“An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label assigned to each device (e.g., computer, printer) participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing. Its role has been characterized as follows: "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how to get there, the Wikipedia reports.
This IP addresses were having two types of addressing, its better to call it as two varieties of numbering devices:
- IPv4 – Internet Protocol version 4
- IPv6 – Internet Protocol version 6
The founders of IPv4 were so confident that those confident that they can number 232 ( 4294967296) unique addresses in the world. Having developed that IPv4 for educational purposes, they never would have even dreamt that their system would get ‘house-filled’ very soon. Apart from the unique numbering there are millions and millions of private networks with those IP addresses…
Now to the surprise, on this 3rd the February, 2010, the last set of possible IPv4 addresses were being used-off and never the less they are estimated to get filled by the week end. Its time to change from IPv4 to IPv6 for the forth coming devices which will follow the hexa decimal system of numbering IP addresses which can provide the potential for a maximum of 2128, or about 3.403×1038 unique addresses using the new system.
What is the difference between IPv4 n IPv6 ?
There are lot of differences which can be given out, if u need a standard explanation, Google it or Bing it ! Let me give a no man`s explanation of this difference. The primary difference is the numbering system which these versions follow, IPv4 follows binary system and IPv6 follows hexa-decimal system.
Image Source: Wikipedia.com
Never the less, keep counting for the IPv6 also to get exhausted very soon… Only a new system can solve this issue. Now a question is, “what if all countries start following static IP addresses ?”, lets see about that in our next blog 
bYe !
Nice artcle. But you said that primary difference in ipv4 and ipv6 is the fact that ipv4 is represented in binary form, where as ipv6 is represented in hexadecimal form.. Well we can say that to satisfy our convinience, because a large binary string looks easier to read if written in hexadecimal... But at the machiene level, it does not know what hexadecimal or octal or decimal is.. All that is know is a binary 0 or 1.. so, eventually at the end, everything does get converted to binary only... So then what is the primary difference in their functionality/benefit! The fact that ipv6 uses 128 bits instead of 32 bits of ipv4 is the main reason why we can rely on ipv6 presently.. Although earlier with ipv4 we can represent just 2^32 combination, but now with ipv6, we can represent 2^128 combinations! So, that leads to billions of addresses for every individual! So, for a pretty long time to come, we should probably not have much problem with the ipv6 addressing! In ipv4, we were not able to gather much utility in earlier days, because lots of addresses were wasted due to mere subnetting. But supernetting solved the problem.. In ipv6, these things must already have been taken care of too!
ReplyDeleteMohitKhanna:@ thanks for your comment and enlightening :) As said in the post, the above example was a simple 'no-man`s' explanation.... can u be kind enough to talk about 'sub-netting' and 'super-netting' to the readers much more ?
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