What is an IP-address?
IP-addresses are used in IP-based networks such as Internet to identify the sender and the recipient. The data transmitted in an IP-based network is divided in many little frames and each frame is adressed by the source and destination IP-address. An IP-address can also identify a group of recipients and many senders can be reached by just one IP-address.
Understanding IP-addresses
The most spread IP-addresses today are based on the IPv4-Protocol and consist of four 8-bit parts which look binary like this: 11000000.10101000.00000001.00110010. As this form of data is not easy readable for humans there is a more convenient way to read such addresses. Usually IP-adresses are represented by decimal digits 0 - 9 but there is an exception. As an IP-address part consists of only 8 bit, you cannot specify a value lower 0 or higher than 255. An example of how a valid IPv4-address can look like you can get by converting the preceding binary example to the decimal system: 192.168.1.50. This shape of notation is usually much easier to read. However such 32-bit addresses are not enough for every network device in the world connected to the internet. Because of this more and more important becomes the IPv6-Protocol with its 128-bit IP-addresses which is used to get rid of this and other disadvantages of the IPv4.
What is WHOIS?
Using a WHOIS query you can check if a domain is already registered or going to expire soon. You can also view some contact information about the domain holder or it's administrator. WHOIS is a database where such information is stored.
