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Dual Ethernet ProxyServer User Guide
Internet Protocol (IP)
IP is the Internet standard protocol that tracks Internetwork node addresses, routes outgoing
messages and recognizes incoming messages, allowing a message to cross multiple networks
on the way to its final destination. The IPv6 Control Protocol (IPV6CP) is responsible for
configuring, enabling, and disabling the IPv6 protocol modules on both ends of the point-to-point
link. IPV6CP uses the same packet exchange mechanism as the Link Control Protocol (LCP).
IPV6CP packets are not exchanged until PPP has reached the Network-Layer Protocol phase.
IPV6CP packets received before this phase is reached are silently discarded. (See also TCP/IP.)
Before you install TCP/IP on your network, you need to establish your Internet addressing
strategy. You first choose a domain name for your company. A domain name is the unique
Internet name, usually the name of your business, that identifies your company. For example,
Multi-Tech’s domain name is multitech.com (where .com indicates this is a commercial
organization; .edu denotes educational organizations, .gov denotes government organizations).
Next, you determine how many IP addresses you’ll need. This depends on how many individual
network segments you have, and how many systems on each segment need to be connected to
the Internet. You need an IP address for each network interface on each computer and hardware
device.
IP addresses are 32 bits long and come in two types: network and host. Network addresses
come in five classes: A, B, C, D, and E. Each class of network address is allocated a certain
number of host addresses. For example, a class B network can have a maximum of 65,534
hosts, while a class C network can have only 254. The class A and B addresses have been
exhausted, and the class D and E addresses are reserved for special use. Consequently,
companies now seeking an Internet connection are limited to class C addresses. The current
demand for Internet connections will exhaust the current stock of 32-bit IP addresses. In
response, Internet architects have proposed the next generation of IP addresses, Ipng (IP Next
Generation). It will feature 16-byte addressing, surpassing the capacities of 32-bit IP. Still in its
design phase, IPng is not expected to be widely deployed before late 1997.
An IP address can serve only a single physical network. Therefore, if your organization has
multiple physical networks, you must make them appear as one to external users. This is done
via “subnetting”, a complex procedure best left to ISPs and others experienced in IP addressing.
Since IP addresses and domain names have no inherent connection, they are mapped together
in databases stored on Domain Name Servers (DNS). If you decide to let an Internet Service
Provider (ISP) administer your DNS server, the ISP can assist you with the domain name and IP
address assignment necessary to configure your company’s site-specific system information.
Domain names and IP addresses are granted by the InterNIC. To check the availability of a
specific name or to obtain more information, call the InterNIC at (703)742-4777, or visit the
InterNIC web site at http://www.internic.com.