IPv6 in Numbers
Posted by Aragoen Celtdra on January 27th, 2009
Just how many IP addresses can you have with IPv6? To put it in dramatic contrast (and for fun), we’ll put the numbers in comparison to the current and more popular IPv4 implementaation:
IPv4 (32-bit address) = 232 = 4,294,967,296
IPv6 (218-bit address) = 2128 = 340, 282, 366, 920, 938, 463, 463, 374, 607, 431, 768, 211, 456
I don’t even know what -illion that amounts to. Although something tells me that it’s not nearly close enough to infinitillion. 
Here’s a few more math for you curious types:
You may or may not realize it, but 128 bit addresses allow for 2128=340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 total theoretically assignable addresses. To understand just how large that number is, recognize that the surface area of the earth is usually considered to be about 196,950,000 square miles.[6] There are 5280*5280 square feet in a square mile, and 12*12 square inches in a square foot. Multiplying 196,950,000*5280*5280*12*12, we find that the approximate surface area of the earth is 790,653,726,720,000,000 square inches.
If you divide 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 (the upper bound on the number of IPv6 addresses) by 790,653,726,720,000,000 (the approximate surface area of the earth in square inches) that implies you can assign over 3.7×1021, addresses per square inch of the earth’s surface. That should be enough addresses for most requirements, at least for the foreseeable future!
In that case, I don’t suppose I can order a few million of those IP addresses? Oh nothing… in case I want to bling out our dog with IP addresses all over it’s body. 
Reference
- Joe St Sauver, University of Oregon, “What’s IPv6…and Why Is It Gaining Ground?”
- “Oops! How Many IP Addresses?” – IEEE: Spectrum Online
January 28th, 2009 at 8:09 am
very funny G. now quit playing around.hahhahaha
it would be nice to find a great course on IPv6.. I just cannot find a good course on it anywhere? I am a math dude but would be nice to really know it. And subnetting
holy god is that going to be nutz. cant we just use calculators. it is not often we derive equations or formulas before we use them like KE=1/2mv^2. how often do we derive it anymore.This is a kinemtatic equation for calculating Kinematic energy. But if we use calculus to derive it, it would be too much. I just want to use it. so be nice if they could just give a software calculator and then just understand the segments and what they are used for. just seems so combersome but sure they will use it as a weeding outer! I am all for cool math stuff. but talk with any physics major. they say who cares how the go to it unless you are a scientist creating new systems. just use it and focus on more important concepts! :0
my 3.2 cents