iPro said:
Oh wait i might understand it:
the IP-address of our computer is 192.168.1.2.
So for our ipad i can choose 192.168.1.3. or isn't that the smartest choice?
No, your laptop (or any other device is given an ip via the routers server. We wan't your iPad to log in to a known free ip address area.
If you make your iPad fixed at '3' it may possibly clash with a printer, ps3, xbox360 or other device on your network so to prevent this you reserve a block of addresses like I set out well away from the normal dynamically selected ip's.
Nothing to stop you giving every device on your network a fixed ip, big companies will often set device types into areas. Example printers to 100 - 120, fax machines 150 - 200. Just makes life easier for the tech jock to analyse and/or to keep track of.
Way to think of it is a mum looks to collect her child but knows he/she is at No 28 for a sleep over, so she has no need to bang on other doors in the street to ask.
dynamic ip's (I.e addresses auto handled by your router) are used general purpose, to make it more plug in and play for the less technical minded home or soho users, normally this works fine but if you have a device with a faulty network card, or you have a lot if WiFi activity locally, this can cause issues with addressing.