D-Link is Ready for the Big Switch to IPv6

Uh oh. The web just ran out of IP addresses. That’s right, it finally happened. The well of 4.2 billion available addresses, that once seemed so deep, has finally dried up. It’s like Y2K all over again. But before you rush to the store to stock up on canned goods and retreat to your basement in despair, here are some words of hope from your friends at D-Link: We knew this time would come. And we’re ready.

Here’s the low down:

Every device that connects to the Internet has its own unique numerical code known as an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Computers, printers, iPhones – if they’re connected to the Web, they have one. The current system for generating these addresses is called IPv4 and is able to provide us with just over 4 billion unique addresses. Back when the Internet started and was used mainly by defense and research institutions, that number seemed superfluous. More than enough. More than more than enough. But thanks to today’s always-connected lifestyle, we’ve quickly run out.

Luckily, this IP address drought has been anticipated for years and a new system for generating IP addresses is in place: IPv6. With IPv6 comes a new generation of 128-bit addresses that use a combination of numbers and letters, increasing the number of possible unique addresses to 3.4 octillion. That’s 340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. In other words? We won’t be running out of addresses again anytime soon.

So what does it mean for us?

Websites will start to offer their content over IPv6. Internet service providers (ISPs) will deploy IPv6 service to customers. And Internet users worldwide will need to ensure that their routers are IPv6-compliant in order to spare themselves from slow speeds and, in some cases, the inability to visit certain websites. The good news for D-Link customers is we’re way ahead of the game.

D-Link has been releasing IPv6-compliant products for years and was the first networking company to start releasing IPv6 certified routers. So if you’re the proud owner of any of the routers listed below, you’re good to go. If you’re not and happen to be in the market for a new one that will ensure you’re ready to celebrate World IPv6 Day this June, might I suggest a D-Link router?

D-Link IPv6 Certified Routers

• DIR-601 Wireless N 150 Home Router (Hardware Revision A1)
• DIR-615 Wireless N 300 Router (Hardware Revision E1)
• DIR-655 Xtreme N® Gigabit Router (Hardware Revision B1)
• DHP-1320 Wireless N PowerLine Router (Hardware Revision A1)

Other IPv6 Certified Products

• DAP-1350 Wireless N Pocket Router and Access Point (Hardware Revision A1)
• DAP-1360 Wireless N Range Extender (Hardware Revision B1)
• DAP-2590 AirPremier® N Dual Band PoE Access Point