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In this article, we will discuss what is ipv6 and why it is important.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is a new version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet. With the widespread deployment of IPV6, it will be possible to address every device on earth - from mobile phones to fridges to industrial control systems - with a unique address.
IPv6 is intended to replace IPv4, which is currently the dominant standard used by routers and computer operating systems. IPv6 was designed as a replacement to IPv4, which has been in use since the 1980s. The older protocol has several limitations that make it problematic for modern uses of the internet. For example, every device connected to a network needs its own unique IP address — in IPv4 there are only about 4 billion possible addresses for all devices on the internet combined. In addition, many organizations are running out of IP addresses due to their sheer number of devices being connected to their networks.
As more and more people use the Internet, the demand for IP addresses will only continue to grow, and it’s likely that we’ll eventually hit this limit. This means that if you want to add a new device or service which uses an IP address, then you’ll either have to give up an existing device or service, or use something like NAT (Network Address Translation) which can translate private addresses into public ones on your home network. However, both of these solutions are far from ideal as they can cause problems with things such as security and performance. A better solution would be if we could simply increase the number of available addresses without losing any functionality!
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) predicts that by 2035 there will be billions of devices on the internet needing IP addresses. By using IPv6 instead of IPv4, we will be able to accommodate this growth without running out of addresses. This means that you can expect improved performance from your website as there will be less congestion due to limited available IP addresses.
According to Google’s own IPv6 stats page, more than half of all Google searches are now performed over IPv6 — and that number continues to climb each month. The reason for this is simple: IPv4 addresses are running out. There are only about 4 billion IPv4 addresses left in the world (a number that will dwindle even further as we transition to IPv6).
Websites can still access users over IPv4 even if they don’t have an IPv4 address themselves (because they have a provider who provides one for them), but doing so requires extra steps like translating an IPv4 address into an IPv6 one before sending it on to your device. This extra step is called “dual stack.”
Most major websites now offer dual stack support — including Google itself — which means that if you’re using an IPv4-only device (like an old phone), you’ll still be able to access those websites.