An IP address, short for Internet Protocol address, is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing.
Knowing how to check your IP address can be helpful for troubleshooting network issues, accessing certain websites or online services, or setting up port forwarding on your router. There are several ways to check your IP address on Windows Vista, depending on whether you want to find your local IP address or your public IP address.