IPv4 vs IPv6: what's the difference?

The short version

IPv4 and IPv6 are two versions of the system that gives every device on the internet an address. IPv4 came first and is still the most common; IPv6 is the newer, much larger system built to fix IPv4's biggest problem — the world ran out of addresses. Both do the same core job: identify devices so data reaches the right place.

What they look like

The easiest way to tell them apart is the format:

• IPv4 uses four numbers separated by dots, each from 0 to 255 — for example, 192.0.2.146. Short, familiar, easy to read.
• IPv6 is much longer, using groups of letters and numbers separated by colons — for example, 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. It often gets shortened by collapsing zeros (2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334).

If the address at the top of this page has dots, you're seeing IPv4; if it has colons and hex characters, that's IPv6. Many connections show both.

Why IPv6 exists

IPv4 allows about 4.3 billion unique addresses. That sounded limitless in the 1980s — but with phones, laptops, smart TVs, doorbells, and countless other connected devices, the world simply ran out. IPv6 solves this with a staggeringly larger pool: roughly 340 undecillion addresses (that's 340 followed by 36 zeros) — effectively unlimited, enough for every device imaginable to have its own unique address with room to spare.

The practical differences

Beyond size, a few differences matter:

• Address space: IPv4 is scarce; IPv6 is effectively infinite. This is the headline reason IPv6 exists.
• Configuration: IPv6 can let devices self-assign addresses more easily, simplifying network setup.
• No more workarounds: IPv4's shortage forced techniques like NAT (sharing one public address across many devices). IPv6's abundance reduces the need for those.
• Adoption: Despite its advantages, IPv6 rollout has been gradual. Both systems run side by side today, and most networks support both — a setup called "dual stack."

Which one are you using?

Likely both. Your device and ISP negotiate whichever works for a given connection, often preferring IPv6 where available and falling back to IPv4. You don't need to choose or configure anything — it happens automatically.

Does it affect your privacy or speed?

For everyday use, the version you're on makes little practical difference to speed. On privacy, the two behave similarly in what they reveal — both expose your ISP and an estimated location, and neither identifies you personally on its own. (See our guide on what your IP address reveals for the full picture.)

See yours

GetNetStats shows your current IP address — IPv4, IPv6, or both — instantly and privately, with nothing stored.