IPv4 vs IPv6

The difference between the two major Internet address formats.

IPv4 and IPv6 are two address formats for Internet traffic. IPv4 looks like 8.8.8.8; IPv6 looks like 2001:4860:4860::8888. You may see either on the IP lookup page.

IPv6 provides a much larger address space, which helps modern networks avoid IPv4 scarcity. Most users do not need to choose manually because devices and providers negotiate support.

What changes for users

Some services prefer IPv6 when available. Some older networks still depend on IPv4. Geolocation data for IPv6 may be less detailed in some ranges, so lookup output can vary.

For privacy context, read what is IP location and why IP location can be wrong.

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