IP addressing is a numerical labeling system that is used to identify devices and facilitate the routing of traffic across IP networks, such as the internet. Each device connected to an IP network is assigned a unique IP address which consists of a series of numbers separated by periods in IPv4 (e.g., 192.168.1.1) or colons in IPv6 (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
IP addresses are typically formed of a network part and a host part, which can vary in length depending on the class or type of network. IP addresses may be dynamically assigned by a DHCP server, which can change over time, or statically assigned so that the address remains constant. The use of IP addresses ensures that data sent over a network arrives at the proper destination similar to how physical mail requires a correct postal address to reach the intended recipient.
In an IPv4 network using the 192.168.0.0 address space, the IP address 192.168.0.0 is reserved as the network identifier, which signifies the entire subnet rather than any individual device. It is commonly followed by a subnet mask like 255.255.255.0, indicating that this network (192.168.0.0/24) can host addresses from 192.168.0.1 up to 192.168.0.254. The address 192.168.0.0 itself is not used for hosts, as it is the address used to refer to the network as a whole. On the other end of the range, the IP address 192.168.0.255 is the designated broadcast address for this subnet, used to send messages to all devices within the network simultaneously.