what is an IP address

NSKE

I AM AFRAID TO SAY THAT YOU ARE NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. LETS NOT SPEAK BIG ENGLISH, IT’S A SIMPLE CASE. IF IP IS SOFTWARE, THEN WE MEAN IT IS SOFTWARE ADDRESS. EVERY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE WORLD ORIGINATED FROM SOME SORT OF THEORY. BUT HERE WE ARE TALKING OF COMPUTER AND ITS COMPONENTS, WHICH IP IS ONE.

WELL, IN THE INTEREST OF ANALYTIC CLARITY,

IF TCP/IT IS A PROTOCOL AND THIS PROTOCOL IS A STANDARD THAT CONTROLS THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF COMMUNICATION, THEN THIS PROTOCOL I S A NETWORK LANGUAGE. IN THIS REGARD, THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE INTERNET.THIS LANGUAGE IS EMBEDDED IN THE OPERATING SYSTEM OF A COMPUTER AND TELL THE HARDWARES WHAT TO DO, SINCE A COMPUTER CANNOT HOLD AN IP ADDRESS WITHOUT AND OPERATING SYSTEM.


According to TODD LAMMLE

“One of the most important topics in any discussion of TCP/IP is IP addressing. An IP address is a numeric identifier assigned to each machine on an IP network. It designates the specific location of a device on the network. An IP address is a software address, not a hardware address—the latter is hard-coded on a Network Interface Card (NIC) and used for finding hosts on a local network.”

CCNA™:
Cisco® Certified
Network Associate
Study Guide,
5th Edition
Page 86

PLS GOOGLE THE “ORIGIN OF TCP/IP”
MAYBE WE MIGHT COME AROUND TO THE SAME IDEA

NOTE: SOSE IS AN IDEALIST, AND CRITIQUE INCLINED, BUT ALWAYS STAND TO BE CORRECTED.

Just on the point of TCP/IP being viable in other scenarios than computer software, have a look at RFC1149 - Standard for the transmission of IP datagrams on avian carriers. Now, is the IP address of a pigeon loft coded in hardware or software? Neither; the address is a logical concept which (along with many others) make up the logical framework that defines how the protocol works. Because we in practice always do networking with computers we fall into the trap of thinking 'hardware', 'software' etc but the truth is wider than that

Maybe we should narrow the question down to networking only? Something like, define an IP address when used in networking with computers?

I think generally the hardware address is the MAC and the logical/software address is the IP address. Maybe people speak of them this way to better help us understand the difference.

If we're narrowing the scope as you say then I agree with your definition

This is one of them area's where everyone will have their own idea's. Going to the physical hardware MAC address, this can be changed within software anyway.

For me, IP Addressing isn't software as such however its usually implemented in Software (not always though).

Righty, thats it from me on this one

Smurf,

I understand what you mean. Honeslty, I don't care much to think about it anymore. Haha.