Introduction to IPv4 and IPv6

Overview of IP Protocols

• IPv4: Primary protocol for network communications.

  • Used for communication between devices.
  • Supported by most major operating systems.

• IPv6: Newer version of IP.

  • Supported alongside IPv4 by major operating systems.
  • Larger address space to accommodate more devices.

IPv4 Addresses

• Consist of four numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.1.131).

• Binary Representation:

  • Total of 32 bits, divided into four 8-bit segments or octets.
  • Each octet ranges from 0 to 255.

• Binary to Decimal Conversion:

  • Example: 11000000 in binary equals 192 in decimal.

Limitations of IPv4

• Exhaustion of IPv4 addresses due to internet growth.

IPv6 Addresses

• Consist of 128 bits, much larger than IPv4.

  • Capable of providing unique addresses for global usage.

• Structure:

  • Divided into eight groups, each 16 bits long.
  • Displayed in hexadecimal format.
  • Example: fe80::5d18:652:ccff:8f52.

• Subnetting in IPv6:

  • Commonly assigned with a 64-bit subnet mask.
  • First 64 bits are for the network, last 64 bits for the host.

IP Address Assignment

• Configuration Parameters:

  • IP Address: Unique to each device.
  • Subnet Mask: Determines the subnet.
  • Default Gateway: Allows communication outside the local subnet.

• Example Configuration:

  • IP Address: 192.168.1.165
  • Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 (for example)
  • Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Domain Name System (DNS)

• Purpose:

  • Converts domain names to IP addresses for easier navigation.
  • Critical for accessing websites without needing to memorize IP addresses.

• Configuration:

  • DNS settings are part of IP configuration.
  • Often include multiple DNS servers for reliability.
  • Example DNS IPs: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google DNS servers).