1.8 Concept of IP addressing (IPv4 and IPv6)

 

1.8 Concept of IP Addressing

Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol that provides a unique address to each device connected to a network and helps deliver data to the correct destination.

An IP address is a unique numerical address assigned to a device for identification and communication on a network.

IP ensures that data sent from one device reaches the intended destination.

 

Versions of IP Address

i. IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)
ii. IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)

 

IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)

IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol and is widely used for communication on the Internet.

It uses a 32-bit address system, which allows approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses.

An IPv4 address is written in dotted-decimal format, consisting of four numbers separated by periods.

 

Example of IPv4 Address

192.168.1.1

 

Features of IPv4

i. Uses 32-bit addresses
ii. Provides approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses
iii. Uses dotted-decimal notation
iv. Widely used on the Internet

 

 

Limitation of IPv4

The number of available IPv4 addresses is limited, which led to the development of IPv6.

 

IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)

IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is the latest version of the Internet Protocol. It was developed to overcome the limitations of IPv4, especially the shortage of IP addresses.

IPv6 uses a 128-bit address system, which provides a very large number of unique IP addresses.

IPv6 addresses are written in hexadecimal format and are separated by colons (:).

 

Example of IPv6 Address

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

 

Features of IPv6

i. Uses 128-bit addresses
ii. Provides a much larger address space than IPv4
iii. Uses hexadecimal notation
iv. Offers better security and performance
v. Supports a large number of Internet-connected devices

 

Advantages of IPv6

• Large number of IP addresses
• Better security
• Improved network efficiency
• Supports future Internet growth

 

Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6

IPv4	IPv6
Uses 32-bit addresses	Uses 128-bit addresses
Provides about 4.3 billion addresses	Provides a very large number of addresses
Uses decimal notation	Uses hexadecimal notation
Address is separated by dots (.)	Address is separated by colons (:)
Example: 192.168.1.1	Example: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
Limited address space	Very large address space
Less secure	More secure
Older version	Newer version