ipv4
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Global internet speeds are on the rise again
Yes, South Korea still has the fastest internet in the world. But, according to content delivery network Akamai, average global speeds are up overall from late last year, jumping to 6.3 Mbps. More than that, we're seeing increases in increases in IPv6 adoption with Belgium leading the way and the older IPv4 slowly dropping off on a global scale. And if you were wondering what mobile speeds are looking like lately, guess no more: average connections were at 27.9 Mbps in the UK and dipped to 2.2 Mbps in Algeria.
The US runs out of old-school internet addresses this summer
The conventional internet address is about to go the way of the dodo... at least, in the US and Canada. According to estimates, North America will run out of IPv4 addresses (the familiar 1.2.3.4 format) this summer. While some companies might stall this by letting go of IPv4 numbers they don't use, many others will have little choice but to move to IPv6 (hexadecimals) if they want to add new addresses on their networks. The newer standard is already in widespread use, so don't worry about an imminent meltdown. Facebook wouldn't even be functioning unless it had already migrated a lot of servers to IPv6, for instance.
RIPE NCC handing out its last block of IPv4 addresses, tries to fend off internet survivalism
In a world where IPv6 lives and IPv4 addresses are scarce, network providers must fight for survival... or at least, claim their IP blocks quickly. The RIPE NCC, the regional internet registry for Asia, Europe and the Middle East, warns that it's down to assigning its last set of 16.8 million IPv4 addresses as of this weekend. That sounds like a lot, but we'd do well to remember that the registry churned through about 5.2 million addresses in just the past two weeks. What's left won't be around for long, folks. To cut back on the number of Mad Max-style battles for dwindling resources, RIPE NCC is rationing out IPv4 for local registries in 1,024-address chunks -- and only to those who both have IPv6 assignments as well as proof of a need for IPv4. With just a bit more than half of the RIPE NCC's customers currently on IPv6, that could still trigger a shortfall among networks that haven't prepared for the internet protocol apocalypse. We'd advise that companies stock up on IPv6 supplies before launching the raiding parties.
June 6th 2012: IPv6 goes live
When Vint Cerf and his friends at DARPA concocted a system that allowed for 4.3 billion IP addresses, it was never conceived that everyone's computer would be able to access the internet -- before the age when your telephone, fridge and air conditioning unit would too. The IPv4 system officially ran out of addresses last year, but fortunately the moment was prepared for: June 8th 2011 was "World IPv6 Day," where a host of sites including Google, Bing and Facebook quietly tried out the new system for 24 hours to make sure it wouldn't cause the internet to explode. June 6th this year will see the final activation of the new network provision that has a capacity of around 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique addresses, which we figure will keep us going until Black Friday, at least.
Comcast shifts some customers to IPv6, promises it won't hurt
No sooner have you memorized the IP address of your media server and then your ISP has to go and mess it all up -- in this case, by adding a whole lot of extra digits. It's for a good cause, though: Comcast is launching its IPv6 pilot as part of a long and grueling global transition away from IPv4, whose 4.3 billion addresses are now severely depleted. The pilot will start with customers who have a simple connection straight from their PC to a cable modem and who are running an up-to-date OS. It will also allow old IP addresses to exist alongside the new ones, hopefully avoiding the slowdowns that can result from trying to translate between to the two formats on the fly. The good news? Once it's over, nobody should have to go through this upheaval again until there are 2^128 web-connected devices on the planet, and by then it'll be the last of our worries. [Thanks, Anthony]
GreenChip lighting lets you flip the switch remotely, thumbs nose at IPv4 depletion
Despite the looming IPv4 apocalypse, a new lighting system coming out of NXP Semiconductors promises an "IP address for every light bulb." The GreenChip "smart lighting solution" incorporates NXP chipsets into both LED and compact fluorescents to enable dimming, extended lifespans, quick start times, and IP connectivity -- via IPv4 or IPv6. Proprietary network software allows users to control their bulbs from smartphones, PCs, and other devices, enabling them to fiddle with mood lighting -- including adjusting color -- via a specific IP address. So at least when IPv4 doomsday finally descends someone will have their lighting just right. Video and PR after the break.
Vint Cerf on IPv4 depletion: 'Who the hell knew how much address space we needed?'
Father of the internet, Vint Cerf, is taking one on the knuckles this week for the inevitable diminution of the world's IPv4 addresses. Last Friday, The Sydney Morning Herald ran a sensational story titled, "Internet Armageddon all my fault: Google chief," in which Cerf warned of an end to unique IP addresses "within weeks." The story was, of course, a bit tongue-in-cheek, considering the industry has long anticipated and prepared for said Armageddon. Back in 1977, Cerf led a team of DARPA researchers in creating IPv4, which limits IP addresses to four 8-bit numbers or 32-bits total, providing for 4.3 billion addresses: not nearly enough by today's standards. In the article, Cerf said he never expected his protocol to take off, adding, "Who the hell knew how much address space we needed?" The IPv4's successor, IPv6, which enlists four 32-bit numbers or 128 bits total, was developed soon after Cerf's protocol and is now getting attention from internet giants like Google and Facebook, who will launch World IPv6 Day this June. Considering IPv6 makes for 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique addresses, we probably won't be hearing of an IP apocalypse anytime soon.
China building IPv6 infrastructure
China is looking to take the lead in the adoption of Internet Protocol Version 6, and steal a little thunder from the Internet2 consortium in the process. The China Education and Research Network has already connected nearly 200 universities and institutes using the new protocol, while China Telecom and China Mobile are expected to begin trial runs with IPv6 by the end of the year. This initiative is intended to reduce China's dependence on foreign hardware suppliers such as US-based Cisco Systems, and also help Chinese IT manufacturers become more competitive globally. Naturally, the gaming industry will also benefit from the advancements of IPv6, particularly in the mobile space where gamers on the go will have unique static IP addresses, in addition to improved data, voice, and video transmissions. Visit the IPv6 portal to learn more.See also: China, Intel, and the WiMAX agenda
