Introduction
Internet protocol is also known as the backbone of modern communication. It is the fundamental technology that allows communication across the internet.
The Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol, or set of rules, for routing and addressing packets of data so that they can travel across networks at the correct destination. It provides the addressing and routing mechanisms that the devices require for their communications. IP addresses represent the unique identifiers given to each device on a network to be able to route data packets to their receivers. IP works at the network layer of OSI reference model.
IP Address
An IP address is a unique address that identifies a device on the internet or a local network. IP address is a string of number separated by periods. Such as 192.168.0.1. Each number in a set can range from 0 to 255. IP address are the identifiers that allows information to be sent between devices and networks. IP address are allocated and produced by the IANA (Internet assigned numbers authority).
Packet
A network packet is a formatted unit of data that is transmitted over a network. A packet consists of three parts. Header, payload and trailer. The header consists of source and destination IP address with error detection codes. The payload is the actual data being delivered. The trailer denotes the end of the packet to perform error correction.
Internet protocol versions
IPV4
IPV4 is the internet protocol version 4 that uses 32 bit addresses. It is written as four groups of numbers separated by dots. It looks like 198.268.0.1. It is one of the most widely uses internet protocol. It has 12 header fields and supports approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. IPV4 tends to provide connectivity between the desktop computers online.
IPV6
Internet protocol version 6 uses 128 bits address that is written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits separated by colons. e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. It uses eight header fields and supports a larger number that IPv4 that is 340 undecillion. It has built in IPsec for improved security. It further includes built-in QoS capabilities, allowing for better handling of delay-sensitive data.