Question

If you have a computer, why would you want an IP address? Why would you want a URL? Would you ever want both? Why? Detailed answer please.

Answer 1

Why would you want an IP address?

Because MAC addresses are only usable across the local network segment, we use IP addresses to communicate with other segments via routers. Meanwhile, for local targets, ARP is used to translate IPs into MAC addresses and the MAC addresses are used from then on in the conversation. All systems are in the same subnet, it would seem that IP addresses are then superfluous since the systems are only really using MAC addresses to route communications between each other.

Why would you want a URL?

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator), as the name suggests, provides a way to locate a resource on the web, the hypertext system that operates over the internet. The URL contains the name of the protocol to be used to access the resource and a resource name. The first part of a URL identifies what protocol to use. When we shorten a link, it appears like so: Our URLs are shortened and we can stilluse the tracking features in Bit.ly, but instead of our readers seeing Bit.ly in the shortened links, they see our custom domain. Using a custom domain with your link shortening service is a way to confront the spam and distrust issue.

Would you ever want both? Why?

What you want on the internet, you need to have a pointer of where to find it. URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) and IP addresses are just identifiers used for this purpose. The main difference between URL and IP address is what they point to. An IP address basically points to a computer, whether it is the physical hardware or a virtual one as in the case of shared hosting. In comparison, a typical URL contains the protocol to be used (i.e. HTTP, FTP), the domain name or IP address, the path, and optional fragment identifier. It is obvious to see that an IP address can be part of a URL, although it is more common to see a domain name instead of an IP address.

Because majority of URL use have the domain name instead of the IP address, it is necessary to process the request through a Domain Name Server (DNS) in order to convert the domain name into an IP address. Without the DNS, the request would fail as the computer would not be able to find the host. The development of URL stemmed from the fact that IP addresses are a lot more difficult to remember than words that are related to the site’s content or purpose.

Difference between IP and URL:

1.An IP address just specifies the location while a URL specifies location, protocol, and specific resource

2.URL requires a DNS server while an IP address doesn’t

3.URLs are unlimited while IP addresses are limited

4.IP addresses and URLs have a one to many relationship.