IPv4 vs IPv6 – IP addresses are what allow computers and devices to communicate with each other over the internet. The “IP” stands for Internet Protocol and the “v” in the name suggests versions of Internet Protocol. IPv4 is the first stable version. That’s the reason we don’t hear about IPv1, IPv2, and IPv3. IPv5 was created to experiment with streaming voice and video.
This protocol version was never released to the public because it served solely as an experimental real-time streaming protocol. So, there are actually two types of IP versions IPv4 and IPv6 but these two versions differ in several aspects. This post is going to outline IPv4 vs IPv6. And going to help you to choose which one is better for you. We will also discuss what happened to the IPv5.
Table of Contents
What is an IP Address?
The internet needs a way to differentiate between different computers, routers, and websites. IP addresses provide a way of doing so and form an essential part of how the internet works. IP addresses are an identifying number that is associated with a specific computer or computer network. They can be compared to a Social Security Number (SSN) since each one is unique to the computer or user it is assigned to.
When sending data across a network, a computer divides the information into data packets. These packets include the header which includes the destination IP address, sending IP address, and other information. It also includes the payload, which is the actual data you’re sending. All these things make the process of data transfer faster and more efficient.
Binary values make up IP addresses and drive the routing of all data over the Internet. The IP address allows the computers to send and receive information when they connect to the internet. The IP works alongside the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to ensure everything connected to the internet knows how and where to send traffic. That’s why you sometimes see it as TCP/IP.
Each IP address is a string of numbers separated by periods. A set of four numbers expresses them; for example, an address might be 182.157.1.28. Each number in the set can range from 0 to 255. So, the full IP addressing range goes from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255.
Types Of IP Address
IP address versions (IPv4 and IPv6), availability, and usage, all influence the types of IP addresses.
There are two types of IP addresses—public and private—for IPv4 and IPv6, each with a different use:
- Public IP Addresses: The internet service provider, ISP, provides the device with a public IP address, which is used to identify the device on the public internet.
- Private IP Addresses: Devices connected to a private network, are that found in a house or workplace.
- Dynamic IP Addresses: When a device connects to the Internet, the Internet Service Provider often provides it with a dynamic IP address, which changes at scheduled times.
- Static IP Addresses: When a service needs a stable address, such as hosting a website or managing a mail server, static IP addresses are used since they don’t change over time.
What Is IPv4?
It consists of two things that are the network address and the host address. It stands for Internet Protocol version four. It was introduced in 1981 by DARPA and was the first deployed version in 1982 for production on SATNET and on the ARPANET in January 1983.
IPv4 addresses are 32-bit integers that have to be expressed in Decimal Notation. It is represented by 4 numbers separated by dots in the range of 0-255, which have to be converted to 0 and 1, to be understood by Computers. For Example, An IPv4 Address can be written as 189.123.123.90.
IPv4 Address Format
IPv4 Address Format is a 32-bit Address that comprises binary digits separated by a dot (.).
128.11.3.31
What is IPv6?
Internet Protocol version 6, or IPv6, was first introduced in the late 1990s as a replacement for IPv4. It uses 128-bit addresses formatted as eight groups of four hexadecimal numbers separated by colons. IPv6 is the solution that addresses the relatively limited number of IP addresses possible under IPv4. Under IPv6, there will no longer be a shortage of the total number of possible addresses.
IPv6 allows for a theoretical 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456, or 340 undecillion addresses. This means that every device on the internet can have a unique IPv6 address. An example IPv6 address looks like this — 2002:0de6:0001:0042:0100:8c2e:0370:7234 — but there are ways to abbreviate this rather clunky notation.
In addition to increasing the supply of IP addresses, IPv6 also addressed IPv4’s many shortcomings — chief among them being security, which we’ll delve into more later.
Differences: IPv4 vs IPv6
| IPv4 | IPv6 | |
| What is it? | Internet Protocol version four | Internet Protocol version six |
| Address size | 32 bits, or 232 IP addresses | 128 bits, or 2128 IP addresses |
| Naming standard | Numerical IP address. Four lots of three-digit numbers, separated by full stops. 197.0.0.1 | Alphanumeric address. Eight lots of four-character hexadecimal numbers, separated by colons. 2600:1400:d:5a3::3bd4 |
| Loopback address | 127.0.0.1 | ::1 |
| Requires address translation | Yes, through Network Address Translation (NAT) | No |
| Packet addressing | Unicast, broadcast, and multicast | Unicast, multicast, and anycast |
| Address configuration | Manual and DHCP configuration | Autoconfiguration on device using Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC). DHCPv6 is also supported for stateful connections. |
| Header size | Variable; 20 bytes, which can increase up to 60 bytes when optional fields and flags are added | Fixed; 40 bytes. The size of separate extension headers varies. |
| Header checksum | Yes | No |
| Optional extras | Limited support for optional controls | Numerous extension headers are available to enhance routing, fragmenting, quality of service, and so on |
| Privacy | IP address masking to hide the last eight bits of an address | IP privacy extensions that use random temporary addresses |
| Fragmentation | Handled by routers | Handled by the originator |
| DNS resolution | A records | AAAA records |
| Routing efficiency | Handled in headers | Handled in routing tables |
| Mobile support | Requires Mobile IP | Built-in |