IP and InternetAbout these guides
These 21 guides explain, in plain words, the parts of the internet that most people use every day without ever being told how they work: what an IP address is, why you have two of them, what your router does, why Wi-Fi is slow in the back room, and what tools such as VPNs and private windows really hide.
Each guide is written to be read by itself in a few minutes. It starts with the short answer, gives steps or a table where that helps, and ends with the questions people most often ask. Where a guide gives menu steps, it names the system they are for (Windows 11 and 10, Android, iPhone, macOS), since menus differ between versions and phone makers.
Where to start
- New to all this? Begin with what an IP address is, then public and private addresses.
- Something is not working? Go to slow Wi-Fi fixes, what DNS is or router login.
- Worried about privacy? Read what someone can do with your IP address first. It is less than most people fear. Then VPNs and private mode.
- Studying networking? Subnet masks and CIDR with the subnet calculator and CIDR table cover the usual exam questions.
The guides describe how the technology works in general. They are not advice about your particular network, and they are independent of every company and product named in them.
Who writes these guides?
They are our own writing, checked against the public internet standards. Nothing is copied from other sites.
Can I suggest a topic or report a mistake?
Yes, please use the contact page. Tell us the page address and what is wrong or missing.