What are the Public and Private IP addresses?

Question

I’ve been diving into the public and private IP addresses, as I could understand public IP addresses are assigned by Internet Service Providers, but I couldn’t understand how and by whom are private IP addresses assigned. I couldn’t understand as well what’s the purpose of private IP addresses.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you for helping me out.

In: Other

Answer 1

Here’s a good ELI5 type answer.

Imagine a public address as your street address or an office’s main telephone number. It is unique. There is only one 2345 Main Street, Anytown, USA address. Or only one 234-567-8901 phone number.

But inside that street address, you have rooms. Kitchen. Bathroom. Bedroom. Or at that office you have extensions. x101, x202, etc.

Any home can have a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom. Any office can have x101 or x202.