IPv4 vs IPv6: Why Does My IP Address Look So Long?

Your IP address used to look like this: 198.51.100.47

Now it looks like this: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001

Your connection may be using IPv6. The longer format is normal for that protocol.

Why IPv4 Ran Out

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) was designed in 1981. It uses 32 bits to represent addresses, which allows for roughly 4.3 billion unique addresses — a number that seemed impossibly large at the time.

The central pool of unallocated IPv4 addresses was exhausted in 2011. Networks continued to use IPv4 through address sharing, transfers, and regional allocations. IPv6 provides a much larger address space.

IPv6 uses 128 bits. The total address space: 340 undecillion (3.4 × 10³⁸). That is far larger than the IPv4 address space.

What an IPv6 Address Actually Is

IPv6 addresses are written in hexadecimal (base 16), using the digits 0–9 and letters a–f, separated by colons:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

Consecutive groups of zeros can be collapsed with ::, which is why you often see shorter versions like 2001:db8:85a3::1.

It looks intimidating. You'll rarely need to type it manually.

What Changes For You (Very Little)

The protocol change is largely invisible. Many networks support both IPv4 and IPv6, a setup called “dual stack.” Which address is used depends on the device, network, destination, and connection.

What's different under the hood:

• No more NAT workarounds. IPv4 ran out of addresses, so ISPs used Network Address Translation (NAT) to let many devices share one public IP. IPv6 offers a far larger address space, so many networks can assign globally routable addresses without IPv4-style NAT. Firewalls and network configuration still matter.
• Privacy extensions. Some systems use temporary IPv6 addresses for privacy. Whether an address changes depends on your device and network configuration.

How to Check Which Protocol You're Using

What Is My IP shows the public IP address used for this request. The address shown reflects the protocol used for that request; it may not describe every connection your device can make.

If you only see IPv4, the specific request used IPv4; that alone does not prove which protocols your ISP or device supports. If you can obtain both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, your connection may support both protocols.

Should You Do Anything?

For ordinary browsing, you usually do not need to change anything. If a service is unreachable, check your device and network configuration before changing protocol settings.

The only scenario where you'd actively manage IPv6 settings: if you're running a home server, self-hosting services, or working in network administration. For everyday use, the transition is completely transparent.

Check your current addresses with What Is My IP. If you see a colon-separated hexadecimal address, the current request used IPv6.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can one device have IPv4 and IPv6 together? Yes. Many networks use both. A checker may display the protocol used by that particular request.

Does an IPv6 address identify my house? Not from the text alone. Address allocation and privacy settings vary; avoid treating it as a precise location lookup.

Should I turn off IPv6 for speed? Not as a default troubleshooting step. Diagnose the actual network problem before changing protocol settings.