IP stands for Internet Protocol.
IP is the fundamental network layer protocol that provides addressing and routing for packets across the internet. Every device on the internet has an IP address, and all WebRTC communication ultimately runs over IP.
IP in WebRTC
WebRTC uses IP as its base transport layer. The typical protocol stack for WebRTC media is:
- IP > UDP > SRTP (for audio and video)
- IP > UDP > SCTP (for Data Channels)
IP addresses play a critical role in WebRTC’s ICE process, where candidates containing IP address information are gathered and exchanged to establish connectivity through NATs.
WebRTC supports both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Privacy concerns around IP address leakage led browsers to implement mDNS candidate obfuscation, hiding local IP addresses from JavaScript.
