What is IP Address? Difference Between IPV4 Vs IPV6 Explained

If you are an Internet user, you must have heard the term IP Address several times. But many people don’t know what it means. Therefore, in this article, we will learn What is IP Address, and What is the difference between IPV4 Vs IPV6.

Table of Contents

What is IP Address?

IP Address Full Form is Internet Protocol Address. It is the unique identification number of your device on the Internet.

It is similar to your home address. Your internet connection is your identity.

When someone wants to send you a postcard, they will write your physical address so that it can you. Also, when you send a postcard to someone, you will write both their address and your address on the card.

Similarly, the courier is another example. When you order something online, you can see your address and their address on the courier bill.

The IP address works in a similar way. You have a unique Internet Protocol Address that helps you exchange data or information on the Internet.

Every user will have a different IP Address so that the data is reached at the correct location.

While using the internet, you enter the website address and click enter. The internet reads your IP address and sends back the data to you. It is similar to the postcard example we gave above.

Difference Between IPV4 Vs IPV6:

Now, there are two versions of Internet Protocol. Let’s see what is the difference between them.

What is IPV4?

IPV4 is Internet Protocol Version 4. It is a 32 Bit Protocol that generates IP Addresses. It has four sections with numbers from 0 to 255.

Example of IPV4: A.B.C.D

Here A, B, C, and D are sections that can have a number between 0 to 255. Some examples of IPV4 are

192.40.0.240
64.80.144.200

The computer cannot understand the user language, so, the IP Address is converted into Binary Langauge. Therefore, the address in Binary is represented as 00000000-11111111 (8 Bits). As we mentioned the IPV4 consists of four numbers separated with a Dot. Hence, the complete address is represented with 32 Ones and Zeros (32-Bit).

As IPV4 runs on a 32-bit-based addressing scheme, it can generate only 4 billion addresses. (4,294,967,296 to be precise). When IPV4 was introduced, they didn’t think the Internet would be used by soo many users that 4 billion IP addresses would be less. Therefore, IPV6 was introduced.

IP Address, What is IP Address, IPV4 Vs IPV6, Difference Between IPV4 and IPV6, IP Address Full Form, How to Find IP Address

What is IPV6?

IPV6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) runs on a 128-bit addressing scheme that can generate 10 times more addresses than IPV4.

IPV6 Address looks similar to

3ffe:1990:4535:4:200:ff4f:fe27:67sa

By using IPV6, every user on the Internet and every device connected to the Internet would have a Unique Identification Number. However, we still use IPV4 because the ISP, Routers, Websites, and Hosting Services are not yet compatible with IPV6.

Moreover, IPV6 not only generates more IP Addresses but also improves Internet Performance. We are Slowly moving towards IPV6 Address.

So, the major difference between IPV4 Vs IPV6 is the number of unique addresses they can generate.

What is NAT?

You might wonder, if we are still using IPV4 Protocol, and there are over 4 billion internet users, then how are newer IP addresses generated for new internet users?

Simple. It is done by using NAT (Network Address Translation) Technology.

If you notice, the IP Address on all your devices is the same. Basically, the Internet Service Provider has the original IPV4 Address, and they use several different IP Addresses under the original IP Address. Therefore, when you search for your IP Address on the Internet, you will find details and the location of your Internet Service Provider.

How to Find IP Address?

You can simply type “What is My IP Address” in Google Search
Or, you can go to the website WhatIsMyIPAddress to find your IP Address.

Can we change our IP Address?

It is not possible to change your IP Address permanently, but you can change or disguise it temporarily using VPN Software or Proxy.

IPV4 Vs IPV6: Conclusion

The Internet Protocol Address is basically your address on the Internet. You can change it temporarily using a VPN Service or by setting up a Proxy, but it is not possible to change it Permanently. Besides talking about What is IP Address, we have also explained the difference between IPV4 and IPV6. So, if you still have any queries regarding IP Address or IPV4 Vs IPV6, you can contact us through the Contact Us page.