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We use domain names to search for our favorite websites; we also bookmark them in our search browsers. We might even write and store them just in case something goes wrong with our machine. But why do we need to know a domain's IP address? We will need this information if we want to know details about the domain. What is an IP address? We must know the answer to this before we discuss what a domain's IP address is.
IP ADDRESS
There is a database that contains records of all the websites that are on the internet. The IP address is what identifies one domain from another. Each domain is assigned a unique IP address. An IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique addressing system used to identify all machines that are using the internet. When you connect to the internet via any device; mobile phone, tablet, laptop, computer, etc. you are identified by an IP address. Without a unique addressing system operating and managing the internet would be virtually impossible. Imagine if you were living in an area where there are no house numbers, no street numbers or names. It would be impossible to find out where a person lives.
An IP address consists of four numbers. Each of which contains one to three numbers. A single dot '.' Separates each set of numbers. Each of the four numbers can range from 0 to 255. An IP address can look like 28.178.123.456. This innocuous looking set of numbers is the key that empowers a user to send and receive data from other websites. It is this set of numbers that ensure that we reach the correct website.
The common set of IP addresses which were first installed in 1983 and are known as the IPV4 and the one explained are fast running out. To handle the future domains addressing IPV6 has been launched and both the versions are in use.
STATIC VERSUS DYNAMIC IP ADDRESS
There are two types of IP addresses that are assigned which are known as static and dynamic. A static address never changes. Web hosting service providers purchase and use a group of dynamic addresses. It means that when a user who has been assigned a dynamic address goes off the line from the internet, the address is assigned to another user.
Static IP addresses reveal such information as the continent, country, and area in which a computer is located. However, the IP address might not be revealing the correct information about the domain. The reason for this is that a company located in South Asia may have a static IP address on a web hosting service provider located in the United States. The IP address will provide this information when an IP lookup is run. Large organizations prefer to have static IP addresses, and also some governments agencies have static IP addresses.
Dynamic IP addresses are a pool of interchangeable IP addresses. All internet service providers have a pool of addresses, and they assign an IP address when a user connects to the internet. Sharing a dynamic IP address is cheaper and safer than a static IP address. Hackers find it easier to hack static IP addresses as the address of a domain never changes. When a hacker tries to hack a dynamic address, he or she might come across a different domain using the IP address.
When you move around you may take your laptop with you, but you cannot carry the IP address with you. If you walk into a café that provides Wi-Fi services and you connect to the internet from there, you will be using the café's assigned IP address to check your email and perform other activities on the internet.
HOW TO FIND DOMAIN TO IP
There are several ways in which you can find your IP address or that of a website. You can use the 'tracer' or the 'ping' command to find an IP address. But knowing the IP address of a website will not give you any further information.
If you want to get detailed information about a domain's IP, go to seosmalltools.com on your search browser and find the 'Domain to IP' icon, or copy/paste u-seotools.com/domain-to-ip in the address bar of your search browser. The domain to IP tool will be displayed. Enter the domain name for which you want the IP address and press 'Submit.' The application will display the domain name, IP address, country, and ISP.
Asides from displaying the IP address, it tells you in which country the IP address is located and the name of the web hosting service provider who is hosting the domain that you searched for.
This information can be quite handy to see who your domain's actual service provider is. You may have purchased the web hosting service provider located in your area or country. However, the internet service provider may be a reseller for another internet web hosting service provider. So you may be a business house based in Singapore, but your website may be hosted from Australia.
A majority of web hosting service providers are located in the United States. The reason for this is that they can provide cheap hosting services and their service level is one of the best in the world. Plus their setups are huge and very well managed.
CONCLUSION
Knowing who the internet service provider for any domain on the internet is a very useful piece of information. Not only do you get to know the exact IP address of the domain but you also get to know where the domain is being hosted from. If you think a competitor's website is getting a better response than yours. Plus you find out that the reason is that they are using an excellent web hosting service provider, you can get this information by doing a domain to IP lookup using u-seotools.com. You can then decide if you want to discard your current web hosting service provider and shift to another.