An IP Address | Why The Internet Needs It
July 5th, 2011 by IP Address
Ever wonder why such a big deal surrounds the talk of an IP address? Well let us give you a little insight on to how the IP address first came about and the intentions on using it comes into play in modern times.
What we now know as the IP address started off as the Internet Stream Protocol back in the late 70′s as an experiment for internet communication. This latest rendition came has came version after version, landing on IPv4 as our current framework for today’s IP Address framework.
IPv4 consists of a 32 bit limit, and gives us the capability of over 4 billion IP address combinations. While we may think this is a lot, it isn’t! We are running out quickly due to the explosion of technology being used in Internet services today.
The current IP address is made of four decimal point numbers, each separated by a dot that are 8 bits each. Hence the 32 bit number of 4 numbers times 8 bits. With these 4 billion addresses at our disposal, and the numerous enterprise networks and devices out there, we would have already ran out if it wasn’t for NAT translation to the outside world.
The constant barrage of additional devices requiring a network connection continues to grow rapidly, so an upcoming version of the IP address scheme that was first introduced in 1995, called IPv6, is the Internet’s next phone number system for calling up your favorite website.
IPv6 has been slow to take hold, but demand is pushing a faster implementation process for this version of the IP address. We will talk more about it in later posts here at IP-Adress.com. Right now, it is important for you to note our original headline and why you are reading this article in the first place! That notice is something I hinted to a moment ago, the IP address is the phone number system of the Internet. That is why the Internet needs it, because without it, every other single point of communication online has no way of calling up to the location it needs to interact with.
Imagine trying to track down your teens at the mall – isn’t it easier when you can pick up your phone and call their cell phone? You have a direct link, right? Now imagine trying to call your teen, and they have no cell phone, instead having to call the mall office to dispatch a security guard to go find your teen somewhere in the mall and come back to speak with you. Alright, one step further, imagine knowing your teen is at the mall and you don’t have a phone, your teen does not have a phone, nor does the mall office have a phone. See the frustration?
This same analogy applies to an IP address, just as each user needs a phone, each wireless access point, website, blog, computer, and the thousands of other Internet capable technologies needs an IP address to phone out or in.
That my friend is why the Internet needs an IP address.
