In what scenarios is an IP address used in network technologies?

An IP address is used to identify devices on a network and to route data between them. Main use cases include:

• Local Area Networks (LAN): devices within the same network receive IP addresses for data exchange.
• Internet: global routing of packets between devices using unique IPs.
• Configuring network services: servers, routers, access points use IPs for communication.
• Security: IP addresses are used for traffic filtering and firewall configuration.
• Monitoring and logging: tracking activity by IP.

For example, when connecting to a website, your computer uses an IP address to establish a connection with the server, and routers along the way direct packets based on source and destination IP addresses.