IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is an advancement of IPv4 technology. Naturally, this advancement has led to differences between the two.
IPv6, as the latest version of the Internet Protocol, was developed to address the challenge of needing a larger and more efficient addressing system. Therefore, the main differences between IPv4 and IPv6 lie in their ability to provide a much larger addressing capacity and advanced features.
In this article, we will provide more information about the significant differences between IPv4 and IPv6 that need to be considered before using them.
What is IPv4?
IPv4 is a network protocol that serves as the fundamental technology for connecting devices to the internet, assigning a unique address to each device. This protocol has been the standard for network address numbering for many years.
These IP addresses consist of 32 bits, which allows for up to 4.3 billion unique addresses. Its main task is to identify and track devices, ensuring that data packets are sent to the correct destination via the network.
What is IPv6?
IPv6 is a network protocol for identifying and connecting devices in a computer network. This protocol is the successor to IPv4, which has been the standard for network address numbering for many years. IPv6 was designed as a solution to address the limitations of IP addresses.
In IPv4, IP addresses consist of 32 bits, allowing for up to 4.3 billion unique addresses. However, with the rapid growth of devices connected to the internet, the number of IPv4 addresses is rapidly decreasing.
IPv6 is designed to use 128-bit IP addresses, allowing for a significantly larger number of address combinations, up to approximately 340 undecillion.
The Differences Between IPv4 and IPv6
IPv4 and IPv6 are protocols that allow you to provide an IP address. Here are the differences between IPv4 and IPv6:
1. Field header
IPv4: Has a fixed-size header area containing data such as source address, destination address, TTL (Time to Live), and checksum.
IPv6: Has a simpler, fixed-size header field. This is because some elements are no longer needed and have been removed or moved to extension options.
2. Addressing
IPv4: Has a numbering system consisting of 32 bits. It is usually expressed in decimal format, such as “192.168.1.1”. This format consists of four octets, each with a value ranging from 0 to 255.
IPv6: Has a numbering system consisting of 128 bits and is expressed in hexadecimal format, such as “2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334”. In its implementation, the hexadecimal format represents values in the range of 0 to F.
3. Class
IPv4: Uses class A, B, and C systems to allocate IP addresses.
IPv6: Uses a class concept based on aggregation and subnetting.
4. Configuration
IPv4: Uses DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for manual configuration, allocating IP addresses to devices.
IPv6: Uses automatic configuration via SLAAC (Stateless Address Autoconfiguration).
5. VLSM
IPv4: Uses the VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masking) feature as a subnet mask with varying lengths within the same network.
IPv6: No longer uses VLSM due to the existence of a more extensive address design.
6. Routing protocol
IPv4: Uses routing protocols such as RIP, OSPF, and BGP to transmit information.
IPv6: Has its own routing protocols, OSPFv3 and BGP4+, which are specifically designed to support IP addresses.
7. SNMP
IPv4: Uses SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) elements to manage the network.
IPv6: No longer uses SNMP elements.
8. Mapping
IPv4: NAT is still required to map some private IP addresses to public IP addresses.
IPv6: NAT is no longer required because the number of available IP addresses is abundant.
9. QoS
IPv4: Still uses QoS (Quality of Service) to prioritize packet processing and bandwidth in TCP/IP applications.
IPv6: No longer supports the use of these elements.
10. Network configuration
IPv4: Offers a wide variety of configurations. Therefore, this can sometimes cause configuration problems and result in the insertion of Network Address Translation (NAT).
IPv6: Has a less complex network configuration, avoids IP address exhaustion issues, and eliminates dependence on NAT.
Here is a table that summarizes the main differences between IPv4 and IPv6:
| Aspects | IPv4 | IPv6 |
| Address Length | 32-bit | 128-bit |
| Address Format | Decimals, separated by dots (.) | Hexadecimal, separated by a colon (:) |
| Example Address | 192.168.1.1 | 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 |
| Number of Addresses | About 4.3 billion addresses | About 340 undecillion addresses |
| Address Configuration | Manual or using DHCP | Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) and DHCPv6 |
| Security | IPsec is optional, not required | IPsec is mandatory, built-in |
| Header Size | 20 bytes | 40 bytes |
| Fragmentation | Carried out by the sender and router | Performed only by the sender |
| Quality of Service (QoS) | Does not have flow labels for QoS | Has flow labels for QoS |
| NAT compatibility | Requires NAT to save addresses | Does not require NAT, supports end-to-end communication |
| Broadcast | Supports broadcasts | Does not support broadcast, supports anycast and multicast |
| Mobility | Limited, requires additional configuration | Better support mobility with Mobile IPv6 |
| Routing Efficiency | Less efficient due to variable header size | More efficient with simpler headers |
| Address Space | Less flexibility in allocation and subnetting | More flexibility in allocation and subnetting |
Those are the differences between IPv4 and IPv6, from the header field to network configuration. This information can help you consider both before using them.