Dictionary · Networking Fundamentals
IPv6
Addressing · Beginner
The 128-bit version of the Internet Protocol, written in hexadecimal groups. It provides a much larger address space and uses Neighbor Discovery instead of the older address-resolution broadcast.
This newer address format exists because the 32-bit space became too small. Devices can configure themselves, and the addresses are long enough that ordinary networks do not need the same kind of public-address sharing.
Example: 2001:db8::10 is a documentation address. ::1 is the loopback address in this format.
Common misconception
- It is not only a longer way of writing a 32-bit address. It is a different protocol version with its own rules.