This entry is the first of a series of short, plain language, explanations about computer concepts and terms. I intend to explain things, in a digestible way for my clients and others out there, who might not want to be a computer genius, but need to know something about how computers work.

This entry is a beginning of the topic, "What is an IP Address."

Put simply, an IP address is a name given to a computer, printer, server or other device, so that you and your computers can tell them apart. It is a very universal way of naming devices on a network, so that no matter whether it's a Mac or a PC, an Epson Printer or an HP, a Windows Server or a Linux server, it doesn't matter, they all speak the same language of IP addresses.

Just like names, IP addresses, are only useful if they are different. If everyone was named Joel, it wouldn't help us very much to refer to people by name. Same with computers. An IP address is a series of numbers and usually looks something like this: 192.168.1.1

In fact, 192.168.1.1 is probably the most common one, at least here in the United States.

But wait, I just said they were only useful if they were different. Why is there a common one?

Well, because there are two kinds of IP addresses. WAN and LAN. Wide Area Network and Local Area Network.

Wide Area Network is what we call the Internet. All the computers of the world, that are on a WAN talk to each other and have to have different names or, as they are called, IP addresses. This is all very carefully monitored.

Local Area Networks are like what you probably have at home or in your office. All your computers sit behind a piece of hardware called a router, or on very simple systems, just a modem. So the only WAN (internet) address you have is on that router or modem. Everything behind it just looks the like the router to the outside world. Kind of like your home address is a number and a street. Someone passing by can see that address and locate it on a map, but that doesn't tell them how many people are living there or what their names are.

Wide area network IPs are like your home or business address, they are public.

Local area network IPs are like the names of individuals in your home or office. They are more private and more useful to those within the building.

That's all for now. This discussion will continue.