Overview
IPv4, or Internet Protocol Version 4, is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP) and it governs the routing of most of the internet traffic today. Introduced in 1981, IPv4 uses a 32-bit address scheme, allowing for a theoretical maximum of approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. An IPv4 address is typically expressed in decimal format as four numbers separated by dots, for example, 192.168.1.1. Due to the limited number of addresses, techniques like Network Address Translation (NAT) are used to extend the life of IPv4. Despite its limitations in address space, IPv4 remains widely used, though the transition to IPv6 has been increasing due to address depletion.