The internet is only possible thanks to the creation of protocols that allow communication between the various connected devices. Known as IP (Internet Protocols), they are like a kind of “translator” between devices.
And, of course, as time goes by, we have different versions that circulate. Today the two main ones are: IPv4 and IPv6. Understanding about this subject allows you to
If you have doubts about what IPv4 and IPv6 are and tend to confuse the two protocols, keep reading, because we will clear your doubts on the subject in this article .
What is IP?
The acronym IP (Internet Protocol) is one of the most important in the history of the internet, because it made communication possible between different devices. Think, for example, of the postman. He can only deliver the mail sent because he can locate himself through the full address, which has important information, such as street names, house number and the Postal Address Code (ZIP).
On the internet, the mechanism needed to have something similar: how can data reach a certain device, if it was not possible to define its “address”? This information needed to be protocol, that is, that all users use the standard, so that the “postman” would not be confused with different standards when delivering the information.
This is the essence of the IP. This is an address that is assigned to each device. So, when you send a message to a friend, there is information on the destination IP and, with that, the network can direct the information to who should receive it.
What is IPv4?
IPv4 is the first version of IP that was adopted as a communication protocol between devices. It was launched in 1983 and to date it is one of the most used in network communications.
It is a connectionless protocol, that is, data can be sent without the sender and receiver having to spend time to establish a direct connection between the parties.
IPv4 is based on a 32-bit address. For many, it is identified as a classic “IP address”. With it, it is possible to create approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses, meeting daily connection demands.
An example of an IPv4 address, so you can identify the pattern:
192.168.0.95
What is IPv6?
IPv6 emerged as a way to expand the possibility of address creation. Let’s understand more about it later.
IPv6 works with a 128-bit address and is formed by combining letters and numbers. An example of its format:
1050:0000:0000:0000:0005:0600:300c:326b
IPv6 comes with the need to have a greater number of of potential IP addresses. That’s because 4.3 billion is still very little compared to the number of devices connected in real time on the network and that depend on an IP number for themselves.
And as we will also have an increase in the number of items connected to the network, with the popularization of the Internet of Things (IoT), it becomes necessary to have more possibilities of IP addresses.
With the IPv6 format, it is possible to have 1028 times more addresses of IP being used at the same time as IPv4, supplying the current demand (to write the number here would be gigantic, to have a dimension of the difference!). With this, it is possible to reduce problems such as address exhaustion.
Another point that IPv6 brings forward is the possibility of making two addresses directly accessible to each other, without having to add additional steps. The same did not happen, for example, with IPv4 (although this does not affect network performance).
What are the differences between IPv4 and IPv6?
Ok, but is it only in the number of possibilities of addresses and the formation by letters and numbers that they differ? No, there are technical issues that are important to consider here. Let’s understand more later.
- We have changes in the address separators. IPv4 uses dots (periods) to separate codes. IPv6 uses colons (colons) for this, using the hexadecimal system for its composition;
- IPv6 brings Quality of Service (QoS) incorporated in its structure;
- IPv6 has larger packet headers than IPv4 (approximately twice the size).
In other words, these are issues much more related to the technical area and that, in the day-to-day activities of companies, do not necessarily have an impact on activities.
For example, there is no difference in data transmission speed if your IP is in IPv4 or IPv6 protocol. Although this is a point of conflict today. For example, engineers at Facebook believe that IPv6 could make access to the company’s website between 10% and 15% faster. But we still don’t have evidence, in fact, in controlled tests, of improvements in speed.
How are these protocols used today?
Both the protocols are currently valid and allow you to connect to the network safely.
We are increasingly seeing the shift towards the adoption of IPv6, replacing IPv4. This is because, as we said, there is a significant increase in the number of devices connected to the network and, with the exhaustion of IPv4, it is necessary to start using the new protocol.
But what if you are going to look for the service of a company and see that it uses IPv4, does that mean that it is stuck in time? Not necessarily! This is because some infrastructure service providers still do not support IPv4. This is the case, for example, of Google Cloud, which still doesn’t fully support it.
So don’t worry: if you need to use IPv4, it won’t harm your site’s performance, for example.
Knowing the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 allows you to update yourself on important issues in the technology area, ask questions and know if, in fact, at the current moment, it makes a difference to choose between one and another.
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