IP Addressing, DNS & Protocols

Master IP addressing, DNS resolution, and key networking protocols like TCP/IP to understand how devices communicate on the internet.

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IP Addressing

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DNS

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Protocols

IP Addressing

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses serve two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.

IPv4

IPv6

Subnetting

IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numerical labels written in decimal format

192

168

IPv4 Characteristics

32-bit address space (4.3 billion addresses)
Written in dotted-decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
Divided into network and host portions
Five address classes (A, B, C, D, E)
Special addresses (loopback, private, broadcast)

IPv4 Address Classes

Class A: 1.0.0.0 to 126.255.255.255
Class B: 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255
Class C: 192.0.0.0 to 223.255.255.255
Class D: 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255 (Multicast)
Class E: 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255 (Reserved)

IPv4 Address Converter

Binary representation will appear here

IPv6 addresses are 128-bit hexadecimal labels designed to replace IPv4

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

IPv6 Characteristics

128-bit address space (3.4×10³⁸ addresses)
Written in hexadecimal notation (e.g., 2001:db8::1)
Designed to solve IPv4 address exhaustion
Simplified header format for efficient routing
Built-in security and auto-configuration

IPv6 Address Types

Unicast: One-to-one communication
Multicast: One-to-many communication
Anycast: One-to-nearest communication
Link-local: Local network communication
Unique local: Local network addressing

Did you know? IPv6 allows for approximately 340 undecillion unique addresses, which is enough to assign millions of addresses to every person on Earth.

Subnetting divides a network into smaller subnetworks for better management

Subnetting Basics

Divides a large network into smaller subnetworks
Uses subnet masks to define network boundaries
Reduces broadcast traffic and improves security
Enables efficient IP address allocation
Uses CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24)

Subnet Mask Examples

/24 (255.255.255.0) - 256 addresses
/25 (255.255.255.128) - 128 addresses
/26 (255.255.255.192) - 64 addresses
/27 (255.255.255.224) - 32 addresses
/28 (255.255.255.240) - 16 addresses

Important: Subnetting requires careful planning to ensure sufficient IP addresses are available for future growth while minimizing wasted address space.

DNS Resolution

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the hierarchical and decentralized naming system used to identify computers, services, and other resources reachable through the Internet or other Internet Protocol networks. It translates domain names to IP addresses, making it easier for humans to remember addresses.

DNS translates human-readable domain names to machine-readable IP addresses

User Device

Recursive Resolver

Root Server

Authoritative Server

DNS Resolution Process

User enters domain name in browser
Query sent to recursive resolver
Resolver checks cache, then queries root servers
Root servers direct to TLD servers
TLD servers direct to authoritative servers
Authoritative servers provide IP address
Resolver returns IP address to user

DNS Record Types

A: Maps domain to IPv4 address
AAAA: Maps domain to IPv6 address
CNAME: Canonical name (alias)
MX: Mail exchange server
NS: Name server for the domain
TXT: Text records for various purposes
SOA: Start of authority information

Did you know? DNS is often called "the phonebook of the Internet" because it translates human-friendly domain names like google.com to computer-friendly IP addresses like 172.217.14.238.

Networking Protocols

Networking protocols are sets of established rules that dictate how data is formatted, transmitted, and received between devices. They ensure that devices can communicate with each other regardless of their internal structure or design.

Protocols define the rules for communication between devices

Application

Transport

Internet

Link

TCP/IP

HTTP/HTTPS

Other Protocols

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

Connection-oriented protocol
Reliable, ordered data delivery
Error checking and recovery
Flow control and congestion control
Three-way handshake for connections
Used for web browsing, email, file transfer

IP (Internet Protocol)

Connectionless protocol
Responsible for addressing and routing
Best-effort delivery (no guarantees)
Fragmentation and reassembly of packets
Works with TCP or UDP
IPv4 and IPv6 versions

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

Application layer protocol
Foundation of data communication for the web
Client-server model
Stateless protocol
Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.
Status codes: 200, 404, 500, etc.

HTTPS (HTTP Secure)

HTTP over SSL/TLS encryption
Secure communication over networks
Authentication of website
Encrypted data transfer
Prevents eavesdropping and tampering
Uses port 443 by default

Protocol	Layer	Purpose	Example Use
UDP	Transport	Connectionless, low overhead	Video streaming, DNS
FTP	Application	File transfer	Uploading website files
SMTP	Application	Email transmission	Sending email
DHCP	Application	IP address assignment	Automatic network configuration
ICMP	Internet	Error reporting and diagnostics	Ping command

Did you know? The TCP/IP model was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1970s and became the foundation for the modern Internet.

Putting It All Together

IP addressing, DNS, and networking protocols work together to enable communication across the internet. When you type a website address into your browser, these technologies collaborate to deliver the requested content.

Networking Overview-Mahek-Institute-Rewa

IP addressing, DNS, and protocols work together for internet communication

IP Addressing, DNS & Protocols - Networking Fundamentals