IPv4 vs. IPv6 Proxy Servers: How are they different?
Tags: proxy, ipv4, ipv6, webdev
Published: 2023-11-24 10:28:17

IPv4 is still the most common type of IP address used today. They will almost certainly employ the IPv4 protocol if you decide to purchase a proxy. However, IPv6 proxy networks are being offered by an increasing number of providers, and this trend is expected to continue. To cut down on the expense of proxy testing, I advise giving preference to companies that provide free trials when selecting an IPv4 or IPv6 proxy provider. I'm testing a proxy service called Nstproxy(https://www.nstproxy.com/) right now, they have over 200 million IPv4 and over 20 million IPv6 proxies, plus they provide new users free traffic proxies! This article will show you how these two proxy types differ and how choosing one affects you as a proxy user.

The first thing we need to know is that "IP" stands for "Internet Protocol".

An IP address is a string of numbers that identifies a device connected to the Internet. Every time you use a landline, Wi-Fi, mobile device, or even a local connection, you are given an IP, and without an IP address, devices on the Internet would not be able to communicate with each other.

For example, when you use your carrier's 4G network, your cell phone gets an IP address; when you come home and connect to your home Wi-Fi, its IP changes.

The IP address contains some information about you. It shows whether you are using your home connection and your approximate location.

What is an IPv4 proxy?
An IPv4 proxy is the IP address of a data center or residential device that uses the IPv4 protocol.

The "v4" simply means that it is the fourth version of the IP protocol. The first three versions were used for testing purposes; the public Internet began with IPv4. The first three versions were used for testing purposes; the public Internet began with IPv4.

The IPv4 address is shown below: 192.168.17.40. It contains only numbers, and each of the four parts can have numbers from 0 to 255. This means that there can be a total of 4,294,967,296 unique IP addresses.

IPv4 has a problem: everything is connected to the Internet now, and 4 billion addresses is not enough. We've had this problem for more than a decade, but IPv4 is still the most commonly used protocol.

What is an IPv6 proxy?
An IPv6 proxy is the IP address of a data center or residential device that uses the IPv6 protocol.

As you may have guessed, "v6" stands for the sixth version of the IP protocol. It was officially launched in 2012 to address the IP shortage.

The IPv6 address is shown below: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. It's much longer than IPv4, and includes both numeric and alphabetic AFs (the hexadecimal system). There are probably about 340 undecillion unique IPv6 addresses, so we won't run out of them anytime soon.

Why are we still using IPv4?
Despite the obvious need for IPv6, the protocol is far less adopted than IPv4. after all these years. How did it get here?

Well, there's a good reason: it's not compatible with IPv4. As a result, the entire Internet had to be upgraded to IPv6: all ISPs, data centers, cloud providers, and so on.

While the situation has been improving, 71% of Alexa 500 sites still don't support IPv6. the list of unsupported sites includes Amazon, Twitter, Reddit, and Yelp.

How to choose an IPV4 or IPV6 proxy provider?
When choosing an IPv4 or IPv6 proxy provider, you can consider the following key factors:
Reliability and Stability: When choosing a provider, consider the reliability and stability of their network infrastructure. Their proxy servers should be able to provide high availability and reliable connectivity to ensure that your business and data transmissions are not interrupted.

Speed and performance: Find out about the speed and performance of the provider's network. Their proxy servers should have enough bandwidth and processing power to provide fast data transfer and response time.

Technical Support: Evaluate the technical support and customer service provided by the vendor. They should be able to resolve issues in a timely manner and provide the necessary technical support to ensure that your proxy services are always in good shape.