The Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol, or set of rules, for routing and addressing packets of data so that they can travel across networks and arrive at the correct destination. Data traversing the Internet is divided into smaller pieces, called packets.
An IP address identifies every device connected to the internet. This enables computers and other internet-connected devices, such as mobile phones and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, to communicate over the internet and on local-area networks (LANs).