IPv4
IPv4 uses a 32-bit IP addressing scheme that identifies devices on a network by a four-part numeric format like 192.168.1.1. It's the backbone of IP version 4 protocol supporting internet communication since the 1980s. But, the exhaustion of roughly 4.3 billion addresses has pushed IPv4 to IPv6 migration, making residential IPv4 proxies hard to come by.
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- IP version 4, IPv4 address
- IP source
- Opt-in residential peers via Repocket and Zenshield SDKs
- Detection risk
- Low , residential IPv4 addresses appear as genuine end-user traffic
- Typical use
- Web scraping, ad verification, geo-targeted browsing, account management
- Price range
- $0.27–$0.79/GB, down to $0.27/GB at scale
How a ipv4 works
Every device on the internet gets an IPv4 address under the IP version 4 protocol, which routes data packets by reading the destination address in each packet header. Residential IPv4 proxies route your requests through actual end-user devices in an opt-in pool, making your traffic look like it comes from a home connection. Geonode has 2.5M+ residential IPs in 195+ countries, and you can pick addresses by region to align with your target site's audience.
IPv4 vs. IPv6
IPv4 uses a tight 32-bit address space that's universally supported, but it's running dry due to address exhaustion, making residential IPv4 proxies expensive for web operations. IPv6 fixes allocation problems with a large 128-bit address pool, but hardly anyone uses it in proxy networks and target sites. So, migrating from IPv4 to IPv6 won't happen overnight for proxy infrastructure.
Why this is different
Advantages
- Works with nearly all networked devices
- Stable routing infrastructure for reliable packet delivery
- Easy-to-read decimal format for configuration
- Widespread proxy and VPN support for residential IP networks
Tradeoffs
- Only 4.3 billion addresses. They're used up.
- No encryption here. You need extra security layers.
- NAT workarounds slow things down and they mess up peer connections.
- Public addresses are getting scarce, so buying them isn't cheap.
Examples in practice
Real-world deployments of IPv4 , where it works and where alternatives win.
Web Scraping at Scale
Scrapers use a unique IPv4 address for each request to dodge bans. Google sees millions of crawlers a day, all relying on rotating residential IPv4 pools.
E-Commerce Price Monitoring
Retailers use IPv4 proxies to check competitor prices without setting off alarms. Amazon updates prices 2.5 million times daily. You need real-time monitoring.
Ad Fraud Prevention
Security firms verify ads using actual residential IPv4 addresses. Invalid traffic cost advertisers an estimated $84 billion in 2023.
Geo-Restricted Content Access
Streaming platforms like Netflix use IPv4 geolocation to enforce regional libraries. A local IPv4 in your target country gives you access to region-specific content.
SEO Rank Tracking
SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs rotate IPv4s to simulate searches from various locations. This avoids rate-limits over thousands of daily queries.
Brand Protection Monitoring
Brands crawl sites with residential IPv4s to spot fake listings. Annually, over 5.4 million counterfeit products show up on Amazon.
Common misconceptions
Common myths about IPv4 , and what is actually true.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
"IPv4 is dead and no longer used" | IPv4 remains the dominant protocol for internet traffic worldwide. As of 2024, over 99% of existing network infrastructure still routes and processes IPv4 packets daily. |
"A private IPv4 address works on the public internet" | Private IPv4 ranges (e.g., 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x) are non-routable on the public internet by design. Routers discard packets sourced from these addresses at the network boundary. |
"IPv6 has already replaced IPv4" | IPv6 adoption is growing but coexists with IPv4 through dual-stack configurations. Global IPv6 traffic share reached roughly 40% by 2024, meaning IPv4 still carries the majority. |
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