IPv6 network protocol is introduced when our IP address is short. In addition to providing us with a wider address space, there are many differences from the previous version. Now let's make a comparison between the IPv6 Header and IPv4 header versions.
Comparison between IPv4 and IPv6 protocols
Header Format
As shown in table 1, the IPv4 header contains 20 bit + options and 13 fields, including 3 pointers 。
Table 1 IPv4 Header
An IPv6 Header consists of a basic header and an extended header chain. The basic header is shown in table 2 and contains 40 BITs and 8 fields 。
Table 2 IPv6 Header
The main differences between IPv4 and IPv6 Header formats are as follows 。
IPv6 headers are composed of basic headers and extended header chains. This design allows you to easily add options to improve network performance, enhance security, or add new features 。
◆ Fixed IPv6 basic header
The basic IPv6 Header is fixed to 40 BITs, which enables the router to speed up data packet processing and improve forwarding efficiency. This increases the overall network throughput and information transmission speed 。
◆ Simplified basic IPv6 Header