An internet protocol (IP) is a set of rules used to move packets of information through the internet to their intended destination. There are currently two IP versions in use: IPv4 and IPv6.

As information is sent via the web, it gets broken down into pieces called data packets. In order to make sure the data gets reassembled in the right place; internet-connected devices have IP addresses that tell data where to go.

Every smartphone and desktop computer, for example, has an IP address, but devices like printers and smart speakers also have them because they’re connected to the internet and receive data. Data gets routed to a specific IP address by the network, helping it find your device among all the others connected to the internet.

What IT Do

IPv6 is more secure, more flexible, and allows for a much greater number of unique addresses than IPv4. IPv4 and IPv6 are also written in different formats, with IPv4 made up of numbers separated by periods and IPv6 addresses made up of numbers and letters, separated by colons.

IPv6 is a newer version of the internet protocol with longer addresses containing both numbers and letters. Though newer than version 4, it’s not that new: it was first deployed in 1999.

• No NAT (Network Address Translation) allowing end-to-end connectivity at the IP layer
• Multi-casting (transmission of a data packet to multiple destinations at once) is included standard
• Prevents private address collisions
• Simpler header format
• Simplified, more efficient routing overall
• True quality of service (QoS), or “flow labeling”
• Built-in security layer (IPsec)
• Flexible options and extensions
• Offers easier administration (no more Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DHCP). Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a protocol that provides quick, automatic, and central management for the distribution of IP addresses within a network. It’s also used to configure the default gateway, and DNS server information on the device.

How IT Do IT

IPv6 addresses have 128 bits of information storage. They’re written in hexadecimal colon notation, meaning each group of numbers and letters is separated from the next by a colon (:) instead of a period as with IPv4.

An example IPv6 address:

3002:0bd6:0000:0000:0000:ee00:0033:688

The longer addressing system supports 1,028 times the number of IPv4 does. 4.3 billion multiplied by 1,028 is enough unique IP addresses that we won’t have to worry about running out of them.