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:

  1. Ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for IPv6 addresses (you can start by seeing if they are on this list);
  2. Test your IPv6 connectivity (you may use this online tool); and
  3. 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 Security

Operational Considerations

Case Studies

Training Materials

More IPv6 Pages

News

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Resources

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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.

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