IPv4 vs IPv6

Your phone, laptop, iPad all need IP addresses to communicate with each other. For decades we’ve relied on IPv4. You may or may not have them in your settings. They are numbers that look like 123.123.123.123. But here’s the problem; IPv4 is running out and that’s where IPv6 comes in. Theoretically IPv6 is supposed to be an infinite supply of IP addresses and there are more digits, and in hexadecimal (so 16 not 10 digits per “place value”). But somehow after 20 years, the adoption is basically close to zero.

IPv4 has been the standard for about half a century. Despite its limitations, networks overwhelmingly stick with it. So what about changing over? Transitioning to IPv6 isn’t going to be easy and most networks don’t support it yet.

At Yomura, we have equipped every device with both IPv4 and IPv6. But here’s the truth; almost nobody is using IPv6. Customer adaptation is minimal and there’s no clear sign when (or if) it will fully take over.

Here are some reasons why

• Most users don’t realise there’s even an issue.
• Businesses aren’t pushing for change either.
• IPv4 is ingrained in existing infrastructure.
• Switching requires updates on ISP routers.
• Running IPv6 means separate BGP sessions.
• Memory and CPU demand on ISP’s increase if we have to have both (more BGP sessions)
• Many older customer routers don’t support IPv6

ISP’s would potentially go for IPv6 if customers were demanding it. But users stick with “old faithful” and aren’t asking for a change. Without customers asking for it, those ISP’s that still don’t offer it, have little incentive to spend more on infrastructure. As long as IPv4 is functional – why fix what isn’t broken? IPv6 promises limitless IP numbers that aren’t going to run out – but when are we going to make the leap? That question is still hanging.