IPv4

The IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is the main protocol used today in networks and the internet. IPv4 is typically presented as a dotted decimal form of four numbered blocks with values from 0 to 255. Each block is presented as one single byte, resulting in a block of four bytes when being presented in hexadecimal.

Combined with a netmask of the same characteristics, network segments can be built to separate a network infrastructure into smaller blocks. For example, reserved ranges can be freely used for private networks, such as a home network. Furthermore, global ranges can be assigned that are maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority department that is also part of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.