Half of Google users now connect to the internet via IPv6
Google reports that roughly half of its global user base currently reaches the internet using the IPv6 address system.
IPv4 address exhaustion timeline
The original 32-bit address system was introduced in 1981 and created approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority assigned its final blocks to regional registries in February 2011, and North America ran dry in September 2015.
Current router capabilities
Most modern routers support both IPv4 and IPv6 in a setup called dual stack. While half of Google's users utilize the newer protocol, many home networks still have it switched off by default.
Performance impact assessment
Switching to IPv6 will not make Wi-Fi faster for existing connections. Experts say there is no compelling reason to change settings if a network works fine.
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