IPv4 vs IPv6: In-depth IP address features you should know

Pexels / Pixabay

The IPv4 and the IPv6 address formats might seem similar, but they’re vastly different. You may also ask what is my ip address? This article will teach you about the in-depth IP address features you should know.

IPv4 is a system of internet protocol that was introduced in 1981 and provides a 32-bit network address space consisting of 2^32 (or 4,294,967,296) addresses. IPv6 is another system of internet protocol that was released in 1998 and provides a 128-bit network address space consisting of 2^128 (or 340 undecillion) addresses.

This new form of IP addressing allows for more efficient routing and translation systems due to its bigger address space which requires less frequent updates to routing tables and better supports the rapid growth of the Internet.

Connectivity Features: IPv4 vs IPv6

IPv4 is the predecessor of IPv6, so naturally, IPv4 comes with its own set of features. But many people use IPv6 instead because it provides more than enough room for the foreseeable future.

IPv4 connectivity

IPv4 is the communication protocol of the internet. It contains two types of addresses: Unicast and Multicast. A unicast address allows one communication at a time, while multicast lets many devices on a network talk to each other at once.

IPv4 connectivity is what allows us to connect to our favorite websites, be it Facebook or YouTube. If you are still using an old phone that does not have an IPv6 capability, you will have to use an Internet service provider that offers IPv4 connectivity.

IPv6 connectivity

IPv6 has a much larger address space than IPv4 allowing more devices to be connected to the network without running out of available addresses. IPv6 is easy to configure and renumber, which saves a lot of time and makes it easy to take over a network if the previous owner can’t continue.

IPv6 packet headers are streamlined, making it easier for routers to process them and reducing latency.

Majorly Considered Pros and Cons

There are a lot of pros and cons associated with IPV6 and IPv4. They include:


IPv6 is less expensive than IPv4 because it does not require too many IP addresses. You do not need to assign a separate IP address to each device on your network. If you are using an app or software that supports both with a longer address than IPv4.


To ensure data protection, IPv4 is required to encrypt the data. We have taken security measures to encrypt the data in the address packet. Routing over IPv4 is more efficient because addresses are combined more effectively.


It’s important to understand both IPv4 pros and cons as well as IPv6 pros and cons before deciding on which internet protocol should be used on your computer or website. You easily access which of the two you are online if you want to know the full information of your network. The IPv6 protocol was developed as a successor to IPv4 and provides improvements primarily in terms of address space and security and more connectivity that we discussed earlier in this article.