Week 6 - The Internet’s New Address Book

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If you haven't heard already, as of 2025, we're effectively out of all available IPv4 addresses. So, what do we do now? That's where IPv6 comes in. It's the next-gen internet protocol designed to give us way more IP addresses. When I say more, I'm talking about in the trillions! While IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, IPv6 uses 128-bit, meaning every smart fridge, phone, toaster, etc. can have its unique address without breaking a sweat.

IPv6 also improves routing, security, and auto-configuration. It's like upgrading from a crowded apartment to a mansion with room to grow. Most of us won't notice the switch because it's common for most routers on the internet to be in a dual-stack configuration. But behind the scenes, it's helping the internet keep up with our connected lives.

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