An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the IP protocol for communication. An IP address acts as an identifier for a specific device on a particular network. The IP address is also called an IP number or Internet address. Show
IP address specifies the technical format of the addressing and packets scheme. Most networks combine IP with a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). It also allows developing a virtual connection between a destination and a source. Now in this IPv4 and IPv6 difference tutorial, we will learn What is IPv4 and IPv6? What is IPv4?IPv4 is an IP version widely used to identify devices on a network using an addressing system. It was the first version of IP deployed for production in the ARPANET in 1983. It uses a 32-bit address scheme to store 2^32 addresses which is more than 4 billion addresses. It is considered the primary Internet Protocol and carries 94% of Internet traffic. What is IPv6?IPv6 is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol. This new IP address version is being deployed to fulfill the need for more Internet addresses. It was aimed to resolve issues that are associated with IPv4. With 128-bit address space, it allows 340 undecillion unique address space. IPv6 is also called IPng (Internet Protocol next generation). Internet Engineer Taskforce initiated it in early 1994. The design and development of that suite are now called IPv6. Features of IPv4Following are the features of IPv4:
Features of IPv6Here are the features of IPv6:
Differences between IPv4 and IPv6 AddressesHere is the main difference between IPv4 and IPv6: Basis for differencesIPv4IPv6Size of IP addressIPv4 is a 32-Bit IP Address.IPv6 is 128 Bit IP Address.Addressing methodIPv4 is a numeric address, and its binary bits are separated by a dot (.)IPv6 is an alphanumeric address whose binary bits are separated by a colon (:). It also contains hexadecimal.Number of header fields128Length of header filed2040ChecksumHas checksum fieldsDoes not have checksum fieldsExample12.244.233.1652001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:ff00:0042:7879Type of AddressesUnicast, broadcast, and multicast.Unicast, multicast, and anycast.Number of classesIPv4 offers five different classes of IP Address. Class A to E.lPv6 allows storing an unlimited number of IP Address.ConfigurationYou have to configure a newly installed system before it can communicate with other systems.In IPv6, the configuration is optional, depending upon on functions needed.VLSM supportIPv4 support VLSM (Variable Length Subnet mask).IPv6 does not offer support for VLSM.FragmentationFragmentation is done by sending and forwarding routes.Fragmentation is done by the sender.Routing Information Protocol (RIP)RIP is a routing protocol supported by the routed daemon.RIP does not support IPv6. It uses static routes.Network ConfigurationNetworks need to be configured either manually or with DHCP. IPv4 had several overlays to handle Internet growth, which require more maintenance efforts.IPv6 support autoconfiguration capabilities.Best featureWidespread use of NAT (Network address translation) devices which allows single NAT address can mask thousands ofnon-routable addresses, making end-to-end integrity achievable.It allows direct addressing because of vast address Space.Address MaskUse for the designated network from host portion.Not used.SNMPSNMP is a protocol used for system management.SNMP does not support IPv6.Mobility & InteroperabilityRelatively constrained network topologies to which move restrict mobility and interoperability capabilities.IPv6 provides interoperability and mobility capabilities which are embedded in network devices.SecuritySecurity is dependent on applications – IPv4 was not designed with security in mind.IPSec(Internet Protocol Security) is built into the IPv6 protocol, usable with a proper key infrastructure.Packet sizePacket size 576 bytes required, fragmentation optional1208 bytes required without fragmentationPacket fragmentationAllows from routers and sending hostSending hosts onlyPacket headerDoes not identify packet flow for QoS handling which includes checksum options.Packet head contains Flow Label field that specifies packet flow for QoS handlingDNS recordsAddress (A) records, maps hostnamesAddress (AAAA) records, maps hostnamesAddress configurationManual or via DHCPStateless address autoconfiguration using Internet Control Message Protocol version 6 (ICMPv6) or DHCPv6IP to MAC resolutionBroadcast ARPMulticast Neighbour SolicitationLocal subnet Group managementInternet Group Management Protocol GMP)Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD)Optional FieldsHas Optional FieldsDoes not have optional fields. But Extension headers are available.IPSecInternet Protocol Security (IPSec) concerning network security is optionalInternet Protocol Security (IPSec) Concerning network security is mandatoryDynamic host configuration ServerClients have approach DHCS (Dynamic Host Configuration server) whenever they want to connect to a network.A Client does not have to approach any such server as they are given permanent addresses.MappingUses ARP(Address Resolution Protocol) to map to MAC addressUses NDP(Neighbour Discovery Protocol) to map to MAC addressCombability with mobile devicesIPv4 address uses the dot-decimal notation. That’s why it is not suitable for mobile networks.IPv6 address is represented in hexadecimal, colon- separated notation. IPv6 is better suited to mobile networks. IPv4 and IPv6 cannot communicate with other but can exist together on the same network. This is known as Dual Stack. What is the Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6?IPv4 & IPv6 are both IP addresses that are binary numbers. IPv4 is a 32-bit binary number, and IPv6 is a 128-bit binary number address. IPv4 addresses are separated by periods, while IPv6 addresses are separated by colons. Both IP addresses are used to identify machines connected to a network. In principle, they are almost similar, but they are different in how they work. Is IPv4 or IPv6 better?IPv4 is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP), while IPv6 is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol. Therefore, IPv6 is more advanced, secure, and faster compared to IPv4. What are advantages of IPv6 over IPv4?IPv6 utilizes 128-bit Internet addresses. Therefore, it can support 2^128 Internet addresses—340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 of them to be exact. The number of IPv6 addresses is 1028 times larger than the number of IPv4 addresses.
What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6 header?The main difference between IPv4 and IPv6 Header is that the source and destination addresses of IPv4 header are 32 bit long while the source and destination addresses of IPv6 header are 128 bits long. A computer network is a collection of devices connected together to communicate with each other.
What are the fields in IPv4 and IPv6 packet header?IPv4 addresses are 32bit binary numbers and IPv6 addresses are 128 bit binary numbers. In IPv4 header, the source and destination IPv4 addresses are 32 bit binary numbers. In IPv6 header, source and destination IPv6 addresses are 128 bit binary numbers. IPv4 header includes space for IPv4 options.
What is IPv4 & IPv6 difference between IPv4 & IPv6?The main difference between IPv4 and IPv6 is the address size of IP addresses. The IPv4 is a 32-bit address, whereas IPv6 is a 128-bit hexadecimal address. IPv6 provides a large address space, and it contains a simple header as compared to IPv4.
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