ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

IP address blocking

Okay kiddo, an IP address is like a phone number for your computer. It helps your computer talk to other computers on the internet. Sometimes, certain websites or people can be mean or harmful to your computer, just like some strangers can be scary or dangerous in real life.

So, IP address blocking is like your parents blocking those strangers or bad people from calling your phone number. In the same way, you can block certain computer addresses from accessing your computer or a specific website. This is done by using special tools or software that can prevent access to the IP address that is trying to connect to your computer.

Just like how your parents use their knowledge and judgment to decide which strangers to block, website or network administrators have to carefully choose which IP addresses to block, as sometimes they can accidentally block innocent and helpful computers too.

But, ultimately, IP address blocking is an important way to keep your computer and the internet safe and secure from bad guys out there!