IPv4 vs IPv6
There are two major versions of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6.
Both are used to identify devices and networks on the Internet, but they use different formats.
What Is IPv4?
IPv4 is the older and most widely known type of IP address.
An IPv4 address looks like this:
192.0.2.1IPv4 uses four groups of numbers separated by dots.
Because the Internet has grown so much, the number of available IPv4 addresses is limited.
What Is IPv6?
IPv6 is the newer version of IP addressing.
An IPv6 address looks like this:
2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334IPv6 was created to provide a much larger number of IP addresses.
Key Differences
Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
Format | Numbers with dots | Hexadecimal with colons |
Example | 192.0.2.1 | 2001:db8::1 |
Address size | Smaller | Much larger |
Age | Older | Newer |
Which One Am I Using?
You may use IPv4, IPv6, or both.
Many modern networks support both at the same time.