What is IPv4?
A: IPv4 stands for Internet Protocol version 4. It is the underlying technology that makes it possible for us to connect our devices to the web. Whenever a device access the Internet (whether it’s a PC, Mac, smartphone or other device), it is assigned a unique, numerical IP address such as 99.48.227.227. To send data from one computer to another through the web, a data packet must be transferred across the network containing the IP addresses of both devices.
A: IPv4 stands for Internet Protocol version 4. It is the underlying technology that makes it possible for us to connect our devices to the web. Whenever a device access the Internet (whether it’s a PC, Mac, smartphone or other device), it is assigned a unique, numerical IP address such as 99.48.227.227. To send data from one computer to another through the web, a data packet must be transferred across the network containing the IP addresses of both devices.
Without IP addresses, computers would not be able to communicate and
send data to each other. It’s essential to the infrastructure of the
web.
Q: What is IPv6?
A: IPv6 is the sixth revision to the Internet Protocol and the successor to IPv4. It functions similarly to IPv4 in that it provides the unique, numerical IP addresses necessary for Internet-enabled devices to communicate. However, it does sport one major difference: it utilizes 128-bit addresses. I’ll explain why this is important in a moment.
A: IPv6 is the sixth revision to the Internet Protocol and the successor to IPv4. It functions similarly to IPv4 in that it provides the unique, numerical IP addresses necessary for Internet-enabled devices to communicate. However, it does sport one major difference: it utilizes 128-bit addresses. I’ll explain why this is important in a moment.
Q: Why are we running out of IPv4 addresses?
A: IPv4 uses 32 bits for its Internet addresses. That means it can support 2^32 IP addresses in total — around 4.29 billion. That may seem like a lot, but all 4.29 billion IP addresses have now been assigned to various institutions, leading to the crisis we face today.
A: IPv4 uses 32 bits for its Internet addresses. That means it can support 2^32 IP addresses in total — around 4.29 billion. That may seem like a lot, but all 4.29 billion IP addresses have now been assigned to various institutions, leading to the crisis we face today.
Let’s be clear, though: we haven’t run out of addresses quite yet. Many
of them are unused and in the hands of institutions like MIT and
companies like Ford and IBM. More IPv4 addresses are available to be
assigned and more will be traded or sold (since IPv4 addresses are now a
scarce resource), but they will become a scarcer commodity over the
next two years until it creates problem for the web.
Q: How does IPv6 solve this problem?
A: As previously stated, IPv6 utilizes 128-bit Internet addresses. Therefore, it can support 2^128 Internet addresses — 340,282,366,920,938,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of them to be exact. That’s a lot of addresses, so many that it requires a hexadecimal system to display the addresses. In other words, there are more than enough IPv6 addresses to keep the Internet operational for a very, very long time.
A: As previously stated, IPv6 utilizes 128-bit Internet addresses. Therefore, it can support 2^128 Internet addresses — 340,282,366,920,938,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of them to be exact. That’s a lot of addresses, so many that it requires a hexadecimal system to display the addresses. In other words, there are more than enough IPv6 addresses to keep the Internet operational for a very, very long time.
Q: So why don’t we just switch?
A: The depletion of IPv4 addresses was predicted years ago, so the switch has been in progress for the last decade. However, progress has been slow — only a small fraction of the web has switched over to the new protocol. In addition, IPv4 and IPv6 essentially run as parallel networks — exchanging data between these protocols requires special gateways.
A: The depletion of IPv4 addresses was predicted years ago, so the switch has been in progress for the last decade. However, progress has been slow — only a small fraction of the web has switched over to the new protocol. In addition, IPv4 and IPv6 essentially run as parallel networks — exchanging data between these protocols requires special gateways.
To make the switch, software and routers will have to be changed to
support the more advanced network. This will take time and money. The
first real test of the IPv6 network will come on June 8, 2011, World IPv6 Day. Google, Facebook
and other prominent web companies will test drive the IPv6 network to
see what it can handle and what still needs to be done to get the world
switched over to the new network.
Q: How will this affect me?
A: Initially, it won’t have a major impact on your life. Most operating systems actually support IPv6, including Mac OS X 10.2 and Windows XP SP 1. However, many routers and servers don’t support it, making a connection between a device with an IPv6 address to a router or server that only supports IPv4 impossible. IPv6 is also still in its infancy; it has a lot of bugs and security issues that still need to be fixed, which could result in one giant mess
A: Initially, it won’t have a major impact on your life. Most operating systems actually support IPv6, including Mac OS X 10.2 and Windows XP SP 1. However, many routers and servers don’t support it, making a connection between a device with an IPv6 address to a router or server that only supports IPv4 impossible. IPv6 is also still in its infancy; it has a lot of bugs and security issues that still need to be fixed, which could result in one giant mess
How does IPV6 Works
Why is the internet running out of room?
Just as phones use a system of phone numbers in order to place calls,
every Internet-connected device gets a unique number known as an "IP
address" that connects it to the global online network.
The problem is that the current Internet addressing system, IPv4, only
has room for about 4 billion addresses -- not nearly enough for the
world's people, let alone the devices that are online today and those
that will be in the future: computers, phones, TVs, watches, fridges,
cars, and so on. More than 4 billion devices already share addresses. As
IPv4 runs out of free addresses, everyone will need to share.
How are we making space to grow?
Clearly the internet needs more IP addresses. How many more, exactly?
Well, how about 340 trillion trillion trillion (or,
340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000)? That's how many
addresses the internet's new "piping," IPv6, can handle. That's a number
big enough to give everyone on Earth their own list of billions of IP
addresses. Big enough, in other words, to offer the Internet virtually
infinite room to grow, from now into the foreseeable future.
When is the transition happening?
At Google we believe IPv6 is essential to the continued health and
growth of the Internet and that by allowing all devices to talk to each
other directly, IPv6 enables new innovative services. Replacing the
Internet's plumbing will take some time, but the transition has begun.
World IPv6 Launch on June 6, 2012, marks the start of a coordinated
rollout by major websites and Internet service and equipment providers.
You do not need to do anything to prepare, but if you're interested in learning more and supporting IPv6, check out a few frequently asked
via-sa tirurquestions.
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