--- title: "Addresses on a Network: IP Addresses, Hostnames and Paths" description: "IP addresses identify destinations for network data. Ordinary devices on one local network need distinct addresses, while separate private networks can reuse them. A web address contains a hostname an" canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/computing/addresses-on-a-network-ip-addresses-hostnames-and-paths-mt_tGgw0Vhd8b source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/computing/addresses-on-a-network-ip-addresses-hostnames-and-paths-mt_tGgw0Vhd8b.md retrieved: 2026-10-19 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Addresses on a Network: IP Addresses, Hostnames and Paths IP addresses identify destinations for network data. Ordinary devices on one local network need distinct addresses, while separate private networks can reuse them. A web address contains a hostname and a path. DNS can look up IP addresses for the hostname. Subject: Computing · Area: Computing Fundamentals · Ages 13 to 14 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/computing/addresses-on-a-network-ip-addresses-hostnames-and-paths-mt_tGgw0Vhd8b ## Ready when they can - Explain local address conflicts, address changes and reuse on separate private networks - Separate a hostname and path in a web address and identify the network part of a stated /24 IPv4 example - Describe hostname-to-IP lookup, saved lookup results and what failed lookup prevents ## Lesson: IP addresses, hostnames and paths Networks use destination IP addresses to deliver data. In ordinary local-network use, duplicate addresses can cause a conflict. An address can change; it is not a permanent identity for one computer. Separate private networks can reuse addresses. A device can have several addresses, and a router can let several devices share a public address. **Example.** An IPv4 address is written as four numbers from 0 to 255, separated by dots. In 192.168.6.25/24, the /24 prefix means the first three numbers form the network part: 192.168.6. The last number, 25, is the device part within that network. Other prefix lengths place the boundary elsewhere. The dots alone do not specify it. In https://museum.example/maps/hall, https is the scheme, museum.example is the hostname, and /maps/hall is the path. The hostname identifies the service being requested. It can lead to several server addresses. The path identifies a resource at that service, such as a page. This made-up address is for reading, not visiting. DNS, the Domain Name System, can look up IP addresses for a hostname. It does not translate the path or fetch the page. A browser can reuse a usable saved lookup result instead of making a fresh query. Hostname resolution means looking up IP addresses for a hostname. "Could not be resolved" means that lookup failed. Without a usable saved address, the browser cannot contact the service by that hostname. DNS queries may already have been sent. Successful lookup does not guarantee a page will load: the server or connection can still fail. Typing an IP address instead of a hostname does not always load the same website. **Recap.** IP addresses guide delivery. A hostname identifies a service; a path identifies a resource. DNS can find addresses for the hostname, and saved results can be reused. ## Practice 8 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [Networks and the Internet](https://lightmysky.com/learn/computing/networks-and-the-internet-mt_JmrMg6v8V_) ## Opens up - [Packets and Protocols on a Network](https://lightmysky.com/learn/computing/packets-and-protocols-on-a-network-mt_IffXVDtfLX)