America's supply of IP addresses is about to run out
Back in 1981, when volunteer engineers designed the internet, they created 4.3 billion Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, assuming the gigantic number would more than suffice. About 20 years later, Europe and Asia exhausted their supply, and America's remaining allotment — about 3.4 million — will likely dry up this summer.
An IP address is like a telephone number for the internet, The Wall Street Journal explains. "They are used behind the scenes anytime data moves over the net — when a laptop requests a web page [or] a smartphone posts an Instagram photo."
The shortage means businesses looking to expand their virtual property will face headaches, high costs, and a potential inability to serve new customers.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Some companies, like Salesforce.com and Microsoft, have poured millions into acquiring more addresses. Facebook, however, took a different route by moving most of its network from the old IPv4 system to the new IPv6 system, which offers 340 undecillion addresses. That's 340 followed by 36 zeroes, "enough to assign an IP address to every atom on Earth," WSJ says.
While everyone on the internet will have to make the move to IPv6 eventually, for now, that doesn't come cheap — one research firm estimates the migration costs seven percent of a company's annual IT budget.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Stephanie is an editorial assistant at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Modern Luxury Media.
-
'Republicans want to silence Israel's opponents'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - priority delivery, USPS on fire, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Amazon ending 'Just Walk Out' grocery checkout
Speed Read In its place, the company will let customers scan while they shop with Amazon Dash Cart
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
House votes to force TikTok to sell or face US ban
speed read The House passed a bill to ban TikTok on national security grounds unless it sells to a non-Chinese company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cellphone use may be lowering sperm count
Speed Read Electromagnetic radiation could be affecting male fertility
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Nasa reveals first findings from asteroid that could explain origins of life
Speed Read Sample from Bennu has been found to contain an abundance of water and carbon
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published
-
NYPD to monitor Labor Day parties using surveillance drones
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Elon Musk announces change to Twitter logo
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published