Computer experts have expressed the opinion that in around 500 days, the internet will run out of IP addresses. IP addresses are widely used to differentiate one computer from another and that getting running out may crate many problems in the computing world. The unique numbers, which are known as Internet protocol addresses, help identify the world’s networked devices. An IP address generally has four numbers from 0 to 255 which is mainly used to distinguish one computer from another. It has been observed that about four billion combinations can be made out of it. But the proliferation of networked devices means soon that will no longer be enough. In a way, IP addresses are like phone numbers, which need to be entered correctly if a right connection is to be made. So the ability to uniquely identify everything in the computer world is essential. IP addresses are like phone numbers in another way, too. “Unlike the telephone system, it’s not easy to just add more digits,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted chief scientist at the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, Geoff Huston, as saying. Seems like the end of the world is happening earlier than predicted! Answer to the above crisis. Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the next-generation Internet Protocol version designated as the successor to IPv4. IPv6 has a vastly larger address space than IPv4. This results from the use of a 128-bit address, whereas IPv4 uses only 32 bits. The new address space thus supports 2E128 (about 3.4×10E38) addresses. But the problem is ipv6 is being slowly adopted...and ip v4 is running out!
...Wow! I didn't even think about them running out.... That kinda sucks! Still just over a year left though. If I wasn't so tired I might actually work out "D-Day"
The switch to IPv6 will fix everything. It is only being slowly adopted in the more developed countries (mostly the US) because such a HUGE number of the current IP addresses have been allocated to the US. So, there has not really been a fire set under us, so to speak. Everywhere else, the switch is going smoothly and is on schedule. I wouldn't worry about it.
As much as they can say things like this will happen, they never will. If they know 500 days in advance that they will run out, they will do something to fix it, dumb people just want to make headlines lol
They've been running out of the IPV4 numbers for a long time. They saw it coming years ago - which is why they came up with V6 - the Version 6 is so large - every person could not only run their computer systems with them - but they can run their home appliances, cars and everything else they own electronic! But - remember - that there is a difference between identifying your home computer or even a corporate computer and the external addresses. The inside numbers which you use in your home network or businesses use internally - can be used over and over within different groups. So one company can use the same set as another company - then they use the unique numbers on their router which connects to the internet, so it's not like every individual computer has a different number now.
Total number of IP6 address that will be available: a maximum of 2¹²⁸ addresses available, or 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 i dont think we will run out anytime soon. And there are other ways that we have survied with the current lot.
Right now we do have a choice between ipv4 and ipv6.. But the problem is slow adoption rate of ipv6..Soon we wont have a choice and will be forced to use ipv6.. I guess it is a better to start using it for applications etc...saves some grief for later.. Think of the downtimes etc..
I think the biggest thing that has to happen is more IPv6 DNS servers have to be set up to handle the traffic direction and more ISP's need to start providing those numbers as opposed to the standard IPv4 number series they are using now. While I doubt we actually "run out" of IP addresses - it's time for the ISP's to start the transition so users can adapt to the change. All the NIC cards now can handle the v6 protocol.
I have a freaking question, and I would like to know why know one else has asked it. XD How the heck is it that something we (humans, the super-smart ones, at least) created can run out? Just create more! Hence the IPv6, I suppose. When you think about it, an I.P. Address is just a number, that is it. It gives your device an address, that is it.
I think you're overreacting. It's just the internet, nobody needs it. We didn't have Internet 20 years ago, before I was born, so nobody would miss it anyway.
hmm..that is why my internet subscriber have dynamic IP address .. yeah..IPv6 will solve the problem..its really long though lol..
Nah that you cant do..else there is no problem..Its not like a phone number where you can add numbers.. Ok the topic does sound a bit over dramatic.. It is a real substitute for IPv4..its already being used in some place..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv4 here is the wikipedia entry!!