How to Find IP Address in Linux - A Complete Guide

Knowing your IP address is essential when it comes to troubleshooting network issues or setting up a connection. In Linux, finding your IP address is a straightforward process that can be done using a few simple commands. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, this guide will walk you through the steps of finding your IP address in Linux.

The first step to find your IP address in Linux is to open your terminal. Once you have your terminal open, you can start by using the ifconfig command. This command displays the IP addresses and other networking information for all of the network interfaces on your system. Look for the line that starts with "inet" followed by an IP address. This IP address is your current IP address.

If the ifconfig command is not available on your system, you can use the ip addr show command instead. This command provides similar information but in a more modern and streamlined format. Again, look for the line that starts with "inet" followed by an IP address to find your current IP address.

Another useful command to find your IP address in Linux is the hostname -I command. This command returns the IP addresses associated with the hostname of your system. It is a quick and convenient way to find your IP address without having to search through the output of other commands.

Now that you know how to find your IP address in Linux, you can easily check your network configuration or troubleshoot any network-related issues. Remember to use the appropriate command for your system and always double-check the output to ensure you have the correct IP address.

What is Linux?

Linux is an open-source operating system that is widely used in the world of technology. It is based on the Unix operating system and was first introduced by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s. Linux provides a stable and secure platform for various applications and has gained popularity due to its flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

One of the key strengths of Linux is its ability to run on a wide range of hardware devices, from personal computers to servers and even embedded systems. It is known for its robustness and reliability, which makes it an ideal choice for mission-critical applications. Additionally, Linux has a large and active community of developers and users who constantly contribute to its improvement.

When it comes to finding an IP address in Linux, there are several methods available. One common method is to use the ifconfig command, which displays the network interface configuration including the IP address. Another method is to use the ip command, which provides more advanced functionality for managing network interfaces and addresses.

Advantages of Linux

Linux offers several advantages over other operating systems, including:

1. Flexibility: Linux can be customized and tailored to meet specific needs, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
2. Security: Linux is known for its strong security features, as it is less vulnerable to viruses and malware.
3. Stability: Linux is highly stable and is less prone to crashes and system failures.
4. Cost-effectiveness: Linux is available for free, which helps in reducing costs for businesses and individuals.
5. Community support: Linux has a large and active community of developers and users who provide support and contribute to its development.

Conclusion

In summary, Linux is a versatile operating system that provides a reliable and secure platform for various applications. It offers advanced functionality and flexibility, making it a popular choice among developers and users. Finding an IP address in Linux can be easily done using commands like ifconfig or ip. With its numerous advantages, Linux continues to play a significant role in the world of technology.

Why find IP in Linux?

In Linux, finding your IP address is an essential task that can be useful in various situations. Whether you are setting up a network, troubleshooting connectivity issues, or configuring remote access, knowing your IP address can help you effectively manage and secure your system.

By finding your IP address in Linux, you gain valuable information about your network configuration. This information can help you determine if your system is properly connected to the network, identify any conflicts or issues with IP addresses, and troubleshoot network connectivity problems.

Additionally, knowing your IP address allows you to set up remote access to your Linux system. Whether you want to access your system remotely or allow others to connect to it, having your IP address is necessary to establish the connection.

In summary, finding your IP address in Linux is crucial for network management, troubleshooting connectivity issues, and setting up remote access. It empowers you to ensure proper network configuration and security, and enables you to connect and manage your Linux system from anywhere in the world.

Different methods to find IP

In Linux, there are multiple methods to find your IP address. Here are some of the commonly used methods:

1. ifconfig

The ifconfig command is one of the most popular methods to find your IP address in Linux. By running the command ifconfig in the terminal, you can view the network interfaces and their corresponding IP addresses.

2. ip command

The ip command is a more advanced alternative to ifconfig. It provides more detailed information about the network interfaces and their configurations. To find your IP address using the ip command, run ip addr show in the terminal.

These are just two of the many methods available in Linux to find your IP address. Depending on your specific distribution and network setup, there may be other tools and commands that can also provide you with this information.

Using ifconfig command

The ifconfig command is a commonly used tool in Linux for managing network interfaces and obtaining information about IP addresses. It allows users to view and configure network settings directly from the command line.

To find the IP address using the ifconfig command, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal or command prompt.
2. Type ifconfig and press Enter. This will display information about all network interfaces on your Linux system.
3. Look for the network interface you are interested in. It is usually named eth0 for Ethernet connections or wlan0 for wireless connections.
4. Find the line that starts with inet and followed by an IP address. This is your IP address for that network interface.

For example, if the output of ifconfig shows:

The IP address for the eth0 interface is 192.168.0.100.

Note: The ifconfig command may require root or administrative privileges to run. You can use sudo ifconfig to run it with elevated privileges.

Using the ifconfig command, you can easily find the IP address of your Linux system or a specific network interface.

Using ip command

In Linux, the ip command is a powerful tool for finding and managing IP addresses. It provides a comprehensive set of options and features to help you troubleshoot network issues, configure network interfaces, and perform various network-related tasks.

To find IP addresses using the ip command, you can use the addr option followed by the network interface name. For example, to find the IP address of the eth0 interface, you can run the following command:

ip addr show eth0

This command will display detailed information about the eth0 interface, including its IP address.

Additionally, you can use the -4 option to filter the output and only display IPv4 addresses, or the -6 option to display IPv6 addresses.

Example:

ip -4 addr show eth0

This command will display only the IPv4 address of the eth0 interface.

Furthermore, you can use the -o option to display the IP address in a more concise format. This can be helpful when you need to parse the output programmatically or extract specific information.

Overall, the ip command is a versatile tool that enables you to find IP addresses in Linux and perform various network-related tasks with ease.

Checking network settings file

In order to find the IP address of your Linux machine, you can check the network settings file. This file contains all the configuration details related to your network interface.

To locate the network settings file, you need to navigate to the /etc directory. This directory contains various system configuration files, including the network settings file.

Once you are in the /etc directory, you can look for the network settings file named network.conf or interfaces. You can use the ls command to list the files in the directory and find the appropriate file.

After finding the network settings file, you can open it using a text editor like vi or nano. Inside the file, you will find the configuration details of your network interface.

In order to find the IP address, look for a line that starts with address or inet. The IP address will be mentioned after the equals sign (=).

Finding internal IP address

In Linux, you can easily find your internal IP address using the in-built command line tools. Here are a few methods to do so:

1. Using the ifconfig command:
• Open a terminal and type ifconfig.
• Look for the network interface (usually starts with "eth" or "wlan") you are connected to.
• The IP address will be listed under the inet field.
2. Using the ip command:
• Open a terminal and type ip a.
• Look for the network interface (usually starts with "eth" or "wlan") you are connected to.
• The IP address will be listed under the inet field.
3. Using the hostname command:
• Open a terminal and type hostname -I.
• The IP address will be displayed.

These methods will help you quickly find your internal IP address in Linux.

Using ifconfig command

The ifconfig command in Linux is a powerful tool that allows you to find the IP address of your network interfaces. It helps in configuring and displaying network interface parameters.

To find your IP address using the ifconfig command, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type ifconfig and press Enter.
3. Look for the network interface you are interested in. It will be listed under a section marked with ethX or wlanX, where X is a number.
4. Under the network interface section, look for the inet field followed by an IP address. This IP address represents your machine's IP address on the network.

Note: The ifconfig command may need root or superuser privileges, so you might need to use sudo ifconfig instead.

In conclusion, the ifconfig command is an essential tool in Linux that allows you to find your IP address and configure network interface settings. It is a simple yet powerful command that can provide valuable information about your network connections.

Using ip command

In Linux, you can find the IP address of your system using the ip command. The ip command is a powerful networking tool that allows you to perform a variety of network-related tasks, including finding your IP address.

To find your IP address using the ip command, you can use the following command:

ip addr show

This command will display detailed information about all network interfaces on your system, including their IP addresses. Look for the line that starts with inet followed by your IP address. The IP address usually appears after the subnet mask, separated by a slash.

For example, if your IP address is 192.168.1.100, you might see a line like this:

inet 192.168.1.100/24

The /24 after the IP address represents the subnet mask, which determines the size of the network. To find out more information about a specific interface, you can use the ip addr show interface command, where interface is the name of the interface you want to examine, such as eth0 or wlan0.

Using the ip command is a quick and efficient way to find your IP address in Linux.

Checking network settings file

In Linux, you can find the IP address by checking the network settings file. This file contains all the necessary information about your network configuration, including the IP address.

Step 1

Open the terminal on your Linux system.

Step 2

Using a text editor, open the network settings file located at /etc/network/interfaces. You may need to use the sudo command to access this file.

Step 3

Inside the network settings file, look for an entry labeled address or iface. This entry will contain your IP address.

For example:

iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.100
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.0.1

In this example, the IP address is 192.168.0.100.

By checking the network settings file, you can easily find the IP address of your Linux system.

Finding public IP address

In Linux, there are several ways to find the public IP address of your system. This information can be useful in many situations, such as setting up a remote connection or troubleshooting network issues. Here are some methods you can use to find the public IP address in Linux:

Method 1: Using command-line tools

One of the easiest ways to find your public IP address is by using command-line tools like curl or wget.

1. Open a terminal
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

curl -s https://ipinfo.io/ip

This command will display your public IP address on the terminal.

Method 2: Using online services

There are several websites and online services that can show you your public IP address. You can use a web browser to visit one of these websites and obtain the information you need.

1. Open a web browser
2. Visit a website like https://www.whatismyip.com or https://www.ipchicken.com
3. You will see your public IP address displayed on the website.

These are just a couple of methods you can use to find the public IP address in Linux. Depending on your system configuration, there may be other ways to achieve the same result.

Using curl command

Another way to find your IP address in Linux is by using the curl command.

To retrieve your IP address using curl, you can use an online service that returns your public IP address as a response. One such service is ipinfo.io.

Here's an example of how to use curl to find your IP address:

$ curl https://ipinfo.io/ip

This command will return your public IP address. You can also store the result in a variable by using the following syntax:

$ IP=$(curl https://ipinfo.io/ip)
$ echo $IP

By using the curl command in Linux and querying an online service like ipinfo.io, you can easily find your IP address.

Using dig command

dig command is a powerful tool that can be used in Linux to find information about domain names, including their associated IP addresses.

To use the dig command, open a terminal window and enter the following command:

dig <domain-name>

Replace <domain-name> with the domain name you want to find the IP address for. For example, to find the IP address for the domain name "example.com", enter the following command:

dig example.com

The dig command will then provide you with information about the domain name, including its IP address. Look for the "ANSWER SECTION" in the dig output, which will display the IP address associated with the domain name.

Note: The dig command may not be installed by default on every Linux distribution. If you receive an error message stating that the dig command is not found, you may need to install it using the package manager for your Linux distribution.

Checking router settings

To find the IP address of your router in Linux, you can check the router settings. This will provide you with the necessary information to access your router's configuration page.

Step 1: Open a web browser

First, open a web browser on your Linux computer. This can be any browser of your choice, such as Firefox or Chrome.

Step 2: Enter the default gateway

In the address bar of your web browser, enter the default gateway of your network. This is usually the IP address of your router. If you're unsure what the default gateway is, you can find it by using the terminal and running the command:

• ip route show

Step 3: Access the router settings

After entering the default gateway in your browser, hit Enter or press the Go button. This will take you to the login page of your router's settings.

Step 4: Login to the router

Enter the username and password for your router. If you haven't changed these from the default credentials, you can find them in the documentation that came with your router or by doing a quick search online.

Once logged in, you will be able to access and modify the settings of your router, including the IP address and other network configurations.

By following these steps, you can easily find and access your router's settings in Linux, allowing you to manage your network and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Resolving IP address using domain name

In Linux, you can easily find the IP address of a domain name by using the command line. This can be useful when troubleshooting network issues or checking the IP of a website.

To resolve the IP address of a domain name, you can use the nslookup command. Open a terminal and type the following:

nslookup domainname.com

Replace "domainname.com" with the actual domain name you want to resolve. Press Enter, and the IP address associated with the domain name will be displayed.

If you want more detailed information, you can use the dig command. Simply type:

dig domainname.com

This will provide you with not only the IP address, but also other DNS-related information like nameservers and TTL (Time To Live) values.

Understanding the output

The output of nslookup or dig will typically include the IP address in the "Address" or "A" record section. It might also contain additional information such as the query time or the authoritative nameserver.

Conclusion

Resolving IP addresses using domain names is a simple task in Linux. By using the nslookup or dig command, you can quickly find the IP address associated with a domain name and gather additional DNS details if needed.

Using nslookup command

In Linux, the nslookup command is a useful tool for finding the IP address associated with a domain name. This command can be used to perform reverse DNS lookups, find the hostname associated with an IP address, and troubleshoot network connectivity issues.

To use the nslookup command, open a terminal and type the following:

nslookup domainname

Replace domainname with the domain or hostname you want to look up. The command will return the IP address associated with that domain or hostname.

If you want to find the hostname associated with an IP address, you can use the following command:

nslookup IPaddress

Replace IPaddress with the IP address you want to look up. The command will return the hostname associated with that IP address.

For more advanced options, you can use the nslookup command in interactive mode. To do this, simply type nslookup into the terminal and press Enter. This will open the nslookup prompt, where you can enter various commands to perform DNS lookups and query specific DNS servers.

Example usage:

1. To find the IP address of the domain "example.com", enter nslookup example.com.
2. To find the hostname associated with the IP address "192.0.2.1", enter nslookup 192.0.2.1.
3. To perform a MX record lookup for a domain, enter nslookup -type=mx domainname.

The nslookup command is a powerful tool for network troubleshooting and DNS analysis in Linux, providing valuable information about IP addresses and hostnames.

Using dig command

In Linux, the dig command is a powerful tool used to gather DNS information. It stands for "domain information groper" and can be used to find IP addresses associated with domain names.

To find the IP address using the dig command, follow these steps:

With the dig command, you can easily find the IP address of a domain name in Linux, which can be useful for troubleshooting network connectivity issues or verifying DNS configurations.

Checking DNS settings

In Linux, you can find your DNS settings by using various commands and tools. These settings are important as they determine how your computer resolves domain names into IP addresses.

Using the systemd-resolved service

The systemd-resolved service is a system service that provides network name resolution to local applications. To check your DNS settings with systemd-resolved, you can use the following command:

systemd-resolve --status | grep 'DNS Servers' -A2

This command will display the DNS servers configured on your system.

Using the resolv.conf file

Another way to check your DNS settings is by looking at the resolv.conf file. This file contains the IP addresses of the DNS servers your computer is configured to use. You can open the resolv.conf file using a text editor, such as nano or vim, with the following command:

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

In the resolv.conf file, you will see the IP addresses of your DNS servers listed under the "nameserver" directive.

Using the dig command

The dig command is a powerful tool for querying DNS servers. To check your DNS settings with dig, you can use the following command:

dig google.com

This command will query the DNS servers configured on your system and display the IP address associated with the domain name "google.com".

By checking your DNS settings, you can ensure that your Linux system is correctly resolving domain names and connecting to the correct IP addresses.

Verifying IP configuration

In order to find your IP in Linux, it is important to verify your IP configuration. This can be done using the following steps:

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Enter the command "ifconfig" and press enter.
3. You will see a list of network interfaces along with their corresponding IP addresses.
4. Locate the interface that you are interested in, such as "eth0" or "wlan0".
5. Find the "inet" field under the desired interface, which displays the IP address assigned to it.

By following these steps, you can easily verify your IP configuration and find your IP address in Linux.

Pinging the loopback address

In Linux, you can find your IP address by pinging the loopback address. The loopback address is a special IP address, 127.0.0.1, that points back to your own computer. It is used for testing network connectivity on your local machine.

To ping the loopback address, open a terminal in Linux and type the following command:

This command will send a small packet of data to the loopback address and wait for a response. If your network is properly configured, you should receive a response indicating that the ping was successful. This response will also include your IP address.

Pinging the loopback address is a useful way to quickly find your IP address in Linux, especially if you are dealing with network connectivity issues or setting up a local server. It can help you confirm that your network stack is functioning correctly and that your IP address is correctly configured.

Pinging default gateway

When it comes to finding IP addresses in Linux, one useful step is to ping the default gateway. The default gateway is the IP address of the router that connects you to the internet. By pinging the default gateway, you can verify whether your Linux system is able to reach the router.

To ping the default gateway, open a terminal window and enter the following command:

ping -c 4 $(ip r | grep default | awk '{print $3}')

This command uses the ip r command to get the routing table, then filters out the line that contains the word "default" with the grep command, and finally uses the awk command to extract the third field (which is the IP address of the default gateway). The ping command is then used with the -c 4 option to send four ICMP echo requests to the default gateway.

If the default gateway is reachable, you will see a successful response from the ping command. If not, you may need to troubleshoot your network connection or check your network configuration.

Pinging the default gateway can be a helpful step in troubleshooting network connectivity issues in Linux and can provide valuable information about your network setup.

Pinging a remote server

To find the IP address of a remote server, you can use the ping command in Linux. The ping command sends a small packet of data to the specified IP address and waits for a response. This can help you determine if the server is reachable and estimate the roundtrip time.

To ping a remote server, open the terminal and type the following command:

ping [server IP]

Replace [server IP] with the IP address of the server you want to ping. Once you hit enter, the ping command will send out a series of packets to the specified IP address. You will see the output displayed on the screen, showing the roundtrip time and any potential loss of packets.

The ping command is a useful tool for network troubleshooting and checking the availability of a remote server. It can help you diagnose connectivity issues and determine if a server is up and running.

Changing IP address

In Linux, you can easily change your IP address using the command line interface. There are different methods to accomplish this task, depending on your network setup and requirements.

Using the ifconfig command

The ifconfig command allows you to configure IP addresses on network interfaces in Linux. You can use the following syntax:

ifconfig [interface] [new_ip_address] [netmask] [broadcast] [hw] [ether]

For example, to change the IP address of the eth0 interface to 192.168.1.10, you would run the command:

ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.10

Changing IP address with systemd-networkd

If you're using a system with systemd-networkd, you can change your IP address by editing the network configuration file. The configuration file is usually located in /etc/systemd/network/. You can use a text editor to modify the file and update the IP address accordingly.

After making changes, you need to restart the systemd-networkd service for the changes to take effect:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-networkd

By following these steps, you can easily change your IP address in Linux to meet your specific requirements and network setup.

Using ifconfig command

The ifconfig command is a powerful tool in the Linux operating system that allows you to find and configure IP addresses on your system. It provides information about network interfaces and can be used to assign, configure, and troubleshoot IP addresses.

To find your IP address using the ifconfig command, open a terminal and enter the following command:

ifconfig

This will display a list of network interfaces along with their respective IP addresses. Look for the interface with the desired IP address.

If you want to find a specific IP address, you can use the following command:

ifconfig | grep 'inet addr:'

This will display only the lines containing the "inet addr:" keyword, which represents the IP address of the interface.

Using the ifconfig command is a simple and effective way to find IP addresses in Linux. It can be used for various networking tasks, such as setting up network connections or troubleshooting network issues.

Using ip command

The ip command is a powerful tool in Linux for managing network interfaces and their configurations. It allows you to perform various tasks related to network settings, including finding the IP address of a particular interface.

To find the IP address using the ip command, you can use the following syntax:

ip address show [interface]

This command displays the IP address and other information of the specified interface. If you don't specify an interface, it will show the details of all the available interfaces.

For example, to find the IP address of the Ethernet interface, you can use the command:

ip address show eth0

This will display the IP address, subnet mask, and other details of the eth0 interface.

The ip command provides many other options and functionalities for managing network interfaces and configurations in Linux. You can explore its man page for more details and usage examples.

Editing network settings file

One way to find your IP address in Linux is by editing the network settings file. This file contains all the network configuration information for your system.

To edit the network settings file, you will need to have root or superuser privileges. Open a terminal and type the following command to open the file:

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

This will open the file in the nano text editor. You will see something like this:

# This file describes the network interfaces available on your system
# and how to activate them. For more information, see interfaces(5).
source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*
# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
# The primary network interface
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

The network settings file is divided into sections for each network interface. The interface names may vary depending on your system configuration.

Editing the network settings

To configure a static IP address for your system, you need to modify the interface section for your network card. In the example above, the primary network interface is "eth0".

Change the line "iface eth0 inet dhcp" to:

iface eth0 inet static

Below this line, add the following lines to specify the IP address, netmask, and default gateway for your system:

address 192.168.1.100
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.1.1

Replace the IP addresses with the appropriate values for your network. Save the file by pressing Ctrl+O, then exit nano by pressing Ctrl+X.

After editing the network settings file, you need to restart the networking service for the changes to take effect. Type the following command:

sudo systemctl restart networking

Your system will now use the static IP address you specified in the network settings file.

Troubleshooting IP issues

When working with IP addresses in a Linux environment, there may be times when you encounter issues. Here are some common troubleshooting steps to help resolve these issues:

1. Check the IP configuration: Verify that the IP address and subnet mask are correct for the network you are connecting to. Use the command ip addr show to view the IP address configuration of your Linux system.

2. Test network connectivity: Use the ping command to test the connectivity to another IP address on the network. For example, ping 8.8.8.8 will send an ICMP echo request to Google's public DNS server.

3. Verify DNS settings: Ensure that the DNS servers listed in the /etc/resolv.conf file are correct. You can use the dig command to test DNS resolution. For example, dig google.com will query the DNS server for the IP address of google.com.

4. Check firewall settings: If you are unable to reach specific IP addresses or services, check if there is a firewall blocking the traffic. Use the iptables command to view and modify firewall rules.

5. Restart network services: If you are experiencing intermittent connectivity issues, restarting the network services on your Linux system may help. Use the appropriate command for your distribution, such as systemctl restart network or service networking restart.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you can diagnose and resolve common IP issues in a Linux environment. Remember to consult the relevant documentation for your specific Linux distribution for more detailed instructions.

Checking network cables

In a Linux environment, if you are experiencing network connectivity issues, one of the first things you should check is the network cables. Faulty or disconnected cables can cause a loss of connection or intermittent connectivity. To ensure that your cables are properly connected and functioning, follow these steps:

1. Physical inspection:

Start by visually inspecting all the network cables connected to your system. Look for any signs of damage, such as bends, kinks, or fraying. Ensure that all cables are securely plugged into their respective ports.

2. Cable detection:

Use the ifconfig command to check if the network interface associated with the cable is detected by your system. Open a terminal and run the following command:

This command will display information about all the network interfaces on your system. Look for the interface that corresponds to the cable you want to check.

3. Link status:

Once you have identified the network interface, check its link status using the ethtool command. Run the following command:

Replace eth0 with the name of the network interface you want to check. Look for the "Link detected" line in the output. If it shows "yes", the cable is properly connected. If it shows "no", try reseating the cable or replacing it with a known working cable.

4. Network connectivity:

If the cable is detected and the link status is "yes", but you are still experiencing issues, you can further troubleshoot the network connectivity using tools such as ping or traceroute. These tools help identify any network connectivity problems between your system and a remote server or device.

By following these steps, you can quickly check the network cables in your Linux system and ensure that they are functioning properly. This will help you troubleshoot any network connectivity issues you may be experiencing.

Question-answer:

How can I find my IP address in Linux?

To find your IP address in Linux, you can use the command "ip addr" or "ifconfig". These commands will display the network interfaces and their associated IP addresses.

Can I find my IP address without using the terminal?

Yes, you can also find your IP address in Linux through the graphical user interface. Most desktop environments have a network manager applet or a network settings section where you can see your IP address.

Is there a command to only display the IP address and nothing else?

Yes, you can use the command "ip addr show dev eth0 | grep inet | awk 'print $2}' '" to display only the IP address without any additional information.

How can I find the IP address of another device on my network?

You can use the command "nmap" to scan your network and find the IP addresses of other devices. The command "nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24" will scan the specified IP range and display the online hosts along with their IP addresses.

Is there a way to find the public IP address of my Linux system?

Yes, you can use online services like "ipify" or "ifconfig.me" to find the public IP address of your Linux system. Simply run the command "curl ipify.org" or "curl ifconfig.me" to retrieve your public IP address.

What is an IP address in Linux?

An IP address in Linux is a unique numeric label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol (IP) for communication.