The topic of today’s article is exactly the IPv4. And if you desire to learn more about its definition, what it looks like, and how to check it, great! You are in the right place. So let’s not waste any more time and explore it!
Introduction to IPv4
The fourth IP version is IPv4. On the Internet and other packet-switched networks, it is one of the fundamental protocols of standards-based internetworking techniques. In 1982, the Atlantic Packet Satellite Network (SATNET), a satellite network that was a part of the early development of the internet, implemented Internet Protocol version 4 for the first time. To this day, we still use it.
Structure
When a device connects to the Internet (whether it’s a switch, PC, or other devices), it’s given a unique numerical IP address, such as 5.8.33.73. Furthermore, IPv4 employs a 32-bit address scheme. Each section can have a number between 0 and 255, for a total of 4,294,967,296 (232) possible addresses. Each number represents an 8-bit field corresponding to one byte of an IPv4 address.
So the growing number of Internet users leads to the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. That is also why IPv6, the new Internet addressing system, is being deployed to meet the demand for more Internet addresses.
How to check IPv4?
It is simple to find your IP address. A dynamic IP address is one that is constantly changing. The steps below will assist you in determining your computer’s IP address:
Suggested article: Dynamic DNS: Why is it important?
- Linux
Begin by opening a terminal window. To check IPv4, use the commands “hostname -I,” “ip addr,” and “ifconfig.” These commands each return the Internet Protocol version 4.
- macOS
Launch the Terminal application. Use the macOS Terminal command curl ifconfig.me to obtain your public IP address. To find the private Internet Protocol version 4 address, type ipconfig getifaddr en0.
- Windows
To open the Command Prompt in Windows, go to the Start menu and type cmd. And after that, in the Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter. The program’s output will include your IP address.
Conclusion
We might assume that IPv4 was the first Internet Protocol version to be widely adopted and that it accounted for the bulk of Internet traffic in use today. Perhaps IPv6 represents the present and IPv4 the past. We’ll gradually start saying goodbye to the current one and welcoming the new one.