| Protocol stack | |
 IPv4 packet | |
| Abbreviation | IPv4 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Internetworking protocol |
| Developer(s) | DARPA |
| Introduction | 1981 |
| Influenced | IPv6 |
| OSI layer | Network layer |
| RFC(s) | 791 |
| Internet protocol suite |
|---|
| Application layer |
| Transport layer |
| Internet layer |
| Link layer |
Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the first version of the Internet Protocol (IP) as a standalone specification. It is one of the core protocols of standards-based internetworking methods in the Internet and other packet-switched networks. IPv4 was the first version deployed for production on SATNET in 1982 and on the ARPANET in January 1983. It is still used to route most Internet traffic today,[1] even with the ongoing deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6),[2] its successor.
IPv4 uses a 32-bit address space which provides 4,294,967,296 (232) unique addresses, but large blocks are reserved for special networking purposes.[3][4]
- ^ "BGP Analysis Reports". BGP Reports. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ^ "IPv6 – Google". www.google.com. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "IANA IPv4 Special-Purpose Address Registry". www.iana.org. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ M. Cotton; L. Vegoda; B. Haberman (April 2013). R. Bonica (ed.). Special-Purpose IP Address Registries. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC6890. ISSN 2070-1721. BCP 153. RFC 6890. Best Current Practice 153. Obsoletes RFC 4773, 5156, 5735 and 5736. Updated by RFC 8190.