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• IPv6: what does this mean for you?

  Internet access is changing. IPv6 is replacing IPv4. This means many Internet addresses now use a different protocol. If you have an IPv4 address and try to reach someone with an IPv6 address, you may be unable to make contact.

  You may not be aware of IPv6. Most people aren’t. But if you want to ensure your Internet communications remain effective, you should find out what it means for you.

  IPv6: why the change?

  IPv6 stands for Internet Protocol version 6. Internet Protocol (IP) is the means by which you send data from one computer to another using the Internet. IPv6 is the latest in a line of IP versions.

  Every computer user across the world needs to be aware IPv6 is going to replace IPv4. IPv4 is the current, widely-used IP. It controls the number of available online addresses. These addresses are numbers given to any device on a computer network linked to the Internet.

  IPv4 addresses have a 32-bit limit with four sets of numbers. This works out at four billion unique addresses. IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) is the body responsible for allocating IP addresses worldwide. On 3rd February 2011, IANA ran out of addresses, although regional allocation groups still had some in reserve.

  IPv4 and IPv6 compatibility

  IPv6 has been around for a while. It offers a solution to the shortage of IP addresses because it has a 128-bit rather than 32-bit limit. It therefore has billions of extra IP addresses.

  With this enhanced capacity, the Internet can continue to grow around the globe. The problem is compatibility between current IPv4 addresses and new IPv6 addresses.

  A lot depends on your browser and Web server. Generally speaking, if you use an IPv4 network, you may have trouble accessing IPv6 websites. And if you have an IPv6 network, you may be unable to contact an IPv4 site.

  This could be serious if you are engaged in global business. For example, many developing Asian countries, including China, use IPv6. Most UK businesses have an IPv4 address. This means you may not be able to use the Internet to contact a customer, supplier or partner in Asia.

  IPv6: What you should do

  IT and communication companies are taking action to help businesses. You can therefore find help to prepare your migration from IPv4 to IPv6.

  Professional advice is essential. You need to review your network infrastructure and assess your hardware and software. All new Cisco products, for example, support IPv6.

  What you are likely to experience is a transitional period. During this, your network should have both IPv4 and IPv6. At the end of the transition, your network will use just IPv6.

  If you do nothing, you’ll still have Internet access. But you won’t have the worldwide access you may have come to rely on.