Millions of Internet Addresses Are Lying Idle

An anonymous reader writes "The most comprehensive scan of the entire internet for several decades shows that millions of allocated addresses simply aren't being used. Professor John Heidemann from the University of Southern California (USC) used ICMP and TCP to scan the internet. Even though the last IPv4 addresses will be handed out in a couple of years, his survey reveals that many of the addresses allocated to big companies and institutions are lying idle. Heidemann says: 'People are very concerned that the IPv4 address space is very close to being exhausted. Our data suggests that maybe there are better things we should be doing in managing the IPv4 address space.' So, is it time to reclaim those unused addresses before the IPv6 crunch?"

And for just 10 dollars a month...

[lobiusmoop]

you can give one of these poor unwanted IP's a home.

Re:screw ipv4

[Anonymous Coward]

Hello. I am Hunvi Maguay, premier of Swaziland. If you have an unused IP address we will buy it from you for $6,000,000 right now. In order for us to send you the money, please send us your bank account number along with proof of identity. Your Social Security number would be good. Please tell us your mother's maiden name too. Hurry, our offer will not last long.

Re:Many addr's may be behind firewalls...

[Timothy Brownawell]

I wonder what the opposite strategy would do... have the firewall intercept pings, but instead of just dropping them, pretend to be the target and answer them itself.

IPv4 addresses running out:

[circletimessquare]

the IT hysteria of the early century. just as juicy a media hit as the Y2K panic and fear from last century, but not as much consulting opportunities

personally i'm waiting for 2012, when the elder gods of the mayan calendar awaken and in their rage at not being greeted by chocolate, peppers, and virgins, they reroute all null pointers in all code to the apocalypse. plenty of IT hysteria, plenty of consulting opportunities

Decades?

[Hikaru79]

The most comprehensive scan of the entire internet for several decades

As opposed to the great Internet scans of the 30s?

Won't SOMEBODY think of the appliances?

[SoundGuyNoise]

But my refrigerator, it needs, nay, craves an IP address, so it automatically orders my eggs and ravioli and orange creme soda, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals.....

Re:And for just 10 dollars a month...

[NeverVotedBush]

Do I get a picture of it and a thank-you letter?

Re:Wrong! Lying is the correct form.

[nameendingwith]

Once it has been laid, it is now lying.

So in other words, there are no Slashdot users that are lying. If they say they are lying, then they are lying.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:screw ipv4

[goofyspouse]

Get it on with a border router? That is wrong on so many levels.

Re:screw ipv4

[__aamnbm3774]

I love all meat references.

Screw the car-analogy people. Explain how this situation affects me in terms of meats!

Re:screw ipv4

[Grimbleton]

You're gonna take a big old sausage up the beef hole.

Re:screw ipv4

[Sechr Nibw]

Only if you stick it in the Outgoing jack.

Re:screw ipv4

[gnick]

The FCC should just mandate a switch to IPv6, if the US leads, the rest of the world tends to follow.

Exactly.

Listen up world! We've decided that you all should be using miles, feet, inches, Fahrenheit, and gallons. Please upgrade your silly metric system.

Re:screw ipv4

[fm6]

The good grammar tells you he's a fake, but what kind? Obviously, a fake scam artist. In other words, a fake fake.

But if he's not a real fake, what is he really? The only possibility that makes sense is that he really is the premier of Swaziland. I suggest you send him the information he requested. Or better yet, send it to me, and I'll handle the transaction for you.

Re:screw ipv4

[Fastolfe]

IPv6 will last until nanotech becomes widespread and you want to have networks of nanoscopic devices online - and possibly even then since it would make sense to treat personal area networks as a single public device.

So your solution to running out of IPv6 addresses is.. NAT?

Re:screw ipv4

[joeman3429]

I'm not going to let your ignorance keep my children from having their fridge/microwave/cellphone/shirt/hat/dog/cat/fishtank/monitor/3 dozen computers/swarm of spy-bot bees/printer/coffee mug/mouse/keyboard/envelope stamps/individual pages in their books/speakers/light bulbs/doors from having their own IP address.

Insensitive bastard...