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IP Numbers running out

jsanglier
Dabbler
Posts: 20
Registered: ‎21-06-2007

IP Numbers running out

Here is an interesting article on IP addresses:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7068140.stm
It would seem that the current stack of IP numbers, called IPv4, will probably run out in about 3 years time.
IPv6, which solves the problem for the foreseeable future, has been ready to roll out for 10 years. Servers and routers are already set up to use IPv6, but no ISP has implemented it because no one has asked for it.
Anyone fancy asking Plus?
11 REPLIES 11
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

It's not that simple.
You can offer IPV6 and IPV4 - many devices and OS's simply aren't set up to deal with it. I haven't a clue whether my router supports it.
Every IPV4 address can br specified as a IPV6 address, but not conversly.
Note that whilst IPV4 addresses can be written as a "dotted quad", if IPV6 address's were written in the same style (which they aren't), then they would require a string of 16 numbers.
IPV4 addresses are 4 bytes; IPV6 are 16 bytes.
"IPv6 addresses are normally written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits. For example, 2001:0db8:85a3:08d3:1319:8a2e:0370:7334 is a valid IPv6 address." [see Wikipedia].

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

pcoventry76
Grafter
Posts: 950
Registered: ‎27-08-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

you need to be a bright spark dude Smiley
ed
Grafter
Posts: 191
Registered: ‎15-08-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

Until every router is IP6 enabled I think we will just keep getting along with gateways, dynamic addresses, network address translation and local subnets. Most people don't need or don't want a global IP.
I'm sure the goverments would love IP6 though so they can track what we get up to in realtime Tongue
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

Quote from: pcoventry76
you need to be a bright spark dude Smiley

No no no..... He can't be he is just plain evil!  Roll_eyes
shellsong
Grafter
Posts: 2,191
Registered: ‎03-08-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

I am given to understand that there are more possible IPV6 addresses than atoms in the universe - care to comment, God? Roll_eyes
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

Quote from: shellsong
I am given to understand that there are more possible IPV6 addresses than atoms in the universe ...

There are thought to be about 10^80 atoms in the universe.
There are only about 3 X 10^38 IPV6 addresses.
So they are short by a factor of "quite a bit"  Grin

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

Lips_are_sealed Lips_are_sealed Lips_are_sealed
Sod it...I tried not to say anything and knock this thread off topic but.........
Considering the universe is infinite the error is quite a bit larger don't you think?

Who actually controls the issuing of IP adresses worldwide?
The answer is here.
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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
pcoventry76
Grafter
Posts: 950
Registered: ‎27-08-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

I was playing with my Nokia E90 todayand i noticed it is also setup to use IPV6 which i found both odd and interesting
driveconsultant
Grafter
Posts: 164
Registered: ‎03-08-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

The premise behind this article is totally wrong.
There are LOTS of unused IPV4 addresses, due to huge blocks of class A space having been handed out in the early days of the Internet. For instance, HP owns TWO class A networks, giving it roughly 1/128 of all the IPV4 addresses in the world. MIT, Apple, IBM, GE, and other companies also own class A subnets. There is no justification for these companies owning such large subnets (there are only 125 of these, exluding 0,10, and 127), and releasing these could prolong the IPV4 namespace for many more years.
Just my 1p (2c approx).
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

At least one has been listening:
Quote
Some organizations, such as Stanford University (formerly owner of the 36.0.0.0 – 36.255.255.255 range), have returned their designated ranges due to IP address shortages
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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
grey_gorilla
Dabbler
Posts: 24
Registered: ‎23-07-2007

Re: IP Numbers running out

Quote from: jsanglier

Anyone fancy asking Plus?

Asked them a couple of years back, I think.
A chap called Jeff Huston has been mapping the use of IPv4 address space for quite a time now - his website is...
http://www.potaroo.net/
In a recent article he does point out that the financial drivers probably don't currently stack up for ISPs.
Also as far as I'm aware my router doesn't 'do' IPv6, and there's going to be some old workhorses in the personal firewall arena that don't do it either.
Like someone else said, some class A blocks ( the number of which seems to have grown since the last time I biothered looking) have been returned to IANA. The USA DoD still seems to have a surfeit of class A's (IMO) since they don't advertise all their IPv4 address space (as do some other entities with class A networks).