Please explain this dynamic ip question

[Zuke]

Here's my question:

From an ISP's standpoint, what's the benefit of dynamic ip addresses for dsl customers?

The point of DSL (besides speed) is that it's always on and unless I'm rebooting my machine, my machine is always connected. Even though Earthlink assigns a dynamic ip to me when my dsl modem connects, I basically always using an IP address from them. What's the difference from their perspective if changes periodically or is always the same?

 

[bex0rs]

They may have more subscribers than available IP's. I'd imagine it also makes it easier on them from an administrative standpoint to switch around address pools, etc.

~bex0rs

 

[lambo881]

Of course not everyone's going to always be on.
BTW, if you're always on, make sure you get a firewall.

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< They may have more subscribers than available IP's. I'd imagine it also makes it easier on them from an administrative standpoint to switch around address pools, etc.

~bex0rs >>



The number of ipv4 ip addresses is supposedly running out. IPv6 should help with this so all our toasters can connect to the net (running linux of course). I heard a while back companies like ISPs couldnt get an ip block without using dynamic ips... Dont know if it is true though.

 

[JackMDS]

1. The majority of ?normal? user is not always connected. The Dynamic IP allows the ISP to provide services according to Average ? Usage. If the system will be, build as thought every one is using the Internet all the time, it will cost us a fortune.


2. Dynamic IP helps to discourage personal severs, and other stuff that needs high band upload.


It seems that Static IP with better upload is emerging as a more expensive service (more then $100 a month) as compare to the entry-level home service ($39-$49 a month).

 

[Garion]

.. And one more - Support. It's easier to say &quot;Set yourself to obtain an IP address automatically&quot; than to do a big database query and walk the customer through manually entering all the ip configuration.

- G

 

[konichiwa]

JackMDS is right -- one of the main reasons they do it is to discourage server'ing on their network. The other reason is that they most likely do not have enough IP addresses for all of their subscribers. Sounds like you're waiting for the 128bit IPv6 as much as the rest of us.

 

[loosbrew]

think about the administration behind static ip's! i mean, would you want to deal with 1000's of static ip's? that would suck! its the reason why dhcp isused, because static ips suck in a large network like this. i am issued a dynamic IP from @home, but it seems the lease duration is high or not too many peopl in my neighborhood gets mine assignedm so even though its a dynamic IP, its been the same for a very very long time.

loosbrew

 

[PrinceofWands]

You're actually not issued a dynamic IP from @Home. @Home assigns a specific IP to every customer. They just want you dynamic so if they do a node split or for some reason have to change your IP you won't call in to get the new settings. It also gives people the idea they aren't going to keep the same IP so they won't try to run a server. But believe me you DO have a static IP, I've been static for a couple years (had to call in and get my new settings twice, but I'm still set static). At tech support that's how we'd fix people a lot of the time, set them static and they'd be fine, it's just @Home's crappy servers (running windows I might add *bleh*) that caused the problems.

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< think about the administration behind static ip's! i mean, would you want to deal with 1000's of static ip's? >>



If I was adminning an ISP no, if I was adminning a company yes.

 

[MustPost]

Is IPv6 ever really going to be used.
Haven't all the technical deatail been worked out a while ago.

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< Is IPv6 ever really going to be used.
Haven't all the technical deatail been worked out a while ago. >>



Yes, no. Last I checked ipv6 is mostly working. Which Operating systems have working ipv6 tcp/ip stacks? *BSD, linux... I dont know of any others (but I dont keep up with them either). There are several companies on the net using ipv6 (with ipv6|ipv4 gateways) and you can register for ipv6 ip addresses. It will take time.

 

[Garion]

A few years ago there was a huge panic - &quot;The Internet is going to run out of addresses&quot;. This was one of the main drivers for IPv6. Since then, however, most companies have gone to using private addresses (10.x.x.x, 172.16-32.x.x, 192.168.x.x) behind their firewalls and using NAT or proxies to get to the Internet. This has greatly reduced the number of IP addresses that companies needed to get to be on the Internet. Of course, it didn't help that the organizations handed out IP's like candy back in the early days. (I worked for a non-profit that had maybe 500 employees in three offices that had a full class B address range).

Anyhow, the panic has mostly passed and things seem to be settling down. Yes, the Internet will eventually run out of IP's, but ISP's are getting smarter about how they give them out and the world is getting smart about NAT.

- Jason

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< <<--snip-->>
Anyhow, the panic has mostly passed and things seem to be settling down. Yes, the Internet will eventually run out of IP's, but ISP's are getting smarter about how they give them out and the world is getting smart about NAT.
- Jason >>



NAT cannot solve all the problems. Plus ipv6 has some enhancements that seem to be pretty cool.

 

[spyordie007]

<<

<< Is IPv6 ever really going to be used.
Haven't all the technical deatail been worked out a while ago. >>



Yes, no. Last I checked ipv6 is mostly working. Which Operating systems have working ipv6 tcp/ip stacks? *BSD, linux... I dont know of any others (but I dont keep up with them either). There are several companies on the net using ipv6 (with ipv6|ipv4 gateways) and you can register for ipv6 ip addresses. It will take time. >>



win 2k will also support it, however the protocal is still in a beta format

 

[spyordie007]

<< Here's my question:

From an ISP's standpoint, what's the benefit of dynamic ip addresses for dsl customers?

The point of DSL (besides speed) is that it's always on and unless I'm rebooting my machine, my machine is always connected. Even though Earthlink assigns a dynamic ip to me when my dsl modem connects, I basically always using an IP address from them. What's the difference from their perspective if changes periodically or is always the same? >>



Going back to the origional question, it was already answered, but I thought I'd clarify, there are 3 primary reasons that they have dhcp'd addresses:

1. They have over subscribed their subnet and dont have enough IP's for all their subscribers.

2. In the case of companies like @home they dont really care, but if they give you a static address than that would imply that it was &quot;your&quot; IP, and if they ever changed it you would throw a fit, however if you are dhcp they can blow you off easily.

3. Security, it's nice to have a differant IP now and again so that &quot;bad people&quot; (hackerz) dont pick up your IP and do things like DOS attacks (denial of service).

Erik

PS. I like having static addresses so I can telnet into my boxes from work and play, although my employer tends to frown on that
and I like them because I can setup a web server and test sites that I'm working on.
(not to mention numerous troubleshooting advantages when @home f*cks up like they always do)

 

[JackMDS]

I am not an ISP lover or a Big Corporation defender, but the kind of complains that are frequent around this topic, are ridiculous. Every product that we use has a tier of levels, and prices.

You don?t buy Yugos when you run a Limo service. You don?t Buy Celeron 366 computer to produce Movie animations.

There are level of services that are available for more elaborate Internet work, so don?t pay for a Yugo and waste bandwidth to complain about it.

 

[nweaver]

Some IP's are even doing 10.x.x.x nets. I know that Hostpro AKA Micron.net in boise was doing that. Found a cisco router on a 10 net when dialed up through a micron acount. Router was Supposed to be on it's own private network....