What is a Teredo IP Address?

IP Addresses are a vital aspect of communication and data transferal over the internet. Think of an IP address as a Zip Code – In order for a mailman to deliver mail to your house, they require several details including the country, city, street name and Zip Code – Without a Zip Code, they will not know exactly which house is yours or which street you live on! Each house or street has a unique Zip Code that allows individuals to be identified.

An IP address allows a device connected to the internet to be identified so a connection can be established and data can be transferred. There are different types of IP address, and one such variety is the Teredo Address. When considering IP Addresses, it is important to understand what a Teredo Address is.

What is a Teredo IP Address?

IP Addresses are assigned and distributed using the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols – These two protocols define the parameters of how IP addresses should be used and maintained. IPv4 is the older protocol and is slowly being replaced by IPv6. In instances where two different protocols are being used, a Teredo IP address can bridge the gap and act as a transition technology between the two. Using a Teredo IP address, IPv6 data can be effectively transferred to an IPv4 network.

What is contained within a Teredo IP Address?

A Teredo IP address contains a prefix, an IPv4 address, flags, obscured external port and obscured external address. The prefix is the first 32 bits of the address and follows the same format for each Teredo IP address. The IPv4 address that follows is a 32-bit IP address of the Teredo server that was used to initially configure the address. Flags are then used to determine what type of connection is used and how the address has been configured. Finally, the obscured external port and address are displayed to help direct the flow of traffic.

What components are included within the Teredo Network?

The Teredo infrastructure contains several different components to allow the IP addresses to be created, maintained and distributed. Firstly, there is the Teredo client which operates as a node that allows the transferal of Ipv6 data packets. Secondly, there are Teredo Servers which are connected to the internet using both IPv6 and IPv4. Servers facilitate the transferal of data and the initial configuration of Teredo nodes. Aside from the servers and clients, there also exists a network of Teredo Relays. Each relay facilitates communication between IPv6 hosts and Teredo clients.

Why are Teredo IP Addresses required?

Without the Teredo system, we would effectively have two parallel strands of the internet operating in unison but entirely separately – Ipv4 and Ipv6 would remain separate entities. Teredo IP addresses and the Teredo system is vital for the interoperability of these two protocols and to allow communication between the two. Furthermore, Teredo aims to reduce the complexity of transition technologies and provide a convenient and easy to use alternative that developers can easily adjust to.