. You’ll then scroll down and tap hide the address. You can also protect and hide your IP address using a proxy server and a virtual private network.
Assuming you are at home all the time, your public IP address will remain the same, and devices such as phones, computers, and other devices in the same location will share the same address. It will only change if you move to a different location.
The private IP address is assigned to your specific phone within a private network, such as through your network provider. You can find your phone’s private IP address through settings in your phone.
To find out your phone’s private IP address, this is what you do:
1. Go to Settings on your phone.
2. On settings, go to internet and network and then click on Wi-Fi.
3. If not connected to the Wi-Fi, tap on your WIFI username and confirm to get connected.
4. Tap on the username of the network and expand to the advanced section.
5. You will find your IP address and other information relating to your network.
Can two Phones have the same IP address?
Two phones can have the same public IP address but cannot have the same private IP address. The public IP address is generated with the actual location. Therefore, two phones in one location will have the same IP address because it is linked to their location. However, this IP address will change in case these two phones are changed to two different locations. They will attain their IP addresses according to the locations they are at.
At the same time, two phones cannot share a private IP address because a private IP address is only designed for one phone or device. They are generated randomly by the internet provider, but they vary slightly from one phone to the other. Every device connected to a local network has its private IP address.
Conclusion
Phones have IP addresses. Like any other devices connected to the internet or a local network have IP addresses, phones are also connected to the internet and the local networks, therefore having IP addresses. They have two sets of IP addresses which are the public and the private IP addresses. Devices and phones may have the same IP address when they are in the same location. You can always find your phone’s local IP address by searching on google and your private IP address by going to Settings on your phone on the Wi-Fi section.
IP addresses enable phones and other devices to communicate with each other. The IP addresses on your phone are prone to changing anytime. The public IP address will always change when you move from one location to another. The private IP address may change every time you get connected to a network.
It is not easy for a person to track you with your private IP address as they are random and can hardly tell the address that belongs to your phone. However, it may be possible for someone to hack into your system through your local IP address if you maintain one position, such as working from home.