What is an IP Address?

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, is a unique string of numbers

assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the
Internet Protocol for communication. It serves as an identifier that allows
devices to send and receive data over the network, ensuring that this data
reaches the correct destination.

Types of IP Address

IP addresses can be classified in several ways based on their structure,

purpose, and the type of network they are used in. Here’s a breakdown of
the different classifications of IP addresses:

1. Based on Addressing Scheme (IPv4 vs. IPv6)

IPv4:

This is the most common form of IP Address. It consists of four sets of

numbers separated by dots. For example, 192.158.1.38. Each set of
numbers can range from 0 to 255. This format can support over 4 billion
unique addresses. Here’s how the structure is broken down:

 Four Octets: Each octet represents eight bits, or a byte, and can take
a value from 0 to 255. This range is derived from the possible
combinations of eight bits (2^8 = 256 combinations).

 Example of IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.1

o 192 is the first octet
o 168 is the second octet
o 1 is the third octet
o 1 is the fourth octet

Each part of the IP address can indicate various aspects of the network
configuration, from the network itself to the specific device within that
network. In most cases, the network part of the address is represented by
the first one to three octets, while the remaining section identifies the host
(device).

IPv4 Address Format

Characteristics of IPv4

 32-bit address length: Allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique

addresses.

 Dot-decimal notation: IP addresses are written in a format of four

decimal numbers separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.1.

 Packet structure: Includes a header and payload; the header

contains information essential for routing and delivery.

 Checksum fields: Uses checksums in the header for error-checking

the header integrity.

 Fragmentation: Allows packets to be fragmented at routers along

the route if the packet size exceeds the maximum transmission unit
(MTU).
  Address Resolution Protocol (ARP): Used for mapping IP
network addresses to the hardware addresses used by a data link
protocol.

 Manual and DHCP configuration: Supports both manual

configuration of IP addresses and dynamic configuration through
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).

 Limited address space: The main limitation which has led to the
development of IPv6 to cater to more devices.

 Network Address Translation (NAT): Used to allow multiple

devices on a private network to share a single public IP address.

 Security: Lacks inherent security features, requiring additional

protocols such as IPSec for secure communications.

Drawbacks of IPv4

 Limited Address Space : IPv4 has a limited number of addresses,

which is not enough for the growing number of devices connecting
to the internet.

 Complex Configuration : IPv4 often requires manual configuration

or DHCP to assign addresses, which can be time-consuming and
prone to errors.

 Less Efficient Routing : The IPv4 header is more complex, which

can slow down data processing and routing.

 Security Issues : IPv4 does not have built-in security features,

making it more vulnerable to attacks unless extra security measures
are added.

 Limited Support for Quality of Service (QoS) : IPv4 has limited

capabilities for prioritizing certain types of data, which can affect
 the performance of real-time applications like video streaming and
VoIP.

 Fragmentation : IPv4 allows routers to fragment packets, which

can lead to inefficiencies and increased chances of data being lost or
corrupted.

 Broadcasting Overhead : IPv4 uses broadcasting to communicate

with multiple devices on a network, which can create unnecessary
network traffic and reduce performance.

IPv6:

IPv6 addresses were created to deal with the shortage of IPv4 addresses.
They use 128 bits instead of 32, offering a vastly greater number of
possible addresses. These addresses are expressed as eight groups of four
hexadecimal digits, each group representing 16 bits. The groups are
separated by colons.

 Example of IPv6 Address:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
o Each group (like 2001, 0db8, 85a3, etc.) represents a 16-bit
block of the address.

Characteristics of IPv6

 IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, offering a much larger address space

than IPv4’s 32-bit system.

 IPv6 addresses use a combination of numbers and letters separated

by colons, allowing for more unique addresses.

 The IPv6 header has fewer fields, making it more efficient for
routers to process.
  IPv6 supports Unicast, Multicast, and Anycast, but no Broadcast,
reducing network traffic.

 IPv6 allows flexible subnetting (VLSM) to divide networks based

on specific needs.

 IPv6 uses Neighbor Discovery for MAC address resolution instead

of ARP.

 IPv6 uses advanced routing protocols like OSPFv3 and RIPng for
better address handling.

 IPv6 devices can self-assign IP addresses using SLAAC, or use

DHCPv6 for more control.

 IPv6 handles fragmentation at the sender side, not by routers,

improving speed.

Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6

IPv4 IPv6
IPv4 has a 32-bit address length IPv6 has a 128-bit address length
It Supports Manual and DHCP It supports Auto and renumbering address
address configuration configuration
In IPv4 end to end, connection In IPv6 end-to-end, connection integrity is
integrity is Unachievable Achievable
It can generate 4.29×10 9 address The address space of IPv6 is quite large it can
space produce 3.4×10 38 address space
The Security feature is dependent IPSEC is an inbuilt security feature in the IPv6
on the application protocol
Address representation of IPv4 is in Address representation of IPv6 is in
decimal hexadecimal
Fragmentation performed by In IPv6 fragmentation is performed only by the
Sender and forwarding routers sender
IPv4 IPv6
In IPv6 packet flow identification are
In IPv4 Packet flow identification
Available and uses the flow label field in the
is not available
header
In IPv4 checksum field is available In IPv6 checksum field is not available
It has a broadcast MessageIn IPv6 multicast and anycast message
Transmission Scheme transmission scheme is available
In IPv4 Encryption and
In IPv6 Encryption and Authentication are
Authentication facility not
provided
provided
IPv4 has a header of 20-60 bytes. IPv6 has a header of 40 bytes fixed
IPv4 can be converted to IPv6 Not all IPv6 can be converted to IPv4
IPv4 consists of 4 fields which are IPv6 consists of 8 fields, which are separated
separated by addresses dot (.) by a colon (:)
IPv4’s IP addresses are divided
IPv6 does not have any classes of the IP
into five different classes. Class A ,
address.
Class B, Class C, Class D , Class E.
IPv4 supports VLSM( Variable
IPv6 does not support VLSM.
Length subnet mask ).
Example of IPv6:
Example of IPv4: 66.94.29.13
2001:0000:3238:DFE1:0063:0000:0000:FEFB