Understanding the distinction between IPv4 and IPv6

IP addresses are used to identify devices on a network and facilitate data transmission. There are two versions of the Internet Protocol (IP): IPv4 and IPv6. Here is what you need to know about each:

IPv4

• IPv4 has been in use since the early days of the internet.
• It uses a 32-bit addressing system, offering around 4.3 billion IP addresses.
• IPv4 addresses are expressed in notation separated by periods, such as 192.168.0.1.
• The first part of the address represents the network, and the second part identifies the device within that network.

IPv6

• IPv6 was developed to address the scarcity of IPv4 addresses.
• It uses a 128-bit addressing system, providing a significantly larger number of IP addresses compared to IPv4.
• IPv6 addresses are represented in notation separated by colons, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.
• Like IPv4, the initial part of the address represents the network, and the second part identifies the device within that network.

Differences between IPv4 and IPv6

• Format: IPv4 addresses are written in notation, while IPv6 addresses are written using hexadecimal notation.
• Address length: IPv4 addresses have 32 bits, while IPv6 addresses have 128 bits.
• Header format: The header format for IPv4 is 20 bytes long, while for IPv6 it is 40 bytes long.
• Fragmentation: In IPv4, routers handle fragmentation, but in IPv6, senders themselves handle it.
• Security measures: Unlike IPv4, IPv6 incorporates support for IPsec, which is a set of protocols used to secure network communications.

In summary, IPv4 has been in use since the early days of the internet, while IPv6 was developed to address the scarcity of IPv4 addresses. IPv6 offers advantages such as a larger address space and built-in support for IPsec. With the increasing number of internet-connected devices, the importance of IPv6 is growing.