IPv4
The fourth version of the Internet Protocol using 32-bit addresses supporting about 4 billion addresses.
Also: Internet Protocol version 4
Definition
IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is the fourth revision of the Internet Protocol and was the first widely deployed version, using 32-bit addresses written in dotted decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1). With approximately 4.3 billion possible addresses, IPv4 address exhaustion was reached around 2011, necessitating techniques like NAT (Network Address Translation) and driving adoption of IPv6. IPv4 remains the dominant protocol but coexists with IPv6 via dual-stack and tunneling mechanisms.
Example
“The home router assigns private IPv4 addresses like 192.168.1.x to local devices while using NAT to share a single public IPv4 address for all outbound internet traffic.”
Synonyms
- 32-bit IP
- dotted decimal address
- classic IP address
Antonyms / Opposites
- IPv6
Images
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Related Terms
- ip-address
- ipv6
- nat
- subnet-mask