In what form is an IP address stored?

An IP address is stored and processed inside a computer in binary form (as bits), and the familiar notation with dots or colons is just a convenient representation for humans.

Short version: inside the system, an IP address is simply a number in binary format.

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#What this actually looks like

#IPv4

For example, the IP address:

192.168.1.10

Inside a computer it is stored as 32 bits:

11000000 10101000 00000001 00001010

• each block is 8 bits (1 byte)
• 4 bytes together = 32 bits

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#IPv6

An IPv6 address:

2001:db8::1

Inside the system:

• 128 bits
• also in binary form

The hexadecimal notation (2001:db8) is just a short form for displaying bits.

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#Why we do not see the binary form

Because:

• the binary format is inconvenient to read
• humans easily make mistakes with bits

That is why these are used:

• decimal notation for IPv4
• hexadecimal notation for IPv6

But for the network and the OS:

• it is always a number
• always bits

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#An important point for an interview

• an IP address:
  • is not a string
  • is not text
• It is:
  • a binary value
  • on which operations are performed (masks, comparison, routing)

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#In short, for an interview

An IP address is stored and processed in binary form (as bits), and the familiar notation is just a convenient representation for humans.