🌐

Understanding IPv4 and IPv6 Protocols

Apr 3, 2025

Lecture Notes on IP Protocols: IPv4 and IPv6

Overview of IP Protocols

  • IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)
    • Primary protocol used in most networking today.
    • Essential for device-to-device communication across networks.
  • IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
    • Newer protocol supported by major operating systems.
    • Addresses limitations of IPv4 by providing a larger address space.

IPv4 Details

  • Address Format:
    • Consists of four numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.1.131).
    • Viewable in binary form, making up 32 bits (4 bytes) total.
    • Each segment is called an "octet" (8 bits), with a maximum value of 255 per octet.
  • Limitations:
    • Limited address space due to only 32 bits, leading to exhaustion concerns.

IPv6 Details

  • Address Format:
    • 128 bits in length, allowing for a vast number of addresses.
    • Typically displayed in hexadecimal (e.g., fe80::5d18:652:cffd:8f52).
    • Consists of 8 groups, each with 16 bits (2 bytes or 2 octets).
  • Subnetting:
    • Often uses a 64-bit subnet mask, dividing the address into network and host parts (first 64 bits for network, last 64 for host).

IP Address Assignment

  • Necessary Parameters:
    • IP Address:
      • Must be unique to each device in a network.
    • Subnet Mask:
      • Determines the network part of the IP address.
      • Common format: 255.255.255.0.
    • Default Gateway:
      • IP address of a router for external network communication.
      • Example: 192.168.x.x.
    • DNS Server:
      • Translates domain names to IP addresses.
      • Essential for navigating the internet without memorizing IPs.
      • Commonly uses two servers for redundancy, e.g., 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google's DNS servers).

Importance of DNS

  • Role:
    • Converts domain names to IP addresses for network communication.
    • Critical for website navigation without remembering numerical IPs.
  • Configuration:
    • Can be set in the operating system's IP settings.
    • Typically involves multiple DNS servers to ensure reliability.

Summary

By understanding IPv4 and IPv6, their differences, and the way IP addresses are assigned and used, one can manage network configurations efficiently and overcome limitations associated with older protocols.

Full transcript