What is an IP address and what is its purpose in a network?

• A. A protocol for encrypting data.
• B. A unique identifier for a device on a network; used to route packets.
• C. A measure of network speed.
• D. A type of hardware address.

Answer: (B)

An IP address is a unique numeric label assigned to a device on a TCP/IP network. It serves as the address used to identify that device and to tell routers where to send data. When your device sends a request, the IP packets include the destination IP so routers can forward them toward the correct device, even across many networks. IP addresses come in two main forms: IPv4, like 192.168.1.5, and IPv6, like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334. They can be assigned permanently or dynamically (for example, by a DHCP server). IP addresses are not a protocol for encrypting data, nor a measure of network speed, and they are not hardware addresses—that distinction belongs to MAC addresses tied to network interfaces.