What is an IP?

IP (Internet protocol) is a method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another computer on the internet.


Each computer on the internet has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other computer on the internet.


When you send or receive data (for example , an e-mail or web page), the message gets divided into little chunks called packets.


Each of these packets contains both senders internet address (IP address) and the receivers address.


Any packet is sent first to gateway computer that understands a small part of internet.


The gateway computer reads the destination address and forwards the packet to an adjacent gateway that in turn read the destination address and so forth across the internet until one gateway recognizes the packet as belonging to computer within its immediate neighborhood or domain.


The gateway then forwards the packet directly to the computer whose address is specified.


Because message is divided into number of packets, each packet can, if necessary , be sent by a different route across the internet.


Packets can arrive in the different order they were sent in.


The internet protocol just delivers them(IP Packets).
It is up to other protocol, the TCP/IP to put back in the right order.