What is the Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6? Beginner’s Guide
The internet we access today is based on communication between network devices, servers, and computers in computer networks. To enable this communication to function, each device should have a unique address. That address is known as an IP address (Internet Protocol address). IPv4 was the foundation of the internet for decades. However, when billions of devices connected, the IPv4 addresses began to run out. This is how IPv6, the next-gen protocol, came into existence. If you are new to networking or studying for certifications such as CCNA, knowing what is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6 is a must. In this UniNets introduction, we will describe how IPv4 differs from IPv6, cover the IPv4 packet header , demonstrate how network devices handle them, and illustrate how concepts such as routing and network device types relate to one another. What is IPv4? IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is the fourth iteration of the IP protocol. It has a 32-bit addressing structure, which allows i...