Discover How The Internet Is Kept Organized With IP Addresses

By: John Lenaghan
Submitted: 2007-01-17 13:08:08
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Every web server on the internet is assigned a unique address called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. This address is much like a telephone number - a unique number that lets other computers connect to a specific server.

IP addresses are 4 bytes, or 32 bits. Each byte is called an "octet" and can be given a value between 0 and 255 so an IP address takes the form of 123.45.67.89.

Theoretically, 32 bit IP addresses support more than 4 billion unique addresses but in reality the number is much less. Certain ranges are reserved for particular uses so the number of available IP addresses is limited.

Web hosts get around this limitation with shared hosting and virtual servers. To avoid having to use a single server for each web site, shared hosting lets a single server host many web sites. Each site has the same IP address (the one assigned to the server itself) but a unique domain name (eg. mydomain.com).

The current IP address numbering system is version 4 (IPv4) and there is a new system called version 6 (IPv6). This new version will allow for 128 bit addresses which will greatly expand the number of available addresses. Because the internet is currently built around the IPv4 standard, it will take a number of years to upgrade the infrastructure to support this new format.

Shared hosting helps to solve the problem of a limited number of IP addresses for an ever-expanding number of website, but we also need to consider that every computer connected to the internet is also assigned an IP address.

To avoid having to assign a unique IP address to every computer that connects to the internet, most internet providers use system called dynamic IP. They are given a range of available addresses and when you connect, you are assigned one of these numbers. When you disconnect, that number goes back into the "pool" and someone else will get it when they connect.

This dynamic IP system is one of the reasons it's not usually feasible to host a website on your home computer. Because your address can change any time, it is difficult to keep your domain and your IP address properly associated.

John Lenaghan writes about the best web hosting solution for businesses, and other website hosting topics on the Hosting Report website. Find out more at http://www.hostingreport.org

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Domain Names category

  • 1 Year on From Sunrise for the .asia Domain Launch - By: James Betchley
    Nearly a year has passed since Early Bird Sunrise registration began for the coveted new .asia domain extension, the Early Bird Sunrise period (SR2a) was the first opportunity for commercial entities to register a .asia extension. Prior to this, registration was limited to Asian governments wishing to submit their public bodies and culturally or economically important domains during the pre-Sunrise period.
  • What Everybody Ought To Know About Domain Reselling Business - By: Sandra Mathew
    Domain Reselling Business Ethics - Learn how Domain Resellers jumpstart their business in the Domain and Hosting Industry.
  • It's good form to credit your source even when it comes from the public domain - By: Narinderjit Singh
    "Okay, well what will your site be on?" He encouraged me to think about the things in which I was an expert. That wasn't too tough. I've spent five years helping people in crisis find drug addiction treatment. "How about if I help people understand drug addiction treatment." Now he was sure I had taken too many falls, and that they had all been while riding without a helmet. More out of pity than duty, he showed me how to use Overture's bid tool.
  • Domain selection - 5 Tips for choosing a domain name - By: George Pallan
    Domain selection - 5 Tips for choosing a domain name The domain name is a very important part of your website. The careful selection and key wording of your domain name is one of the most crucial part of the initial steps in setting up any website. Here are the 5 tips for choosing a domain name.
  • The Quest for the Perfect Domain Name - By: Christie Cadogan
    The details one has to consider when searching for that perfect domain name. Domain name choices.
  • Choosing a Domain Name for your Success Coaching Business - By: Mikel Bruce
    Your domain name is one of the most important decisions that you can make when you start your business and/or when you decide to invest in a website for your Coaching Practice. Even if you have an established website and domain name, if it does not fit certain standards you may want to consider changing it so that it is a more effective tool for helping you grow your business
  • Benefits of Choosing Reseller Hosting - By: Richa Sinha
    Reseller hosting is a form of web hosting wherein the account owner may split up their allotted hard drive space and bandwidth and resell web hosting. Hence, it acts as a middleman between parent web hosting company and the end customer.
  • Domain name – An Introduction! - By: Richa Sinha
    A domain name is a name that identifies one or more IP address. These are mainly used in URLs to identify particular web page. This article elaborates more about types of domain names.
  • Simple Step For Choosing Great Web Host - By: Richa Sinha
    There are thousands of web hosts around today with thousands of plans to choose from making what was once a simple procedure seem like a daunting task for both newbie and pro alike.
  • Some Common Myths Against Domain - By: Richa Sinha
    Applicants for domain names have developed their own myths. Some have been repeated so often, they sound true. Those untold information is what this paper is going to tell you.