IP addresses dwindling

A potential deficit of Internet Protocol addresses and what such a shortage could mean to the Internet makes the ".com" dilemma look like a walk in the park.

CNET News staff

January 2, 2002 4:43 PM PST

latest developments

A potential deficit of Internet Protocol addresses and what such a shortage could mean to the Internet have some saying the ".com" dilemma is looking more like a walk in the park.

"We haven't needed to do anything in the way of [IP address] policy yet...There is potential scarcity."

- Michael Roberts, ICANN interim chief executive

Net number system at a crossroads
special feature A failure to adequately tackle a range of problems surrounding a potential shortage of Internet Protocol addresses, the Net's numerical addresses, ultimately could cripple the Net.

How IP addresses get distributed
This chart illustrates the way Internet Protocol address numbers are distributed by gatekeepers such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

NSI is still sole registrar
Days after the Commerce Department launched the trial phase of its plan to open up domain name registration, Network Solutions remains the sole registrar of Internet addresses carrying the ".com" ending.

IP addresses dwindling

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