Running IPv4 and IPv6 Together

IPv4 and IPv6 are not directly compatible, so the internet cannot switch overnight. Instead, both run side by side for years during the transition.

Network professionals must support both, which is why the Network+ exam covers the techniques that let the two versions work together smoothly.

The most common approach is dual-stack, where a device runs both IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time. It holds an address of each type and chooses which to use per destination.

Dual-stack is the preferred transition method because it requires no translation — each protocol simply uses its own native path.