IPv4 vs IPv6 at a glance — comparison table
Address size and abundance. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses — about 4.3 billion, a pool exhausted since 2011 — while IPv6 uses 128 bits: 340 undecillion addresses.
| Factor | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Address size | 32-bit | 128-bit |
| Pool | ~4.3 billion, exhausted | Effectively unlimited |
| Format | 192.168.1.1 | 8 hex groups, compressible |
| NAT | Required to stretch supply | End-to-end addressing possible |
| DNS record | A | AAAA |
| Header | Complex, checksummed | Simpler, fixed base header |
| Deployment | Universal | Growing via dual-stack |
Practical notes for site owners: CIDR notation sizes both protocols' networks, and SLAAC lets IPv6 hosts auto-configure addresses without DHCP. Most Indian hosting — including WebJi® datacenter locations — serves dual-stack, so your site answers on both protocols without extra work.
Address space — why IPv4 ran out
IPv4's 32 bits allow exactly 4,294,967,296 addresses, and a slice of those is reserved, so the public pool was smaller than the headline number. IANA handed out the last free block in 2011, and the regional registries ran dry in the years after. New mobile and IoT devices still need addresses, so they arrive through a shrinking secondary market where each IPv4 address carries a price.
How IPv6 addresses look and shorten
An IPv6 address is eight hexadecimal groups separated by colons, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. Leading zeros in a group can be dropped, and one run of all-zero groups can be compressed to a double colon, which shortens the same address to 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334. The loopback address is ::1. The notation looks alien at first, but copy-paste means you rarely type it.
NAT vs end-to-end connectivity
Because IPv4 addresses ran out, networks share them through NAT: many devices hide behind one public address, and inbound connections need explicit port forwarding. That breaks direct reachability for self-hosted services and merges many visitors into one logged IP. IPv6 hands every device a globally unique address, so a server is reachable end-to-end without translation — provided the firewall allows it.
DNS — A vs AAAA records
DNS points a hostname at either protocol: the A record carries the IPv4 address, the AAAA record the IPv6 one. Dual-stack sites publish both. One trap: an AAAA record that publishes an IPv6 address the server or firewall never answers makes some visitors wait through a timeout before the browser falls back — so test the AAAA target after adding it, not just the A record.
Dual-stack hosting — serving both
Dual-stack means the server holds an IPv4 and an IPv6 address and answers on either protocol. Browsers offered both prefer IPv6 and fall back to IPv4 automatically, so nothing changes for visitors. On WebJi® hosting the stack is already dual, which is why a site moved here answers on both protocols with no extra configuration on your side.
Enabling IPv6 on your VPS or website
On a VPS server the steps are yours to run: request an IPv6 block from the provider, assign an address from it to the network interface, allow ICMPv6 through the firewall so discovery works, publish the AAAA record in DNS, then verify from an IPv6-connected network. On shared and managed plans the host does this for you — ask support to confirm your account's IPv6 address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses — about 4.3 billion, exhausted since 2011 — written as four decimal groups like 192.168.1.1. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, effectively unlimited, written as hexadecimal groups. IPv4 leans on NAT to share addresses; IPv6 restores end-to-end addressing.
Why do we need IPv6 if IPv4 works?
IPv4 works only because NAT shares a few addresses across many devices, which breaks direct inbound connections and puts new devices on a waiting list. IPv6 gives every device its own global address, so growth no longer depends on the leftover supply.
How many addresses does IPv6 have?
2 to the power of 128 — about 340 undecillion addresses. Stacked against 4.3 billion for IPv4, the supply is effectively endless for any foreseeable device count.
Does my hosting support IPv6?
WebJi® hosting is dual-stack, so sites answer on IPv4 and IPv6 without extra work — see the datacenter locations page for where. On any host you can verify by opening your domain in an IPv6-connected browser or running a ping with the -6 flag.
What is an AAAA record?
The DNS record that maps a hostname to an IPv6 address, the way the A record maps to IPv4. A dual-stack site publishes both; a site with only an A record is unreachable over IPv6.
What is dual-stack hosting?
The server holds an IPv4 and an IPv6 address and answers on either protocol, so visitors on old and new networks both connect. Browsers offered both prefer IPv6 and fall back automatically, which is why dual-stack is the standard transition setup.
Is WebJi® an Indian company?
Yes. WebJi® is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan and has operated since 2005. Billing, support and governance all run from India.
Do you provide GST invoices?
Every purchase and renewal gets a GST invoice with our GSTIN, and hosting prices are quoted exclusive of 18% GST. Claim input credit as applicable.