IPv4 vs IPv6

IPv4 and IPv6 are versions of the Internet Protocol. IPv6 was developed to address the limitations of IPv4, primarily its limited address space. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, supporting around 4.3 billion unique addresses, while IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, offering an almost limitless number of IP addresses.

IPv4:

• Address Size: 32 bits, resulting in approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses.
• Address Representation: Uses dotted-decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
• Limitations: Suffering from address exhaustion, less efficient routing, and weaker security.
• Use Cases: Still widely used in most networks, but increasingly replaced by IPv6.

IPv6:

• Address Size: 128 bits, allowing for a vastly expanded address space.
• Address Representation: Uses hexadecimal notation separated by colons (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
• Advantages:
• Larger Address Space: Eliminates the need for NAT and solves IPv4 address exhaustion.
• Improved Security: Includes built-in support for IPsec (Internet Protocol Security).
• Simplified Routing: Uses a more efficient header structure and routing process.
• Auto-Configuration: Devices can self-configure without manual input or DHCP.
• Enhanced Quality of Service (QoS): Better handling of time-sensitive data like voice and video.
• Use Cases: Designed to eventually replace IPv4 and support the growing number of internet-connected devices.

Key Differences Summary: