ip address is internet protocol allows hosts to connect to each other IE computers
every computer or network device(router ,dsl modems)have a specific ip address
so your sonicwall has an ip address that could be something like 192.168.1.1 and once your sonicwall is connected physically to a computer with internet explorer
you can type in the address bar the ip address and then you will be logged to your sonic wall so you can configure it
there are two types of ip addresses
one that is assigned to your dsl modem by the isp and the internal ip address that you can use to access the dsl modem
then what the dsl modem will do it will be the firewall that appears on the wan with its static IP address (assigned by the isp) it is how NAT works All the lan appear as that router and the Lan machines will have their ips hidden from the outside network