Page 116 - digitalliteracy

6.1 Leaving a Trail on the Web

Your Trail of IP Addresses and Domain Names

Every computer has an Internet protocol address or IP address. The IP address is a series of
numbers such as 192.168.0.1 that is assigned by an Internet service provider or private
network administrator. The IP address does not indicate who is using the device, but when
you open a browser and enter the web, the IP address and location of your computer are sent
to every website you visit. In this way your movements on the web can be tracked. This
tracking may offer you some benefits. For example, websites may recognize you if you have
visited before and stream-line your online shopping experience. Or your IP address may
help investigators find your electronic device if it is lost or stolen.

Every website is also assigned an IP address, which specifies where on the web the site is
located. For example, the Ashford University website has the IP address of 199.73.44.51.
Because it is easier to remember names than a series of numbers, the website is also given a
domain name (also called the host),
and the IP address is linked to that
domain name. To find out what your
IP address is, follow the instructions
in A Closer Look: What Is Your Com-
puter IP Address?.

Domain names have two parts: the
web extension and the web page name.
The web extension indicates the type
of organization or institution the web-
site represents or the country desig-
nation, such as .us (United States). For
example, the domain name for Ash-
ford’s website is www.ashford.edu. In Bloomberg/Contributor/Getty Images
this domain name, the web page Every website you visit becomes part of your
name is “w w w.ashford” and the web digital footprint.

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