February 8, 2017

How IPv4 Exhaustion Affects Web Users

If you are regular internet user, there is a good chance that you have come across the term IPv4 exhaustion.

The problem has a great deal of impact on the global internet network and would inevitably affect the average internet users.

In this blog post, we will address a few concerns regarding IPv4 exhaustion and the introduction of the latest internet protocol, IPv6.

Let’s first brush up on the basics. An IP address is more like a phone number that allows you to stay connected and transfer information back and forth between networks.

Consider domain names as user friendly nicknames for IP addresses. IPv4 is recognized as the first and only globally deployed IP address. It is in the form of numbers with four octets and numbers ranging from 0 to 255.

But What’s The Problem With IPv4?

Over thirty years ago, when IPv4 was introduced, its capability to support 4 billion addresses seemed sufficient to users due to the internet’s primitive applications. The rapid growth and globally increasing usage of the internet was, of course, not anticipated.

With more than 2 billion internet users, IPv4 addresses face a severe shortage today.

The most important reason behind the exhaustion is the growing number of mobile devices which require a unique IPv4 address. Coupled with that, the recent spike in internet usage across densely populated countries like India and China is another factor.

The Implications

IPv4 shortage will impact internet users worldwide. In simpler words, the shortage means that the internet’s capacity is full. End-to-end connectivity cannot be established for newer devices. Added to that, the shortage has given birth to a black marketplace for IPv4 addresses; meaning something that was previously free is now being bought and sold at outrageous prices.

At the same time, all of this affects internet service providers who are now required to adopt new technologies which come at a hefty price tag.

How This Affects Average Web Users

Even though IPv6 protocols have been implemented by a number of companies, only a fraction of web users still have IPv6 connectivity.

While network applications and operating systems are now IPv6 compatible, servers and routers still lag behind. To avoid this problem and to cut down chances of losing customers, internet service providers need to ensure that they have access to IPv4 addresses and mechanisms that allow IPv4 and IPv6 to coexist.

At IPv4 Mall, we are a leading IPv4 marketplace that allows you to secure IPv4 addresses at highly competitive rates. Whether you are looking to buy or sell IPv4 spaces, we can help you out. Get in touch with us to learn more.

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