IP address
Also written: Internet Protocol address
Your device's unique internet address, like a digital street address for online communication.
An IP address is like a digital street address for your device when it connects to the internet. Every device, whether it's your computer, phone, or even a smart TV, gets a unique IP address so that data can be sent to and from it correctly.
Think of it like sending a letter. You need the recipient's street address to make sure the letter gets to the right house. Similarly, when you use an AI service online, your device's IP address helps the service know where to send the information back.
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing. IP addresses can be assigned manually, or more commonly, automatically by a DHCP server. The current version, IPv4, uses 32-bit addresses, while the newer IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses to accommodate the vast number of internet-connected devices.
IP addresses are fundamental to how AI models access and process information from the internet. As AI models like Google Gemini are integrated into more applications, such as Google Messages, their ability to communicate and receive data relies on the underlying network infrastructure, including IP addressing.
- Use Gemini in Google MessagesGoogle · Gemini Help Center ·
- Google Gemini
- Google Gemini uses IP addresses to manage network traffic and ensure that its services can be accessed and delivered to users' devices.
- MAC address
- A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interfac
- URL
- A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address that specifies the locati
- Port number
- A port number is used in conjunction with an IP address to identify
The concept of an Internet Protocol address originated with the development of the Internet Protocol (IP) in the early 1970s by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, as part of the ARPANET project. Source ↗
You can find your device's IP address by searching 'what is my IP address' in a web browser. This will show you the public IP address your network is currently using to connect to the internet. You can then see how this address is used to route information to and from your device when interacting with online services.
The Playbook: reusable how-tos, prompts, configs and tips pulled out of the news.
- PromptRole-play a student struggling with math for AI tutor simulationSimulate a student's math struggles and uncertainty for AI tutor evaluation. · 5 min
- TemplateReusable workflow templates for healthcare teamsTeams can create and share templates for common workflows like documentation or prior authorizations. · 15 min
- TemplateTemplate for building an AI tool tailored to your workA structured approach to defining and building a custom AI tool for specific business needs. · 15 min
- TemplateEvals CSV prompt list for agent skillsA CSV file template for listing prompts used in evaluating agent skills. · 20 min
- HeuristicDouble coding agent task completion with docs linksProviding coding agents with a documentation link significantly increases their task completion rate. · 2 min
Questions people ask
- Is my IP address the same as my home address?
- No, your IP address is a digital address for your device on the internet, while your home address is for physical mail delivery. Your IP address can change, especially if you use a mobile device or a different network.
- Can someone find out who I am from my IP address?
- An IP address can reveal your general geographic location, but it doesn't directly identify you personally unless you've provided personal information online that is linked to that IP address.
First seen on Subvolts Sep 3, 2026. Updated Sep 15, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.