IP, which stands for Internet Protocol, works like a street address to pinpoint exactly where you are accessing the Internet from. This allows information, like web pages and email, to be delivered to you. Every device (such as a mobile phone, a Wii, a PlayStation console or a computer) that accesses the Internet must have a unique IP address, which is generally provided by an internet service provider like Time Warner Cable. Without an IP address, a device will not be able to get to internet to send and receive information.
An IP address is a unique number that identifies the location of a computer or device on a network. The current IP address version is called IPv4 and a typical public IP address looks like this: 126.96.36.199.