Internet Will Run Out Of IP Addresses By 2010

[Aηdy]

The "father of the internet" has warned that the web is running out of addresses and users need to act now to change to a new system.

Vint Cerf, the man who helped invent the system and one of the world's leading computer scientists, said that the web does not have enough unique codes that allow computers to communicate with each other.

He said that when the internet protocol (IP) addresses do run out, the connectivity of the internet will be damaged and some computers will not be able to go online.

"This is like the internet running out of telephone numbers and with no new numbers, you can't have more subscribers," he said

Preparations had to be made now, he said, to switch addresses to a new system.

When the internet was founded in 1977 there were 4.2 billion addresses available under the internet protocol version four (IPv4) system.

Each of the IPv4 addresses has a series of 32 binary numbers, but with the rapid expansion of broadband across the world, it is estimated that these addresses will run out by 2010.

A new system called IPv6 has been ready for a decade and is already used in Japan to connect thousands of earthquake sensors through a computer system that sends automatic alerts to television programmes and turns traffic lights red.

IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long and so provide a possible 340 trillion, trillion, trillion address space.

[Mzor203]

128? It's gonna be a little annoying to write that out if you have to enter it manually.

[Kiros]

Yeah, IPv6 has been out for sometime. Drivers are available and network interfaces are ready. The main thing that IPv6 has to wait for is further endorsement, afterward ISP companies would probably consider it as the new standard. The only problem would be the people that haven't upgraded their computers to handle it. I suppose this problem could be solved by ISP companies lending special routers to their customers to use NAT and use IPv4 locally. Yet that brings another problem with it: DNS translation would be a problem for the computer. If the router would take care of everything, then the computer could just connect to the router essentially, but that would still be cumbersome.

I guess that means that we won't see the new standard in place for awhile, but with the year 2010 approaching quickly, let's hope that it comes as soon and smoothly as possible :|

[Aηdy]

Yeah let's hope so!

[Antares]

Thats almost a year away...
thats kinda scary

[Falk 'Ace' Flyer]

Why does this have to be a hardware issue? For local networks, nothing has to change. For the internet and such, simply re-assign all addresses. I say "simply" because although it would be a cumbersome and tedious task, it seems fairly trivial. With over 340 trillion etc. addresses ready, I'm sure there would be no issue with running out of space from doing this. Or, alternatively, you could add 0.0.0 etc. to the beginning of the old addresses, and then work from there. I'm fairly certain that the cards and modems wouldn't have to be swapped out, because they just get the information; the computer actually interprets it.

[Whisper]

Yeah, IPv6 has been out for sometime. Drivers are available and network interfaces are ready. The main thing that IPv6 has to wait for is further endorsement, afterward ISP companies would probably consider it as the new standard. The only problem would be the people that haven't upgraded their computers to handle it. I suppose this problem could be solved by ISP companies lending special routers to their customers to use NAT and use IPv4 locally. Yet that brings another problem with it: DNS translation would be a problem for the computer. If the router would take care of everything, then the computer could just connect to the router essentially, but that would still be cumbersome.

I guess that means that we won't see the new standard in place for awhile, but with the year 2010 approaching quickly, let's hope that it comes as soon and smoothly as possible :|

Do the same they just did with switching to digital from analog with TV

[Aηdy]

It's not as simple as just "switching over" though.

[Whisper]

well then make is simple so you can slowly transition
Or start NOW while we still have a little bit of time

rather then sitting there and going hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

bah

[Oblivion]

Why not?
Or why can't they just start using them, and any new internet users use the new one, and the others use the old?

[Maverick]

well then make is simple so you can slowly transition
Or start NOW while we still have a little bit of time

rather then sitting there and going hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

bah
Lead the charge, Cody. :P

[Aηdy]

Yeah you fecking go do it then Cody :P

[iJack]

Uh oh.

[Whisper]

Fuckin A!

-grabs whip-

[Aηdy]

Oi no kinky stuff tonight Cody.

[Patchy]

thats for Fridays only Kodie!

back on topic!

yeah Im not really bothered about all this, just as long as my hardcore connection stays hardcore I'll be a happy chappy :)

[broadwaydude]

thats rlly creepy but like why cant they just add a new ending instead of .com why cant they make .fun

[Falk 'Ace' Flyer]

It has nothign to do with domains (ie. .com) it's the actual address of the computer. Domains simple point the network to the right place; for example, when you go to a friend's house, do you say "Oh, let's go to 101 Some St. (the IP)" or "Let's go to John's house (domain name)". It's simply a way of making the system more user-friendly.

[0=]

This is pretty old news, actually. I'm sure it will be taken care of. There's a lot at stake.

[Techno Monster]

NO ONE is going to let this problem slip by. Without the internet, we would all blow up....
No, actually, the internet is so important, that it is crucial that it stays up and running with new comps.

[Falk 'Ace' Flyer]

The internet isn't going to shut down just because we run out of addresses. We just won't be able to assign new ones, however the old ones will stay until they are no longer needed.

[Techno Monster]

When I said "stays up and running" I meant with new computers.
*Goes to edit*

[DarkWingedAngel]

wow that is really sad:( that there won't be any more ip addresses
my life is based around the net :(

[syd]

theyre going to have to make isp's into private networks and only assign internet address to large corperations. there's also ipv6, but idk much about it