What is IPv6?

IPv6 is an Internet Protocol version with a much larger address space than IPv4.

Website: https://zenshield.com/glossary/ipv6

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IPv6

IPv6 is an Internet Protocol version with a much larger address space than IPv4.

On this page

  1. A practical example
  2. What to check
  3. What it does not tell you
  4. Sources

Addresses use hexadecimal groups separated by colons. A device or service may support IPv4, IPv6 or both, so two IP-checking tools can show different address formats without either being broken.

A practical example

An address such as 2001:db8::10 is a documentation example. The double colon is a shorthand for a sequence of zero groups. It is not a sign that part of the address is missing from the connection.

What to check

In a support report, keep the address family with the result: say that the tool reported an IPv6 address, for example. If you are comparing VPN behavior, use the same endpoint before and after connecting. Record any difference separately from whether ordinary browsing works. Do not disable IPv6 simply because its appearance is unfamiliar.

What it does not tell you

Seeing an IPv6 address is not automatically a leak. You need to know the expected routing and what the particular test measures. Likewise, a successful IPv4 check cannot establish the behavior of every IPv6 connection on a device.

Read the technical reference for the underlying definition. For a connection that is failing now, use the troubleshooting guide. To choose an app, follow the VPN selection worksheet.

Sources

What is my IP?Check your VPN is working

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What is my IP?Check your VPN is working

Keep exploring

What is a public IP address? ↗

A public IP address is used on the internet-facing path of a connection.

What is IPv4? ↗

IPv4 is an Internet Protocol version that uses 32-bit addresses, commonly displayed as four numbers separated by dots.

Static vs dynamic IP addresses ↗

Distinguish a stable address from an automatically assigned one, and separate public, local, shared and dedicated addresses.