What is the current rate per IPv4 address ?
$3.75 per IP address per month.Minimum 256 IPs per Month (Class C /24)
What is the smallest quantity of IP addresses I can lease ?
256 or a single Class C /24 block
What is Legacy IPV4 address space ?
Legacy Internet address space was handed out prior to 1997. The early days of the Internet. To encourage the Internet’s growth addresses were handed out through the National Science Foundation of the United States. Large blocks distributed to just about any company or any Internet Service Provider (ISP) that started a dial up service. So if you had a few modems back in 1996 without a single customer, you could have obtain a complete Class B block of 65,000+ IPv4 addresses. While these blocks were large it represents just a small percentage of Internet IPv4 address space.
Why do you want Legacy IPv4 address space vs. the other kind ?
The current state of RIRs around the globe have rules about usage and what can be allocated to your business. These limits are designed to slow the depletion. However, these limits also make appling for more and getting blocks large enough to be business limiting. RIRs come with annual red tape requirements that require time and attention. These work world wide outside RIR boundaries restrictions. There is no RIR checks and balances on 80% usage or lose requirements.
Why can’t RIRs simply take back these addresses ?
Basically, an Regional Internet Registry (RIR) has no hold over legacy addresses. Distribution of Legacy address space began prior to the existance of RIRs. A company with Legacy space does not have to apply or become an RIR member. The companies that received these addresses were not under a contractual obligation to follow the rules of an unknown future organization. There are several reasons to participate with the RIR. A Legacy owner is asked to to be a good netcitzen and update in the RIR’s databases with information so that everyone knows who to contact in the event of a technical issue related to those IP addresses. You can read historic details at the American Registry for Internet Numbers.
How long can I lease this IPv4 address space ?
The basic contract today is in the form of an annual renewal. It’s annual for several reasons. A month-by-month lease would attract spamming companies that would abuse the space. Annual is to your company’s benefit. You know you have the address space you need for the contract term. When the space suddenly rises in value you know your price for the year and will see the savings. After all everyones knows the price per IP address will rise, not fall.
For example, you can lease the space for a year contract. At the end of every year you have a 30 day window to provide notice that you wish to cancel at no penalty to you. If you want to keep your lease simply do nothing except pay the fee. Good for 5 year ! This provides you the security of knowing that you have solid address space to keep your business operating and expanding. Or if the business no lnger needs the space for any reason you cancel without penalty beyond the annual fee.
How much IPv4 address space does my business need ?
Only you can predict this. However, there are minimum technical requirments for you to consider. Such as what can fit into Internet routing tables. The smallest size is called a Class C , or /24. This is 256 IP addresses. It is the smallest block of space your ISP can accept and expect other networks to accept. However, not all backbones will accept a /24 from indirect customers. This is often due to technical router table limitations. Your routing will work. It will just not be optimal, in that when it is default routed on some paths this can cause more hops to your servers. More hops means more latency and packet drop potential.
A block of 2 Class Cs is called a /23. The next block is a /22 which is 4 Class Cs. Then a /21 which is 8 Class Cs and so on…
A block equal to or greater than a /22 today is most likely to not be default routed and will be in the majority of router memory tables. This is something to consider if your application has a need for low latency or a desire to make sure your web pages load quickly.
Is it better to secure a larger block today when I only need a Class C ?
Yes, if you know you need more address space in the future. Because, blocks are fixed and specific. If you get a /24 today and 10 months from now get another /24 they won’t be sequential. They will be announced as two individual /24s. Securing a bigger block gives yo a better chance of propagating your address space into more routers on the planet.
Will these IP addresses work with my company’s ISP ?
Yes. We supply you a Letter Of Authorization (LOA) which allows you to operate using specific IP address space. Your ISP running Border Gateway Protocal (BGP) with you will then announce your addresses to the rest of the world.
Do I need to own a router and operate BGP ?
No. You can use the LOA to allow your ISP to announce them for you, without having to operate a BGP network of your own. Your ISP will announce them accessible via their Autonomous Sytsem Number (ASN).
How do you pay ?
If you contract for less than 4 class Cs, you pay annually, in advance. Larger quantities can be paid for quarterly. It is also possible to arrange financing for any quantity.