IP Address Knowledge Base
Everything you need to know about IP addresses, leasing, and network infrastructure
IPv4 Fundamentals
What is an IPv4 Address?
An IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) address is a 32-bit numerical label assigned to devices connected to a network. It consists of four numbers (0-255) separated by dots, such as 192.168.1.1. IPv4 addresses are essential for routing internet traffic and identifying devices on networks.
With approximately 4.3 billion possible addresses, IPv4 address space is exhausted in most regions, making IPv4 addresses valuable and sought-after resources for businesses.
IPv4 Address Classes
CIDR Notation
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) notation represents IP address ranges using a slash followed by the number of network bits. Common CIDR blocks:
/24
= 256 IP addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24)
/23
= 512 IP addresses
/22
= 1,024 IP addresses
/21
= 2,048 IP addresses
/20
= 4,096 IP addresses
IPv6 Overview
What is IPv6?
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the successor to IPv4, using 128-bit addresses represented in hexadecimal format (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). IPv6 provides approximately 340 undecillion addresses, effectively solving IPv4 exhaustion.
Despite abundant availability, IPv6 adoption remains gradual due to infrastructure requirements and IPv4 compatibility needs.
Common IPv6 Prefix Sizes
/48
= Standard allocation for organizations (65,536 subnets)
/56
= Small organization allocation (256 subnets)
/64
= Single subnet (18 quintillion addresses)
RIRs & RIPE NCC
What are RIRs?
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are organizations responsible for allocating and registering IP addresses within specific geographic regions. The five RIRs are:
- RIPE NCC - Europe, Middle East, Central Asia
- ARIN - North America
- APNIC - Asia Pacific
- LACNIC - Latin America, Caribbean
- AFRINIC - Africa
RIPE NCC Compliance
RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre) manages IP addresses in Europe. Compliance requirements include:
- Accurate WHOIS database records
- IRR (Internet Routing Registry) object maintenance
- ROA (Route Origin Authorization) for RPKI
- Abuse contact information
IP Leasing Concepts
IPv4 Leasing vs Buying
Leasing
- • Monthly payments
- • No upfront capital
- • Flexible scaling
- • Lower initial cost
- • Operational expense
Buying
- • One-time purchase
- • High upfront cost
- • Permanent ownership
- • Asset on balance sheet
- • Capital expense
Clean IP Addresses
"Clean" IP addresses have no history of abuse, spam, or blacklisting. Clean IPs are essential for:
- • Email deliverability
- • Website reputation
- • API access to third-party services
- • Payment processing compliance
- • Ad network acceptance