Internet Protocol (IPv6) Overview

The Internet operates by transmitting data in small independent packets across networks based on an international communications protocol called the Internet Protocol.  IPv6 is the latest version of the Internet Protocol.

Details

What was used before IPv6?

The first widely used and standardized Internet Protocol was IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) and it defined how the Internet and its connected devices operated and communicated with one another. When IPv4 became the Internet standard, the 4.2 billion possible IP addresses were never intended to house a global commercial Internet.  In fact, in 1981, there were only a limited number of computers that needed to connect to the Internet (mostly American government and research entities).  The  pool of IP addresses has been in use for the entire history of the commercial Internet, but recent technological developments have driven the available IP address pool close to depletion.  Just imagine that when the Internet was created, web-capable phones were far from being invented.
These days, in addition to every computer, nearly every cellular telephone and gaming console is connected to the Internet and this is without mention of the infrastructure hardware that required to make these devices work. As a result of this rapid growth the Number Resource Organization states that less than ten percent of them remained in the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) free pool as of the beginning of 2010. Through the use of tools like Network Address Translation (NAT), users have extended the life of IPv4, because NAT allows multiple devices to speak to the Internet through a single IP address, while the router in that particular household or business keeps track of which device(s) are receiving and sending information.

What is an IP Address?

As you can assume, IP stands for Internet Protocol and this is the methodology for communication between devices on the Internet.  The IP Address is a number that uniquely identifies a device on a computer network and every device that is connected to the Internet must have a unique address for transport protocols to move information around the Internet. The fact that the same 4.2 billion IP addresses originally devised are almost deplete indicates the need for more.

Why use IPv6?

The solution to IP address depletion is simple and that is to develop a more robust numbering system that will allow for far more IP addresses.
IPv6 (the newer Internet Protocol) holds 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 IP addresses. This exponentially larger pool of IP addresses is the key to the future growth of the Internet, and companies that use and distribute IP addresses will need to adapt their networks and systems to use IPv6. Without IPv6, the Internet's expansion and innovation could be limited, and the underlying infrastructure will become increasingly complex to manage. The additional costs from delaying deployment will make life harder for Internet operators, application developers, and end users everywhere.
Here is an example of an IPv6 address: 3ffe:1900:4545:3:200:f8ff:fe21:67cf
Eventually, all IPv4 addresses will be phased out. This is not anticipated to happen for a long time, not before the middle of 2012.

How do I know if my ISP supports IPv6?

IPv6-test.com is a free service that checks your IPv6 and IPv4 connectivity and speed, diagnoses connection problems, and discovers which address(es) you are currently using to browse the Internet.  It additionally shows your browser's protocol of choice when both v6 and v4 are available.
The other test sites include:
http://netalyzr.icsi.berkeley.edu/
http://s.a.ak6i.net/a1/results/demo.html

What is Spyware/Adware?


Adware and Spyware programs can adversely impact your computer performance. The information below provides tips and suggestions on how to remove malicious programs and protect your computer system.

According to the "Center for Democracy and Technology", there are at least three general categories of applications sometimes described as Spyware.

Spyware Categories Keystroke loggers and screen capture utilities, which are installed by a third party to monitor work habits, observe online behavior, or capture passwords and other information. "Adware" and similar applications that install themselves surreptitiously through "drive-by downloads" or by piggybacking on other applications and track user's behaviors take advantage of their internet connection. Legitimate applications that have faulty or weak user-privacy protections.


Spyware Categories

• Keystroke loggers and screen capture utilities, which are installed by a third party to monitor work habits, observe online behavior, or capture passwords and other information.
• "Adware" and similar applications that install themselves surreptitiously through "drive-by downloads" or by piggybacking on other applications and track user's behaviors and take advantage of their internet connection.
• Legitimate applications that have faulty or weak user-privacy protections

There are many reasons why someone would install Adware / Spyware on your PC. The most notable include:

Advertising of products: Companies will pay developers of Adware to devise ways of showing their products to you. Some may be as simple as a pop-up ad that you see when you go to a particular website. More ingenious methods will install a small software program on your PC that can be continuously updated by these developers when new products are available.

Track your web-surfing habits for Marketing of new products: Developers will create small programs that "track" your web-surfing habits, which are then categorized for companies to create "targeted" marketing campaigns.
 
Identity theft: This form is, by far, the most malicious use of Spyware. Developers will create programs to capture personal information such as bank accounts, credit cards, and so on. Many of today's most popular Spyware applications promise the ability to execute via "remote installation". Remote installation is the ability to install a Spyware program on a computer.

ymptoms of Adware / Spyware


The best method for identifying Spyware on a computer is with the use of software designed to identify and remove it. Since most Spyware applications communicate with other computers and are programs themselves, they use system resources which include memory, CPU cycles and an Internet connection. Therefore, the following are some symptoms you might notice:

Slow Computer ­- Although there are many reasons why your computer may run slow, if you use your computer daily then you are familiar with how it behaves. Older computers and some applications can cause a computer to run slow; however, if suddenly it begins to run much slower, this could be a indication of Adware / Spyware./


Unknown E-mail Activity ­- If you start noticing email sent without your knowledge or you start receiving a large number of undelivered emails you did not send, then you may have been infected. There are some types of programs that can send out spam from your computer using your address book or simply return the email addresses in your address book to a spammer to be used for unsolicited email.

Odd Computer Behavior -­ You may notice hard drive activity when you are not using the computer, an unknown icon in your Windows system tray appears, settings modified, CD drives opening and shutting, or programs mysteriously opening and closing. These could be a sign of a Spyware program running on your PC.

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Adware / Spyware

Internet>Operating Systems>Windows 7>General

What is Spyware/Adware?

Adware and Spyware programs can adversely impact your computer performance. The information below provides tips and suggestions on how to remove malicious programs and protect your computer system.

According to the "Center for Democracy and Technology", there are at least three general categories of applications sometimes described as Spyware.

Spyware Categories Keystroke loggers and screen capture utilities, which are installed by a third party to monitor work habits, observe online behavior, or capture passwords and other information. "Adware" and similar applications that install themselves surreptitiously through "drive-by downloads" or by piggybacking on other applications and track user's behaviors take advantage of their internet connection. Legitimate applications that have faulty or weak user-privacy protections.

Quick Select

1. Spyware Categories
2. Symptoms of Adware / Spyware
3. Detecting Adware / Spyware
4. Removing Adware / Spyware
5. Keeping Clean from Adware / Spyware

Spyware Categories

• Keystroke loggers and screen capture utilities, which are installed by a third party to monitor work habits, observe online behavior, or capture passwords and other information.
• "Adware" and similar applications that install themselves surreptitiously through "drive-by downloads" or by piggybacking on other applications and track user's behaviors and take advantage of their internet connection.
• Legitimate applications that have faulty or weak user-privacy protections

There are many reasons why someone would install Adware / Spyware on your PC. The most notable include:

Advertising of products: Companies will pay developers of Adware to devise ways of showing their products to you. Some may be as simple as a pop-up ad that you see when you go to a particular website. More ingenious methods will install a small software program on your PC that can be continuously updated by these developers when new products are available.

Track your web-surfing habits for Marketing of new products: Developers will create small programs that "track" your web-surfing habits, which are then categorized for companies to create "targeted" marketing campaigns.
 
Identity theft: This form is, by far, the most malicious use of Spyware. Developers will create programs to capture personal information such as bank accounts, credit cards, and so on. Many of today's most popular Spyware applications promise the ability to execute via "remote installation". Remote installation is the ability to install a Spyware program on a computer.

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Symptoms of Adware / Spyware

The best method for identifying Spyware on a computer is with the use of software designed to identify and remove it. Since most Spyware applications communicate with other computers and are programs themselves, they use system resources which include memory, CPU cycles and an Internet connection. Therefore, the following are some symptoms you might notice:

Slow Computer ­- Although there are many reasons why your computer may run slow, if you use your computer daily then you are familiar with how it behaves. Older computers and some applications can cause a computer to run slow; however, if suddenly it begins to run much slower, this could be a indication of Adware / Spyware./


Unknown E-mail Activity ­- If you start noticing email sent without your knowledge or you start receiving a large number of undelivered emails you did not send, then you may have been infected. There are some types of programs that can send out spam from your computer using your address book or simply return the email addresses in your address book to a spammer to be used for unsolicited email.

Odd Computer Behavior -­ You may notice hard drive activity when you are not using the computer, an unknown icon in your Windows system tray appears, settings modified, CD drives opening and shutting, or programs mysteriously opening and closing. These could be a sign of a Spyware program running on your PC.

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Detecting Adware / Spyware

There are several steps you can take to detecting Adware / Spyware on your computer. The simplest method to determine if Spyware or Adware has been installed is to check your Windows Programs list or the Windows Start-Up folder. To check the Windows Programs list:

• Click on Start
• Select Control Panel
• Double click Add/Remove Programs
• Review the list of programs installed on your computer. If you identify a suspicious program research the applications on the internet to confirm it is Spyware and then remove it.

Another method of identifying Spyware is to check your Windows Start-Up folder:

• Double click MY COMPUTER icon
• Double click on the C:\ drive
• Double click Documents and Settings folder
• Double click All Users folder
• Double click Start Menu folder
• Double click Programs folder
• Check for any unknown programs

If you are uncertain if a program is considered Adware / Spyware, we suggest researching the program against Spyware databases which can be found by searching the Internet.

Removing Adware / Spyware


If you believe you are infected with Adware / Spyware, the easiest way to detect and remove it is by the use of anti-spyware software or scanning software. Anti-spyware software is a different tool from anti-virus software but operates in much the same way, by scanning the hard drive looking for files associated with known Adware / Spyware programs. The software then returns any found programs and allows the user to determine what course of action to take.

Keeping Clean from Adware / Spyware


Be cautious of downloads. The easiest way is to not install them in the first place. Many of these applications are installed via "drive-by downloads", which use misleading tactics to install them. Many times users have no idea they have installed the application. Many developers will design their applications to be difficult to uninstall. If a small portion remains on your PC, it has the ability to rebuild itself, so be careful what you download. Be sure to read any privacy policies offered by the site and only install applications when you are certain what functions they are performing and AFTER you read the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).

Be suspicious of pop-up ads. Do not download programs via pop-up ads or from unknown sites. Also, be sure to close any window that looks suspicious and always close windows properly by clicking the "X" in the upper right hand corner. Some pop-up ads will contain a close box or "X" within the window that will actually open the ad. To be safe, you can always close the window from your Windows taskbar by right clicking on the window located on your taskbar (generally found at the bottom of your screen) and selecting Close.

Stay updated. Simply keeping up with the latest security patches, fixes, and service packs will help prevent some of the programs from installing on your computer.

Scan regularly. Frequent scans using your anti-spyware tool will also keep you safe.

Where can I find additional information on Adware / Spyware?
Suddenlink does not endorse any particular site, but you can search the Internet for Spyware sites or visit sites like Microsoft or Spyware Guide to learn more about Adware/Spyware and utilities for removing these types of applications.

IP Address

What is an IP address?

An IP address is a unique identifier that is assigned to your modem when it's trying to connect to the internet.  Once connected, the modem is assigned a public IP address.  This IP address was dynamically chosen through Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), meaning that it was assigned to your modem randomly from a large pool of numbers.  IP addresses can also be assigned staticly, meaning that the IP address has been assigned specifically in the network and in your device for you to use so it never changes.

If your device is connected to a router then it will be assigned a private IP address by the router.

An IP address is much like having a street address. In order for someone to send you mail, they need to know your address. It's the same situation with IP addresses. It is needed for other computers and servers to be able to communicate with your computer and vice versa.

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What is the difference between a public IP and a private IP?

A public IP is one that is assigned by a network and is able to be seen on the internet. Your IP address is tied to many (if not most) of the things you do on the internet and can be used to identify what general location you are at, as well as the company that is providing the internet service. This is because blocks of IPs are assigned to ISPs (Internet Service Providers) by the governing body called American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). These blocks are then broken up and used for a variety of purposes including one being assigned to your modem so your devices can connect to the internet.

A private IP address is one given to your device when it connects to a private network, such as if your device is connected to your home router. Private IPs are not viewable on the internet in general. It is specific to your network and is managed by the router you are connected to. These generally start with 192.168.0.0 unless they are changed by a network administrator to something else.

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What is the difference between dynamic and static IP addresses?

Dynamic IP addresses are ones that are assigned by the network when a device connecting to it requests one. The IP address is pulled from a larger pool of IPs that are set aside for customer connections. The IP address your device is given is assigned for a 24 hour lease. At the end of that lease your device will ask the network for an IP again. It may be given the same IP address again or it may be assigned another. This is why you may not have the same IP address today as you had yesterday or another time.

And all of this happens seamlessly in the background, so your service isn't interrupted.

Static IP addresses are ones that are assigned specifically to you in the system so no one else can use it. When your device tries to connect to the internet, instead of asking for an IP to be assigned to it dynamically, it asks the system to use the specific IP that it is set up with. If that IP address is available, which it should be, the network allows that connection. Static IP addresses are only assigned to Commercial customers and are not allowed on residential accounts.

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How can I find my public IP address?

There are multiple ways to find out which public IP address you are using at any given point. But the easiest way is to go to one of the many websites that are set up specifically to show you what your IP is, such as whatismyipaddress.com or ipchicken.com

If you are using the Chrome browser, Firefox browser or an updated version of Internet Explorer, you can also do a Google search for "my ip address" and it will list your public IP address for you at the top of the search results!

 

Other important IP ranges to know

There are certain IPs and IP ranges that are not for use by most people because they are reserved for specific functions in either the computer or the network. The IP addresses listed below will be seen if your device is connected directly to the modem without a router being used.

• 255.255.255.255 - This address is reserved for the network to send broadcast messages to all computers on the network.
• 127.0.0.1 - This IP address is referred to as the "loopback" address. It is your computers way of identifying itself, no matter if it has an assigned IP address or not. It is typically used for troubleshooting and network testing.
• 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254 - This range is called the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range. IPs in this range are assigned automatically when a computer is unsuccessful in getting an address from the DHCP server.

If your device is connected to a router, either wired or wirelessly, there is a different set of IP addresses or ranges that you might see.

• 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255 - Called a Class A range. This range holds 16,777,216 IP addresses available for use. Most of the time, this range is only used by ISPs and other very large organizations simply because of the sheer size of it.
• 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255 - Called a Class B range. This range holds 1,048,576 IP addresses available for use. It is typically used by medium sized networks such as a large college campus.
• 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 - Called a Class C range. This range holds 65,536 IP addresses available for use. This is the IP range that is most commonly used by routers to assign IPs for an internal or private network. Obviously you will not use them all. But it is one of the smallest ranges.