What is IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)?

The billions of devices around the world are connected by using the internet, and every device needs a unique address to communicate with other devices. This unique address is called an IP address. For a long time, IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) has been used to assign these unique IP addresses. But as more people, smartphones, smart TVs, and IoT devices started using the internet, we are running out of available IPv4 addresses, and IPv6 has come into existence. In this blog, we will learn everything about IPv6 addresses, how they work, why it is needed, and the difference between IPv4 and IPv6.

Table of Contents:

• IPv6 Address
• Features of IPv6 Address
• Why Do We Need IPv6 Addressing?
• Types of IPv6 Address
  1. Unicast Address
  2. Multicast Address
  3. Anycast Address
• Representation of IPv6
• IPv6 Addressing Rules and Notation
• Advantages of IPv6 Address
• Disadvantages of IPv6 Address
• IPv4 Vs IPv6
• Conclusion

IPv6 Address

An IPv6 address is defined as the unique identifier that is given to every device connected to a computer network that uses the IPv6 protocol. The full form of IPv6 is Internet Protocol version 6. It is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol that was developed to replace IPv4. Unlike IPv4, which uses 32 bits, IPv6 uses 128 bits, which means it produces as many as unique addresses. For example, 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334, IPv6 addresses are written in hexadecimal and separated by colons. The full address is made up of 8 groups, and each group contains 4 hexadecimal digits. Each group represented 16 bits, so a total of 128 bits is there (8 x 16 = 128).

Features of IPv6 Address

IPv6 address systems offer many features. It is not only created to offer more addresses, but also to improve how the network operates. Here are some of the important features of IPv6 addresses:

• IPv6 offers a larger address space, which means it is 128 bits long and approximately produces 3.4 × 10³⁸ unique addresses.
• An IPv6 address is written in hexadecimal (base-16) and separated by colons. Thus, it has simplified address formatting.
• It offers more security than IPv4. It supports IPSec, which means that data can be encrypted and verified for authenticity.
• IPv6 uses multicast, which means that the data is sent only to specific devices that need it, rather than all devices present on the network.
• The devices available on an IPv6 network can configure themselves automatically by using Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC).

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Why Do We Need IPv6 Addressing?

IPv4 has some limitations, because of which we need to use IPv6 addressing. Here are the reasons that tell the importance of using IPv6 addressing:

• IPv4 uses 32 bits, which means it can create around 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. On the other hand, IPv6 uses 128 bits, which means it is able to produce trillions of addresses.
• IPv6 in computer networks is important for supporting the future of the Internet of Things (IoT).
• Security is another reason for using IPv6 addressing. The IPv6 header includes mandatory support for IPSec. It is defined as the protocol that is used for secure communication.
• With the help of IPv6, devices can automatically generate their own addresses by using autoconfiguration.

Types of IPv6 Address

Devices that are connected to the network can communicate differently because each device uses a different type of IPv6 address. There are three main types of IPv6 addresses. Let’s discuss each one of them in detail:

1. Unicast Address

A unicast address is used to identify a single device on an IPv6 network. The data, which is sent to a unicast address, is directly sent to the destination device.

2. Multicast Address

A multicast address is used when a single device needs to send data to multiple devices at once. This doesn’t send the data to every device, only devices that are part of the multicast group will receive the data.

3. Anycast Address

An anycast address is a little different from a multicast address. It is assigned to multiple devices, but the data is only delivered to the nearest devices.

Representation of IPv6

An IPv6 address consists of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, each group is separated by colons (:), and each hexadecimal digit represents 4 bits, so the full IPv6 address size is 128 bits. Let us take an example of an IPv6 address “3001:0da8:75a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334” and understand each of the components in detail:

• Here, the first 48 bits (3001:0da8:75a3) are called the Global Routing Prefix. This part is used to identify the network or subnet on the Internet. The global routing prefix is usually assigned by an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Regional Internet Registry (RIR).
• The next 16 bits (0000) are called the Subnet ID. These sections are used to identify subnets, like departments or buildings.
• The last 64 bits (0000:8a2e:0370:7334) represent the Host or Interface ID. This address is used to identify the device or host present within the subnet. This ID is automatically generated from the device’s MAC address, assigned manually, or generated randomly by using privacy extensions.

IPv6 Addressing Rules and Notation

While working with IPv6 addresses, you need to remember some simple rules and notations. These rules help you to understand the long IP addresses properly:

• In IPv6 addresses, each group of hexadecimal digits is separated by colons (:). Not separated by the dots (.) as in IPv4.
• You can remove or skip the leading zeros. An IPv6 address like 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:ff00:0042:8329 can be written as 2001:db8:0:0:0:ff00:42:8329.
• If you have two or more then two groups in a row that contain all zeros, you can replace them with a double colon (::).
• An IPv6 address has a size of 128 bits, which means it has 8 groups of 4 hexadecimal digits.

Advantages of IPv6 Address

IPv6 makes several improvements in networking. Here are some important advantages of using IPv6 addresses in computer networks:

• IPv6 has the largest address size. It has a size of 128 bits, which means that it is able to produce trillions of unique addresses.
• The structure of the IPv6 header is simpler, and the addressing method is hierarchical, which means that the routers move data efficiently without producing delays.
• IPv6 in computer networks provides more security than IPv4, because it was designed to work with IPSec, a protocol that helps in encrypting data.
• In IPv6, data can be sent using multicast, which is more efficient than the broadcast method used in IPv4.
• It provides better support for mobile and IoT devices.

Disadvantages of IPv6 Address

IPv6 offers various benefits, but it also has some limitations. Here are some of the disadvantages of using IPv6 in computer networks:

• Many older systems and applications still run on IPv4. Some internet service providers also haven’t fully upgraded to support IPv6 networks.
• IPv6 in computer networks is quite different from IPv4. This sometimes makes it difficult for IT professionals to learn new concepts.
• Upgrading routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices to fully support IPv6 may require a lot of cost and making this network transition costly.
• IPv4 and IPv6 are not directly compatible because they use different address formats and header structures.

IPv4 Vs IPv6

IPv4 and IPv6 are the networking protocols which is used to provide unique addresses to devices that are connected to the internet. Here are some important differences between IPv4 and IPv6:

Conclusion

IPv6 plays an important role in this growing internet world. It helps you to connect more devices securely and offers a much larger address size than IPv4. IPv6 offers you various features like better routing and strong support for modern networks. IPv6 is more reliable, and it reduces network issues. Depending on your setup, switching to IPv6 can make your network faster and more efficient. Choosing the right IP version based on your needs ensures better performance and long-term connectivity.

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