IPv4 vs. IPv6: What's the Difference and How Can It Help You Bypass Blocks?

IPv4 vs IPv6: What's the difference and how will it help bypass blocks?

The internet has long been a part of our lives, but few people think about how exactly devices find each other in the digital world. It all comes down to the IP address - a unique number for your computer, smartphone, or server on the network.

But there is a downside. Knowing your IP, they can not only find you but also block you. That is why the difference between the old (IPv4) and new (IPv6) address formats is important not only for active users but also for ordinary people who want access to content without restrictions.

In this article, we will break down how these protocols differ and how, using modern tools such as IPv4 Dedicated Proxy, you can reliably bypass blocks.

What are IPv4 and IPv6?

We have two formats of IP addresses - IPv4 and IPv6. Both were designed for the same task: to find the right interlocutor in the vast "crowd" of the internet and establish a connection with them. But the difference here is not just technical. IPv4 has been with us almost since the dawn of the internet, while IPv6 arrived as a more modern version.

IPv4: The foundation of the internet

The history of IPv4 dates back to the 80s. A time when no one could imagine the growth the internet would experience. Engineers back then chose a 32-bit addressing structure, divided into four familiar blocks of 8 bits each. It is usually written with dots. And although a new version of the protocol (IPv6) formally exists, almost all home computers, routers, and the majority of websites still rely on the good old IPv4.

It would seem that 4 billion combinations is a huge reserve. But in the early 2010s, the world faced the depletion of the free IPv4 address pool. In 2011, IANA distributed the last blocks, and by 2015, there was officially nothing left to assign, even to major US providers.

Nevertheless, over 90% of global traffic still uses this protocol.

How did that happen?

1. NAT. A technology that allows an entire family or office to access the network through a single external IP.

2. Reuse. Providers can "pass on" freed-up addresses to new clients.

3. Transitional crutches. The industry is simply not ready to abandon the old standard overnight.

However, it is precisely the shortage of IPv4 that has led to sites massively blocking users based on geographic location. When one address is shared (via NAT), an IP ban can cut off hundreds of people from a service.

IPv6: The new generation of IP addresses

IPv6 was actually invented back in 1998. It is an evolution that radically solves the problem of address shortage. Instead of 32 bits, it uses 128 bits. It no longer looks like numbers but rather a long string of letters and digits separated by colons.

IPv6 also has a limit, but it is so vast that for practical purposes, it can be considered infinite. Theoretically, it is possible to create approximately 3.4×10^38 addresses. This might sound like a huge number, but sometime in hundreds of years, the reserve could be exhausted. But for now, we can be confident that these addresses will be sufficient for a very long time.

Comparison of IPv4 and IPv6: What you need to know

For the average user, the difference between the protocols lies in the details of the connection. We have highlighted 8 main points that affect how you use the internet and how you might be blocked.

1. Address types. IPv4 uses three formats: unicast, broadcast, and multicast. In IPv6, developers abandoned broadcast as outdated and replaced it with anycast technology, while retaining unicast and multicast.

2. Packet size. The minimum data packet in IPv4 is 576 bytes. IPv6 operates with packets from 1208 bytes.

3. Headers. IPv4 has 12 fields in its header, IPv6 has only 8, which is simpler and faster.

4. Extensions. IPv4 has optional fields. IPv6 uses an Extension Header instead for flexible extension without changing the basic structure.

5. Configuration. IPv4 requires configuration before operation. IPv6 supports autoconfiguration.

6. Security. IPv4 is as secure as websites and applications make it. In IPv6, encryption (IPSec) is mandatory and built-in.

7. Mobility. IPv4 is poorly suited for mobile networks. IPv6 was designed with the constant movement of devices in mind.

8. The main thing. IPv6 provides an unlimited number of unique addresses. IPv4 is effectively the standard that works everywhere and now.

It is easier for a provider or website to identify a specific device, which opens up possibilities for both security and total blocking.

IPv4 or IPv6: Which to choose for bypassing blocks?

If there were a universal answer to the question "IPv4 or IPv6?", we would all have switched to one thing long ago.

IPv6 is the future, and IPv4 is the past that we are trying to extend using NAT and address reuse. These tricks work but reduce speed and create problems, especially with the development of the Internet of Things and new technologies. In terms of speed, IPv6 won't make your internet many times faster, but its main advantage is a giant pool of unique addresses, enough for everything. And here the question arises: if IPv6 is so much better, why are we still using IPv4?

It all comes down to incompatibility: IPv4 and IPv6 cannot communicate directly. Most websites and applications still only work on IPv4. If all devices were forcibly switched to the new standard tomorrow, the internet would simply freeze - half of the resources would become unavailable.

That is precisely why the transition has taken years. The most workable option is Dual Stack technology, where both protocols operate in parallel. It allows devices to understand both old and new sites simultaneously, providing users with access to any content without headaches and extra settings.

What is needed to use IPv6 right now?

• Operating system. Windows 7/8/10/11, macOS, and modern Linux support it by default.

• Router. This is the catch. Many older models either do not support IPv6 at all or do so poorly.

• Provider. Even if you have a cool router and computer, but your internet provider does not assign IPv6 addresses (and most still do not assign them to ordinary users), you will remain on IPv4.

Myths and reality of IPv6 vs IPv4

In technical circles, people like to repeat that IPv6 is more secure due to built-in IPSec. Let's figure out what that actually means.

What is IPSec?

It is a set of protocols for encrypting data at the network level. To simplify, it creates a "tunnel within a tunnel," guaranteeing that no one along the way can read which pages you are visiting. In IPv4, this technology is an option that needs lengthy and tedious configuration. In IPv6, it is built-in "out of the box."

However, in practice, if you use a good proxy service or VPN (for example, solutions based on Vless VPN Premium), your level of protection is configured on top of the protocol. And even staying on IPv4 but using modern tunneling methods, you get protection that is many times superior to naked IPv6 without configuration.

Why haven't we switched to IPv6 yet?

Imagine the scale: you need to replace or update software on all the world's servers, reconfigure routers for every provider, force application developers to rewrite code. This is a process that has been ongoing for 20 years and is far from complete.

Which protocol should you choose?

IPv6 will eventually become the standard, but the complete transition will take many more years. If you want to experiment with the new protocol, it is best not to disable IPv4 entirely, because most websites and applications still work on IPv4. The most sensible option is to use both protocols simultaneously. This technology is called Dual Stack, and it allows you to access anywhere without problems - both old IPv4 resources and new IPv6 sites.