An IP address is a string of numbers that identifies a specific device on a network, such as the server that hosts your website. A domain name is the easy-to-remember name you register instead, like yourbusiness.co.ke. You don't type an IP address to visit a website because DNS quietly translates the domain name into the correct IP address behind the scenes.
What Is an IP Address?
Every device connected to the internet, including the server your website lives on, needs a unique IP address to send and receive data. A typical IPv4 address looks like four numbers separated by dots, for example 192.0.2.1, with each number ranging from 0 to 255.
When your website's files sit on a hosting server, that server has its own IP address. Visitors' browsers use it to find and load your site, even though the visitor never sees or types it themselves.
What Is a Domain Name?
A domain name is the readable name registered for your website, such as yourbusiness.co.ke. It exists purely for human convenience: remembering a name is far easier than remembering a string of numbers, and a name also lets you change hosting providers later without asking customers to learn a new address.
For a fuller explanation of how domain registration works, see What Is a Domain Name and How Does It Work?
How DNS Connects the Two
DNS (the Domain Name System) works like a directory that matches domain names to IP addresses. When someone types your domain into their browser, their computer asks DNS which IP address that domain currently points to, then connects directly to the server at that address.
This matching is stored in your domain's DNS records, specifically the A record, which lists the IPv4 address your domain should point to. When you move your website to a new host, updating this record is what tells the internet to look at the new server's IP address instead of the old one.
You don't need to know or remember your website's IP address for everyday use. As long as your domain's DNS records are set up correctly, this translation happens automatically every time someone visits your site.
IPv4 vs IPv6
Most explanations, including this one, use IPv4 addresses (four numbers separated by dots) because they're still the most common format. A newer format called IPv6 exists to provide a much larger pool of available addresses, written as a longer string of letters and numbers separated by colons. Your hosting provider handles which format your server uses, so this isn't something you typically need to configure yourself.
Why This Matters for Your Website
- When you move your website to a new host, your domain name stays the same, but it now needs to point to a different IP address.
- If your website suddenly becomes unreachable after a hosting change, it's often because the DNS record hasn't finished updating to the new IP address yet.
- Some services, like setting up a dedicated IP for an SSL certificate, require knowing your server's specific IP address rather than just its domain name.
Understanding this relationship makes it much easier to follow instructions when pointing a domain to a new host, troubleshooting DNS changes, or reading a hosting support article that mentions IP addresses directly.