Wrap Up

Now you know how the Internet works. But how long will it stay this way? In the original version of IP, known as IPv4, addresses consisted of four pairs of digits, such as 12.34.56.78 or 123.255.212.55, but the rapid growth in Internet use meant that all possible addresses were used up by January 2011. That has prompted the introduction of a new IP system with more addresses, which is known as IPv6, where each address is much longer and looks something like this: 123a:b716:7291:0da2:912c:0321:0ffe:1da2.

And after that? Who knows. The Internet has come a long way since it's inception as a Defense Department research project. No one really knows what the Internet will become. One thing is sure, however. The Internet unite the world like no other mechanism ever has.