# IPv4 vs. IPv6: Why the internet ran out of addresses

If you look at the Coenraad.eu dashboard, you will likely see a label next to your IP address saying "Legacy IPv4" or "IPv6 Active". But what exactly does this mean, and why is the whole world slowly transitioning to a new system?

## The problem: We are sold out

Every device that connects to the internet needs a unique number to send and receive data: an IP address. The current system, IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4), was invented in the early 1980s. An IPv4 address looks like four sets of numbers, for example, 192.168.1.1.

This system provides room for about 4.3 billion unique addresses. In 1980, that seemed like an inexhaustible amount. However, with the explosion of smartphones, smart TVs, and smart fridges, the harsh reality is that these 4.3 billion addresses are officially "depleted". Internet Service Providers now have to use complicated tricks (like CGNAT) to force multiple households to share a single IP address.

## The solution: IPv6

To solve this shortage, IPv6 was developed. This system uses much longer, hexadecimal strings (such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). The number of possible combinations is so astronomically large that we could assign millions of unique IP addresses to every grain of sand on Earth.

## What does this mean for you?

If your ISP has already upgraded you to IPv6, you benefit from more efficient routing (less delay) and better built-in security via IPsec. Furthermore, your devices no longer suffer from the latency caused by sharing IP addresses via routers (NAT). On our dashboard, we instantly detect whether your connection is ready for the future or still stuck in the IPv4 era.