IPv6 to IPv4 Converter
Extract IPv4 addresses from IPv4-mapped IPv6 addresses. This tool can identify and extract the original IPv4 address from IPv6 representations.
Understanding IPv4 and IPv6
IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)
Address Length: 32 bits (4 bytes)
Format: Dotted decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
Total Addresses: ~4.3 billion addresses
Example: 203.0.113.45
Status: Widely deployed but address space exhausted
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
Address Length: 128 bits (16 bytes)
Format: Hexadecimal with colons (e.g., 2001:db8::1)
Total Addresses: ~340 undecillion addresses
Example: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
Status: Modern standard with virtually unlimited address space
IPv4-mapped IPv6
Purpose: Represent IPv4 addresses within IPv6 format
Format: ::ffff:192.0.2.1 or ::ffff:c000:0201
Usage: Transition mechanism and dual-stack implementations
Structure: 80 zero bits + 16 one bits (ffff) + 32-bit IPv4 address
Conversion Methods & Use Cases
IPv4 to IPv6 Conversion
- IPv4-mapped: Embed IPv4 addresses in IPv6 format
- Dual-stack: Run both protocols simultaneously
- Tunneling: Encapsulate IPv4 traffic in IPv6 packets
- Migration: Gradual transition from IPv4 to IPv6
IPv6 to IPv4 Extraction
- Legacy Support: Extract IPv4 from mapped addresses
- Compatibility: Interface with IPv4-only systems
- Debugging: Identify original IPv4 addresses
- Analysis: Traffic analysis and monitoring
Real-world Applications
- Web Servers: Handle both IPv4 and IPv6 clients
- Load Balancers: Route traffic between IP versions
- Network Monitoring: Unified logging and analysis
- API Integration: Service compatibility layers
Important Considerations
Limitations & Best Practices
- IPv4-mapped IPv6: Only works for representing IPv4 addresses, not true IPv6 migration
- Security: IPv4-mapped addresses may bypass IPv6-specific security rules
- Performance: Native IPv6 is preferred over IPv4-mapped when possible
- Compatibility: Not all applications handle IPv4-mapped IPv6 correctly
- Best Practice: Use dual-stack configuration rather than relying solely on mapping
- Future-proofing: Plan for IPv6-native implementations