How The Thirty-Year-Old IPv6 Still Underpins the Internet’s Growth

In this Tech Insight, we look at why IPv6 is now 30 years old, what it was designed to solve, how it works in practice, and why it continues to matter to the modern internet despite never fully replacing IPv4.

What Is IPv6?

IPv6, or Internet Protocol version 6, is the system used to identify devices on the internet and route data between them. Every device connected to the public internet needs an IP address so information can be sent to the correct destination.