IPv6 Test
Check whether your internet connection supports IPv6 and see your dual-stack status.
IPv4 vs IPv6 — Understanding the Difference
The internet was originally built on IPv4 — a 32-bit addressing scheme supporting 4.3 billion unique addresses. While this seemed sufficient in 1981, the explosion of connected devices exhausted the available IPv4 pool by the 2010s. IPv6 was developed as the long-term solution, using 128-bit addresses to provide an astronomically larger address space.
| Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Address Length | 32-bit | 128-bit |
| Total Addresses | ~4.3 billion | 340 undecillion |
| Example Address | 192.168.1.1 | 2001:db8::1 |
| NAT Required | Often (CGNAT) | Not needed |
| Built-in Security | Optional (IPSec) | Mandatory (IPSec) |
| Header Size | 20–60 bytes | Fixed 40 bytes |
| Autoconfiguration | DHCP | SLAAC + DHCPv6 |
Benefits of IPv6
- ✓Eliminates NAT — every device gets a unique globally routable address
- ✓Faster routing — simpler packet headers reduce router processing overhead
- ✓Better for IoT — billions of smart devices each get unique IPs
- ✓End-to-end connectivity — peer-to-peer apps (gaming, VoIP) work without NAT traversal hacks
- ✓Mandatory IPSec — built-in network-layer encryption support
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IPv6 and why does it matter?
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the successor to IPv4, designed to solve the IPv4 address exhaustion problem. IPv4 provides ~4.3 billion unique addresses, which have been largely exhausted. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses providing 340 undecillion unique addresses — effectively unlimited. IPv6 also improves routing efficiency, built-in security (IPSec), and eliminates the need for NAT.
How do I know if I have an IPv6 address?
Use our IPv6 test above — it will detect whether your connection supports IPv6 and display your IPv6 address if available. An IPv6 address looks like: 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334. You can also check your network adapter settings on Windows (ipconfig /all) or Mac/Linux (ifconfig or ip addr) for addresses starting with numbers other than 10., 192.168., or 172.16–31.
What is dual-stack connectivity?
Dual-stack means your device and ISP support both IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously. When you connect to a dual-stack website, your browser automatically prefers IPv6 (it's faster due to simpler routing). If IPv6 fails, it falls back to IPv4. Most modern ISPs and operating systems support dual-stack, but activation requires your ISP to assign you an IPv6 prefix.
Does not having IPv6 affect my browsing?
Currently, no. Nearly all websites support IPv4, and your ISP provides IPv4 connectivity. However, as IPv4 scarcity increases, ISPs are implementing CGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT) which shares one public IPv4 address among many customers, causing issues with peer-to-peer applications, gaming, and server hosting. IPv6 eliminates CGNAT by giving each device a unique public address.
Why do VPNs often not support IPv6?
Many VPN providers only tunnel IPv4 traffic, leaving IPv6 connections to bypass the VPN. This creates IPv6 leaks where your real ISP and location are exposed through IPv6 while your IPv4 traffic is anonymized. VPNs that do support IPv6 either tunnel it through the VPN or block IPv6 entirely to prevent leaks. Use our leak test to check if your VPN has this issue.
What percentage of internet users have IPv6?
As of 2024, approximately 40–45% of global internet traffic uses IPv6, with significant variation by country and ISP. The US, Germany, India, and several European countries have IPv6 adoption rates above 50%. Mobile carriers (especially T-Mobile in the US) often have high IPv6 adoption. Deployment continues growing as ISPs upgrade infrastructure.
Related Tools & Resources
See your current IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and location.
Check for IPv6 leaks that expose your real IP through VPNs.
Look up geolocation and ISP details for any IPv4 or IPv6.
Detect if your connection routes through a VPN or proxy.
Learn the difference between IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Test your internet download speed, upload, and ping.