Internet Technologies > IPv6
IPv6
IPv6 is the next generation Internet Protocol (IP) standard intended to eventually replace IPv4, the protocol many Internet services still use today.
Every computer, mobile phone, and any other device connected to the Internet needs a numerical IP address in order to communicate with other devices. The original IP address scheme, called IPv4, is running out of addresses.
The Internet Society is highly involved in all aspects of IPv6, from its ongoing technical work in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to increasing its real-world deployment by providing hands on, technical deployment information to network operators responsible for implementing new technologies and standards on their own networks.
How Do I Get Started?
The short answer is:
- Ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for IPv6 addresses (you can start by seeing if they are on this list);
- Test your IPv6 connectivity (you may use this online tool); and
- Check that your equipment supports IPv6. Most operating systems (including mobile phones) and most network devices support IPv6, but some equipment and applications may not.
You may want to begin with the Deploy360 “Where Do I Start?” page.
Basics
- IPv6 Frequently Asked Questions
- Internet Society IPv6 Fact Sheet
- A Short Guide to IP Addressing
- 4 Videos about IPv6 Transition Technologies
- IPv6 for All: A Guide for IPv6 Usage and Application in Different Environments (ebook available in English, Spanish, Catalan, Basque, and Gallego)
- IPv6 Adoption Information
IPv6 Security
- IPv6 Security Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- IPv6 Security For IPv4 Engineers
- Please check our IPv6 Security page
Operational Considerations
- RIPE-554: Requirements for IPv6 in ICT Equipment
- RIPE-631: IPv6 Troubleshooting for Residential ISP Helpdesks
- RIPE-690: IPv6 Prefix Assignment for End-Users
- Internet Draft: Operational Security Considerations for IPv6 Networks
- RFC 7872: Observations on the Dropping of Packets with IPv6 Extension Headers in the Real World
- Internet Draft: Operational Implications of IPv6 Packets with Extension Headers
- RFC 7123: Security Implications of IPv6 on IPv4 Networks
Case Studies
- LinkedIn Passes Another IPv6 Milestone
- Uber Goes IPv6 to Support its Growing Infrastructure
- NAT64check & More IPv6 @ APRICOT 2017
- More Case Studies
Training Materials
- Making Content Available Over IPv6
- RIPE IPv6 Training Courses
- ‘Introduction to IPv6’ Online Tutorial
- More Training Materials
More IPv6 Pages
World IPv6 Launch and World IPv6 Day – How It Started
2011 – World IPv6 Day – the “24-hour test”
On 6 June 2011, top websites and Internet service providers around the world, including Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, Akamai and Limelight Networks joined together with more than 1000 other participating websites in World IPv6 Day for a successful global-scale trial of the new Internet Protocol, IPv6.
By providing a coordinated 24-hour “test flight”, the event helped demonstrate that major websites around the world were well-positioned for the move to a global IPv6-enabled Internet.
2012 – World IPv6 Launch
One year later on 6 June 2012, (“6/6” in most date systems), thousands of website operators, network operators, and device manufacturers came together to declare that IPv6 is “the new normal” and that their sites, networks and devices would operate over IPv6 from that point forward.
In the years since the 2012 launch the growth of IPv6 usage continues at a strong rate. You can view ongoing statistics at World IPv6 Launch Measurements. Note that this site is now archived and is not receiving updates. Visit Internet Society Pulse for network operator IPv6 measurements.
6th Anniversary of World IPv6 Launch
On 6 June 2018, on the sixth anniversary of World IPv6 Launch, we shared an updated report on the State of IPv6 Deployment in 2018. It really is staggering how far IPv6 deployment has progressed in six years. We are also sharing the video message that Vint Cerf, co-designer of the TCP/IP protocol and a “Father of the Internet” sent on the sixth anniversary.