(IP address, TCP/IP address) The 32-bit host address defined by the Internet Protocol in STD 5, RFC 791. It is usually represented in dotted decimal notation.
A hosts's Internet address is sometimes related to its Ethernet address. The Internet address is usually expressed in dot notation, e.g. 128.121.4.5. The address can be split into a network number (or network address) and a host number unique to each host on the network and sometimes also a subnet address. The way the address is split depends on its "class", A, B or C as determined by the high address bits:
Class A - high bit 0, 7-bit network number, 24-bit host number. n1.a.a.a 0 <= n1 <= 127
Class B - high 2 bits 10, 14-bit network number, 16-bit host number. n1.n2.a.a 128 <= n1 <= 191
Class C - high 3 bits 110, 21-bit network number, 8-bit host number. n1.n2.n3.a 192 <= n1 <= 223
The Internet address must be translated into an Ethernet address by either ARP or constant mapping.
The term is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to a host's fully qualified domain name.
[Jargon File]
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