The Shift from Free Public IPv4 Addresses to NAT in India's Internet Infrastructure
By
quaintdev
Lightly browned and well buttered. A solid pick from the rack.
Summary
The article reflects on the evolution of internet infrastructure in India over the past two decades, contrasting the early days when ISPs allocated free public IPv4 addresses with the current reality of NAT deployment. The author nostalgically recalls being able to host personal websites from home, enjoy seamless gaming, and use peer-to-peer applications without issues. As internet usage grew, ISPs implemented NAT (Network Address Translation), eliminating free public IP allocation and making self-hosting difficult. The piece includes data comparing IPv4 address allocation across countries, highlighting disparities in internet infrastructure development.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledTwo decades ago, when Indian ISPs had adequate IPv4 addresses, they were allocating free public IPs.
I remember how exciting it was to host my own website from home and be able to access it from anywhere.
Gaming was seamless with public IP. Peer to peer apps just worked.
But as Internet users grew ISPs decided to deploy NAT. No more public IPs, no more free hosting.
And it's been like that for two decades now.
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