IPv4järjestelmä

The IPv4järjestelmä, or IPv4 system, is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol, a unique identifier for devices on a network. It's a connectionless protocol used for routing traffic on the Internet. IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers, typically represented in dot-decimal notation, such as 192.168.1.1. This format makes them easier for humans to read and remember.

The core function of IPv4 is to provide a logical addressing scheme that allows devices to communicate with each other across diverse networks. When data is sent, it's broken down into packets, and each packet is labeled with both the source and destination IPv4 addresses. Routers then use these addresses to forward the packets along the most efficient path to their intended recipient.

However, the finite nature of IPv4 addresses has become a significant issue. With the explosive growth of the internet and the increasing number of connected devices, the available pool of IPv4 addresses has been largely depleted. This scarcity has led to the development and gradual adoption of IPv6, which offers a vastly larger address space. Despite the ongoing transition to IPv6, IPv4 remains in widespread use and is still a critical component of the global network infrastructure. Many systems and networks operate using a combination of both IPv4 and IPv6.