Internet Will Run Out Of IP Addresses Soon

Filed in archive Business News , Technology , Tools on July 25, 2010

© Lee Jordan

Experts are saying that the Internet is running out of addresses, most likely by 2011. One problem is the slow adoption of a new system aimed at largely increasing the available pool.

Right now, the web is on IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4). This means 32-bit numbers are used, so there are about 4 billion addresses in supply. However, 94 percent of them have been assigned. Fortunately, there is a new system --- called IPv6. It uses 128-bit numbers and the number of available addresses will explode.

There is a dramatically increasing use of these addresses during the past years, thanks to the explosion of an array of Internet-connected items. But adoption is still slower than how quickly it needs to be.

Experts fear a black market for IPs as these addresses diminish. This will increase the cost of building out networks and establishing an Internet presence. It will also remove the decentralized nature of the internet as it gives power to those who hold open IP addresses.