Although the protocol that replaces IPv4 has been with us for years and big tech such as Google, Meta or Microsoft already offer native content in IPv6 or Internet Protocol version 6, Spanish operators are struggling to deploy it… until now. Because Movistar in January and O2 a few days ago already offer Dual Stack functionality. So if you are from Movistar or O2 and you have an Android phone (at the moment it is not available for iOS), we recommend that you switch to IPv6 to take advantage of its advantages. If you are not very clear whatWhat does IPv6 give you versus IPv4 and how to enable it on your phonethis article can help you.
What advantages does IPv6 offer over IPv4?
Without wanting to dwell on its characteristics and yes on its advantages, that IPv4 are 32-bit addresses and IPv6 are 128-bit addresses means going from 4,294,967,296 to 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 directions different. Or what amounts to the same, that thanks to IPv6
IPv6s are not only longer, but they are also more complex, since we go from addresses with a structure similar to that 255.255.255.255 of IPv4 to another typical of IPv6 like 2001:0db8:85a3:08d3: 1319:8a2e:0370: 7332, longer and combining letters and numbers. As a consequence, cracking an IPv6 address is a more difficult and time-consuming task. Since they also offer support for end-to-end encryption and authentication, they are more secure.
IP addresses have been with us since the beginning of the Internet, but perhaps they are little known to the average user, who logs on and is not “interested” in anything else (if something goes wrong, the service is already there or that IT-savvy contact), so making the leap to IPv6 can be a bit dizzying: nothing could be further from the truth: the The IPv6 protocol has in its standard functions plug & play
Although it retains the essence of IPv4, IPv6 is an improved protocol that leaves behind obsolete functions and adds others such as flow labeling. Or what amounts to the same thing, which in practice improves the resources of the web and the management of the volume of traffic for a more efficient use of the Internet, which makes it possible to access content faster.
What protocol do I have enabled on my phone?
First, two important premises: enable and enjoy IPv6 It is not necessary to rent it or request activation to your operator, since Movistar and O2 are automatically and gradually activating it among their customers. The second concerns compatibility: all Android devices support IPv6.
To find out if IPv6 is already enabled, on your phone, go to ‘Settings
How do I configure IPv6 on my phone?
Although all Android phones released by Movistar since the second quarter of 2021 have already preconfigured the telefonica.es APN as Dual Stackyou may not have it (for example, if your terminal is older).
In this scenario, you will have to configure it yourself. On the previous screen, you just have to touch APN to be able to Edit access point. Now you will have to click on ‘APN protocol’ and change to ‘IPv4/IPv6’.
What if IPv6 is not available on my phone? The deployment will be gradual and automatic, so if the option does not appear it will be a matter of waiting. However, and for added peace of mind, you can always check its status using a test such as https://ipv6-test.com/ or https://ipv6test.google.com/.
In Xatakandroid | If you are a Movistar or O2 customer, you can now activate the IPv6 protocol on your Android mobile
