Judy: Your IP(Internet Protocol) address is unique to your particular connection- it can be used to connect to your computer if one knows what it is-it is used by the remote desk top connections that are available (used to be 'net meeting" in windows- but they don't use that much anymore,  I could go to a friends place and get on his computer - do an IP connection and be looking at the desktop from my computer instead of his- was a great trick)- sometimes when you go on some sites they will tell you they know who you are- by displaying your IP-and you can do a "trace route" to see what your IP is also- I will forward that link directly to you for you to play with- we used to have to have "static IP's" here for a more secure connection- or so they said- which means it remains the same so the connection can verify that you are who you are, and not a hacker trying to get in to a secure system- but they now have dropped that- made it very difficult to do anything remotely(unless one used net meeting) we had to be on the one computer that was identified with that IP in order to complete the connection.
You can connect directly to a site with only an IP too- if you know it- just type in the numbers and it will take you right to it.
Just some info that might be helpful.
Steve Meinecke
IA/Titlefax
Woodbridge, Va