IP address

An identifier for a computer
or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be zero to 255. For example, 1.160.10.240 could be an IP address.
Within an isolated network, you can assign IP addresses at random as long as each one is unique. However, connecting a private network to the Internet requires using registered IP addresses (called Internet addresses) to avoid duplicates.
The four numbers in an IP address are used in different ways to identify a particular network and a host on that network. Four regional Internet registries -- ARIN, RIPE NCC, LACNIC and APNIC -- assign Internet addresses from the following three classes.
Class A - supports 16 million hosts on each of 126 networks
Class B - supports 65,000 hosts on each of 16,000 networks
Class C - supports 254 hosts on each of 2 million networks
The number of unassigned Internet addresses is running out, so a new classless scheme called CIDR is gradually replacing the system based on classes A, B, and C and is tied to adoption of IPv6.
Also see Understanding IP Addressing in the Did You Know . . .? section of Webopedia.
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TCP/IP and IPX routing tutorial This tutorial supplies information on setting up a relatively simple WAN-connected internetwork or Internet-connected LAN. Includes explanations of IP addresses, classes, netmasks, subnetting, routing, several example networks, and a basic explanation of IPX routing
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LearnToSubnet.ComAn educational course on addressing TCP/IP Networks that includes IP Addresses and Subnetting. Topics include: Binary Math, IP Addressing (IP Address), Subnet Mask, and Custom Subnet Mask.
Addressing
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APIPA
APNIC
ARIN
ARP
ccTLD
CIDR
Class C network
DDR
DNS
domain name
dynamic DNS
failover
FQDN
hot potato routing
IANA
Internet
InterNIC
IP spoofing
martian address
Mobile IP
NAT
ping
port scanning
RIPE NCC
root server system
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