When a computer, smartphone or tablet sends or receives data from the Internet, the information is divided into packets. Each packet is identified with a source address and a destination. For the packet to be routed properly, this address must be unique, like a telephone number. This transmission mechanism is called Internet Protocol (IP).
From the Internet’s beginnings, addresses have been defined by the IPv4 standard, which can create up to 4 billion such addresses. The worldwide popularity of the Web and the rapid increase in the number of connected devices mean this maximum will soon be reached and the Internet will run out of addresses.
An IPv4 address looks like this: 184.108.40.206
In anticipation of this shortage, the IPv6 protocol was launched.With IPv6, 340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 addresses can be created, which (as you’ll surely agree) should last us for many years to come.
The IPv6 standard, contrary to its name, is the second version of the Internet protocol.
An IPv6 address looks like this: 2607:fa48:6d50:69f1:21f:3cff:fe9d:9be3
To manage this important change, Videotron began implementing IPv6 on its entire Internet network a number of years ago.
Most Videotron clients won’t notice the difference.