The following table summarizes the major differences between IPv4 and IPv6:
| Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Address length | 32 bits | 128 bits |
| Address representation | 4 decimal numbers from 0-255 separated by periods | 8 groups of 4 hexadecimal digits separated by colons |
| Address types | unicast, multicast, broadcast | unicast, multicast, anycast |
| Packet header | 20 bytes long | 40 bytes long, but simpler than IPv4 header |
| Configuration | manual, DHCP | manual, DHCP, auto-configuration |
| IPSec support | optional | built-in |
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