IPv4 vs IPv6 — what's actually different
IPv4 has been the backbone of the internet for decades, but its 4.3 billion addresses ran out years ago. IPv6 was designed as the long-term replacement.
- Address space — IPv4 has ~4.3 billion. IPv6 has 340 undecillion. Practically unlimited.
- Format — IPv4 is dotted-decimal (192.0.2.1). IPv6 is colon-hex (2001:db8::1).
- NAT — IPv4 relies heavily on NAT to share addresses. IPv6 gives every device its own public address.
- Performance — IPv6 often takes a slightly more direct path, but the difference is small in well-routed networks.
What your IP reveals (and what it doesn't)
Sites can derive a surprising amount from just your IP — but less than people fear.
- Visible: ISP name, ASN, country, region, and often the city.
- Inferred: approximate timezone, whether you're on a VPN/proxy/data center, mobile vs broadband.
- Not visible: your name, exact address, browsing history (without other tracking), or what's on your device.
Privacy — when to mask your IP
For most users, exposing an IP is harmless. But if you connect from a public network, work with sensitive accounts, or want to avoid geographic content discrimination, a reputable VPN replaces your visible IP with the VPN provider's. Tor goes further by routing through multiple hops. Both have legitimate trade-offs in latency.