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An IP address is an Internet Protocol address used to deliver packets toward a network interface. IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long; IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long. They use different written formats, and IPv6 is a successor protocol—not simply IPv4 with a longer address.
What does an IP address mean?
An IP address is an Internet-layer identifier used to direct packets toward an interface or set of interfaces. It is not a person’s name, a domain name, or the route a packet takes. RFC 791 explicitly distinguishes “names, addresses, and routes.” A domain name is a human-friendly name used to refer to a service; a route describes how traffic can reach an address.
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An address alone also does not guarantee a precise physical location or identify a particular person. Addressing standards describe how packets are addressed, not what every network’s assignment or privacy practices reveal.
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What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
| Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Address width | 32 bits | 128 bits |
| Common written format | Four decimal octets separated by periods, such as 192.0.2.1 |
Eight 16-bit hexadecimal fields separated by colons, with permitted zero compression |
| Protocol relationship | Earlier version of the Internet Protocol | Successor to IPv4, with changes beyond address size |
The IETF’s RFC 791 (1981) defines IPv4 addresses as four octets. RFC 8200 (2017) describes IPv6 as the successor to IPv4 and expands address size from 32 to 128 bits. IPv6 also changes header fields and defines extension-header and flow-label capabilities, so it is more than a new way to write the same address.
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The example IPv4 address above is from a range reserved for documentation; it is an illustration, not a real user’s address.
How many numbers are in an IPv4 address?
An IPv4 address is 32 bits, conventionally displayed as four decimal octets separated by dots—for example, 192.0.2.1. Each displayed group represents one octet, or eight bits. The example is documentation-only.
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- Covers up to 1,000 sq. ft. with four external antennas for stable wireless connections and optimal coverage.
- Supports IGMP Proxy/Snooping, Bridge and Tag VLAN to optimize IPTV streaming
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Why does an IPv6 address have colons?
IPv6 is 128 bits long and is conventionally written as eight 16-bit fields in hexadecimal, with a colon between fields. For example, the documentation-only address 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001 can be written in canonical compressed form as 2001:db8::1.
What does :: mean?
In IPv6 notation, :: replaces one or more consecutive zero fields. It may appear only once in an address, because using it twice would make it impossible to tell how many zero fields each occurrence represents. Leading zeros within a field may also be omitted.
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Compression changes only the written form, not the underlying 128-bit value. RFC 5952 recommends a consistent canonical form: suppress leading zeros, compress the longest run of zero fields, use :: only once, and use lowercase hexadecimal letters. It also says implementations must accept legitimate forms defined by RFC 4291, so more than one valid spelling may refer to the same address.
Is IPv6 faster or more secure than IPv4?
The address-width difference does not establish that IPv6 is universally faster or safer. Performance depends on the network and its configuration; the standards cited here do not provide a universal speed comparison or a current global adoption percentage. RFC 8200 discusses security challenges and privacy considerations. In particular, reducing address translation can make endpoints more visible, so IPv6 should not be treated as a promise of anonymity.
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Neither standard supports assuming that every IPv6 address is public, globally reachable, static, or personally identifying. Those properties depend on network configuration and use.
Quick Recap
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Standards references
- RFC 791, Internet Protocol (September 1981), for IPv4 address format and the distinction among names, addresses, and routes.
- RFC 8200, Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6) Specification (July 2017), for IPv6 address size, successor role, protocol changes, and security and privacy considerations. The RFC Editor page records an update.
- RFC 4291, IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture (February 2006), for IPv6 addressing and text notation.
- RFC 5952, A Recommendation for IPv6 Address Text Representation (August 2010), for recommended canonical formatting.
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