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The word quad is sometimes used to refer to each of the four numbers that constitute an IP address. An IP address is a unique numeric identifier for a computer or other device on a TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol) network. TCP/IP is the set of protocols (i.e., agreed upon formats) that is used for the Internet as well as for most LANs (local area networks) and other computer networks. In IPv4, the current standard protocol for the Internet, each IP address consists of 32 bits. Also referred to as dot addresses or dotted quads, they are expressed as four sets of numbers, each from 0 to 255, which are separated by periods. Examples include 115.205.72.192 and 127.0.0.1. The word quad comes from the Latin root quadr meaning four or square. It has many additional meanings in the English language, most of which are related to a unit in a set of something that consists of four units. Created November 24, 2005. |