Setting up IPv6: What you need to know

Setting up IPv6 can't hurt - after all, this technology is supposed to replace IPv4, which has been used until now. However, there are hardly any steps for you as a user. The conversion is done by website operators and your provider.

What is IPv6

IPv6 is a special method of data transmission. When you log on to the Internet with a device, it automatically receives an IP address - this is like a digital fingerprint. IPv6 changes how this IP is obtained, for one thing. For another, the protocol works a bit differently than the IPv4 technology used so far and adds some features to it.

What to do: Set up IPv6

There is no need for any special setup of IPv6 on your part. The conversion from IPv4 to IPv6 will be done gradually by the operators of the websites and also by the providers. It is only important that you make sure to purchase only routers that are also IPv6-capable in the coming years.

• To assign the IP address, IPv4 has been used so far, which assigns 12 digits as IP to the connection. Thus, over 4.3 billion different IP addresses exist.
• As IPv6 assigns a full 32 digits as IP address, the number of possible IP addresses is much higher due to the combination possibilities.
• Even though there has been talk of a complete switch to IPv6 since 2013, IPv6 will be used comparatively rarely even in 2020.
• That IPv4 and IPv6 will be operated in parallel in the coming years, however, is very likely.

So as a user, you do not need to pay attention to anything else. Only if a server assigns IPv6 addresses and you visit the corresponding website, you also use IPv6. You then obtain the protocol automatically. Incompatibilities only occur if your router does not support IPv6.