My Useful Web

What is this? According to my favourite internet magazine, Webuser, IP address will have been exhausted by 2010. 

IP address stands for Internet Protocol. Each computer, website, and internet network server is assigned an IP address for identification.  We are very much aware that thousands of new websites crop up daily. You may say only a few people make websites. But networking sites such as facebook, myspace, friendster, hi5 and the likes allow you to create your own webpage or profile page which gets an IP address of its own. 

The current IP version, IPv4 (Internet Provider version 4) can only generate 4 billion combinations. Currently the world’s population is 6.7 billion. Even if there is only a fraction of it surfing the net, the problem is that many IP address once used goes to the “recycle bin” and accordingly, this is what spammers spoof to send malicious emails. In addition, using internet on the mobile phone is growing exponentially.  

But we don’t have to worry. Authorities are now putting their expertise on the matter which started in February this year. The new version will be called IPv6 and according to a reliable source it will generate 340 trillion trillion trillion combinations. 

Will our computer automatically change its configuration? 

It depends on what operating system one uses. Luckily for Window’s Vista users their OS is already capable of handling the switch to IPv6. But with XP users will have to do it manually. 

Here’s how from Webuser Issue 187, p43  From your Local Area Connection click on Properties. Click Install then in the Select network Component Type dialogue box, click Protocol, and then Add.  In the Select Network protocol dialogue box, click Microsoft TCP/IP version 6 and then OK.

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