IPv4
Also known as: Internet Protocol version 4
Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth version of the Internet protocol, dating back to 1981. An Internet protocol is a technology that allows electrical devices to communicate with each other over the World Wide Web.
Every device connected to the Internet has a unique IP address. Internet Protocol version 4 was the first Internet protocol used to distinguish and identify different devices. Another function of IP addresses is to transport data over the Internet from the sender to the receiver.
An IPv4 address is a string consisting of 32 bits. The IP address can be divided into four 8-bit numbers separated by a dot. Each 8-bit number can contain a value between 0 and 255. An example of a unique IPv4 address is 93.199.140.35.
IPv4 allowed over 4 billion unique IP addresses to be assigned to different devices. With over 7 billion people in the world, many owning multiple devices, IPv4 fell short in unique IP addresses. Therefore, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) succeeded IPv4 with more address capabilities.
