How TCP⁄IP uses networks: TCP⁄IP addresses

An address enables data to be routed to the chosen destination. Each destination in your network, as well as any other TCP⁄IP network you have access to, can be uniquely identified by its assigned address (either a 32-bit IPv4 address in dotted decimal notation, or a 128-bit IPv6 address in colon hexadecimal notation).

IPv4 TCP⁄IP address
An IPv4 TCP⁄IP address is a 32-bit number written in dotted decimal notation. This scheme is numeric and consists of four groups separated by a period (.). For example, 9.67.1.100 represents a single host on a single network. 193.5.86.9 represents another host on another network.
IPv6 TCP⁄IP address
An IPv6 TCP⁄IP address is a 128-bit number written in colon hexadecimal notation. This scheme is hexadecimal and consists of eight 16-bit pieces of the address. For example, x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x represents a single host on a single network. Alternate notations described in RFC 2373 are acceptable. For example, FEDC:BA98:7654:3210:FEDC:BA98:7654:321 or ::1.

To indicate IPv6 prefixing use a slash followed by the number of prefix bits. For example, use 12AB:0:0:CD30::/60 to indicate the prefix X'12AB00000000CD3'.

Most TCP⁄IP commands require you to include the address of the remote host where the server you want to access resides. Each link (physical or virtual) on a host has an IP address.