Difference between URL and IP Address


The IP address and the URL are the two ways to identify resources on the internet (Uniform Resource Locator). An online resource, similar to a web page or an image, can be accessed by clients or users using a URL, which is a human readable string. For example, you can browse a website using the URL "https//www.tutorialspoint.com". The hostname (in this case, ("www.tutorialspoint.com"), the protocol being used (then," https"), and sometimes a particular file path or set of query parameters which includes in the header information.

Any Internet-connected device would have an IP address, which is a numerical identifier. A device's position on the internet may be determined by its IP address, which also permits contact with other devices. IP address 194.89.92.1.0.1 is an example.

Read this article to find out more about URL and IP Address and how they are different from each other.

What is URL?

The query string typically contains key-value pairs that are separated by "&" symbols and is separated from the remainder of the URL by a "?" symbol. For instance, the query string in the URL "http://www.tutorix.com/search?q=search+terms&sort=relevance" is "? q=search+terms&sort=relevance."

The URL is one of the important elements that helps us access information or navigate on the net. It allows the user to browse and use the resource in a comprehensive and clear manner.

There are different types of protocols available to access the web pages, such as −

  • HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

  • HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)

  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

What is IP Address?

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical marker assigned to every device connected to the internet. It has two primary functions: identifying the host or device on a network and detecting the host on the network.

  • IPv4 addresses are written as four sets of figures separated by periods, similar as "195.148.0.1". Each number can range from 0 to 255, giving a sum of roughly 4.3 billion possible unique IPv4 addresses.

  • IPv6 addresses are much longer than IPv4 addresses and allow for numerous additional unique addresses, which is necessary to accommodate the growing number of internet connected devices.

The Internet's routing mechanisms employ IP addresses to transfer data from one device to another. For example, your computer will make a request for a web page to the IP address of the server hosting the page. The response is also returned by the server to your computer's IP address.

IP addresses are used for data routing, but they're also essential for network security. Firewalls can use IP addresses to determine whether to permit or restrict incoming traffic based on the traffics source. Network administrators can take steps to secure their network by using IP addresses to identify devices which are transferring out suspicious or vicious network business.

IP addresses are crucial for the internet's operation since they allow devices to be recognized, located inside the network, and used to transit traffic between them.

Difference between URL and IP Address

The following table highlights the major differences between URL and IP Address −

Characteristics

URL

IP Address

Stands for

Uniform Resource Locator

Internet Protocol address

Definition

A web resource's position on the internet is indicated by its URL, or uniform resource locator. It is essentially a URL that directs users to a particular website or other online resource.

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical marker assigned to every device connected to the internet.

Combination

The URL is a combination of numbers and alphabets

The IP address is a combination of numbers with dots

Examples

Some of the examples of URL are www.tutorialspoint.com, www.tutorix.com, www.google.com

Some of the examples of IP address are: 188.112.0.1,111.22.3.2

Conclusion

An online resource's address that can be read by humans is known as a URL. Browsers and other client applications use it to find and access a certain webpage or other resource since it gives a complete and unambiguous reference to it. The protocol that will be used, the domain name, the location of the resource, and additional query parameters are all contained in the URLs.

The primary purpose of an IP address is to locate the host within the network and identify the host or device on the network. The Internet's routing systems employ IP addresses to forward data from one device to another. IP addresses are essential for network security because they make it possible to determine where incoming information is originating from.

Updated on: 06-Mar-2023

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