IPv4 Limitations: Why the Internet Needs More Addresses

When you stream a movie, connect your smart TV, or join a Zoom call, you’re using an IPv4, a 32-bit addressing system that assigns unique numbers to devices on the internet. Also known as Internet Protocol version 4, it’s the backbone of nearly every online connection you’ve ever made. But here’s the problem: there aren’t enough of them. IPv4 can only create about 4.3 billion unique addresses. That sounded like a lot in the 1980s. Today, with billions of smartphones, smart fridges, security cameras, and streaming boxes all online, we’ve run out.

The IPv4 limitations aren’t theoretical—they’re hitting real people every day. Your router might be sharing one public IP among ten devices. Your smart home gadgets might be stuck on private networks because there’s no room for them on the main one. Streaming services like Fubo or Tubi rely on stable connections, but when ISPs reuse IPs or assign you a shared one, buffering and dropped streams get worse. Even your favorite horror festival livestreams from Fantastic Fest could stutter if the network’s overloaded with outdated addressing.

This isn’t just about running out of numbers—it’s about how IPv6, the next-generation internet protocol designed to replace IPv4 fixes everything. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, which means it can support 340 undecillion unique numbers. That’s enough for every grain of sand on Earth to have its own IP. It also removes the need for complex workarounds like NAT (Network Address Translation), which is why your Roku Ultra or Apple TV 4K sometimes struggles to connect directly to servers. With IPv6, devices talk to each other cleanly, without middlemen slowing things down.

And it’s not just tech companies pushing for the change. Libraries offering Hoopla and Kanopy, sports fans using Fubo Streaming, and expats watching home TV abroad all depend on stable, direct connections. The network scalability, the ability of a system to handle growing numbers of users and devices of IPv4 is maxed out. Every time a new device joins the internet, it’s borrowing space from someone else. That’s why your Netflix lag isn’t always your fault—it’s the system’s.

The transition to IPv6 has been slow, but it’s happening. Major streaming platforms, cloud services, and even your local cable provider are quietly upgrading. You won’t notice it unless you’re setting up a dual PC streaming rig or troubleshooting a projector’s HDR stream. Then you’ll see the difference: faster connections, fewer drops, and smoother playback. The IP address exhaustion, the state where all available IPv4 addresses have been allocated isn’t a future problem—it’s already here. The fix is waiting in plain sight.

Below, you’ll find guides that touch on this hidden layer beneath your streaming experience—from how capture cards handle data to why your library card gives you free movies without buffering. It’s all connected. And once you understand IPv4’s limits, you’ll start seeing why your internet works the way it does—and how it’s getting better.