FTP iconFTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is the most widely accepted method for uploading files to a web server. All web hosting companies offer FTP service, but there may be slight differences in how you connect to them. To begin, you will need an FTP client, such as Filezilla, a free and open source, cross-platform FTP program.

To begin, choose to create a new connection. For the “hostname” enter your domain name without the “www” or use the IP address given to you by your web host. You can normally leave “port” as is unless your hosting provider gave you a port other than the default (21). The username will be whatever your host assigned. It could be use a name or your entire email address (particularly if it is a shared hosting account). If you are not sure, contact your host. Next, enter your password.

You should then be able to click “connect” and have no problems getting logged in. If you cannot, the first thing to check is your password and then username. If those are both correct, contact your web host to make sure you have the right information. If you have your own dedicated server, you may need to configure your FTP server before you can connect to it. You can do this in your web-based control panel or through SSH.

Continue reading: How to Connect via FTP

In January, roughly 10% of IPv4 addresses remained unallocated. Just a few months later in June, new information from ARIN shows that number has shrunk to 6.25%.

The Internet is set to run out of IP addresses by 2011. A mass-switch to IPv6 would solve this problem, but so far few businesses and ISPs have taken the initiative to do so.

So what will happen as the number of available addresses continues to shrink? Expect web hosts and server providers to charge more for extra IPs. A number of universities and non-profits also have large blocks of unused IPs. ARIN will very likely take these back. Regardless of this, the situation still looks very grim.

Continue reading: Only 6% of IPv4 addresses left

Tehtri Security research Laurent Oudot has determined that most people who attack servers get their hacking software from freely available malware kits on the Web, rather than creating their own custom scripts. These kits often contain poorly written code that can itself be exploited.

What does all of that mean to you? Oudot says it means that you can fight fire with fire, turning the attacker’s own malware against him. The next time someone attacks your server, hacking the malware can reveal a trail of IP addresses that may even lead all the way back to the attacker’s personal computer.

Oudot admits that there may be legal issues if you decide to turn into a cyber-Batman, but says that he demonstrated that it could be done, at the SyScan 2010 security conference in Singapore, in order to “open new way[s} to think about IT security worldwide”. Right, Mr. Oudot. You just handed every victim a loaded gun and told them there may be “legal issues” in retaliating. Malware attackers, you’ve been warned.

Source: BBC
Photo: Flickr

Continue reading: Server Attacked? Fight Back

In light of the upcoming IPv4 shortage, ARIN President John Curran is concerned that so-called “IP cybersquatting” could emerge where companies could sell their unused addresses on the black market for profit:

We’re going to see a similar circumstance [to domain name cyber squatting] to some extent. Certainly there will be a lot of pressure for companies to hold onto their IPv4 addresses even if they don’t need them because they can monetize them. That’s what we’re looking at as a potential scenario.

ARIN is the organisation that manages the world’s IPs. As of right now, 90% of the world’s IPs are in use, but only 3% of websites have transitioned to the new IPv6 technology.

I think ARIN is right about IP cybersquatting, but whose fault is it? Years ago the organisation gave out large blocks of IP addresses to universities and companies without considering future need. Considering the commercial goals of most IP block owners, did ARIN honestly ever expect them to hand the addreses back?

Source | Computer World
Photo | Flickr

Continue reading: Is IP cybersquatting a real threat?

With everyone talking about the pressing need to switch from IPv4 to IPv6, few people ask what should be an obvious question: what about IPv5? Thankfully, Raffi Krikorian over at O’Reilly’s OnLamp.com has the answer.

The story of IPv5 dates all the way back to 1979, when a group of engineers created the Internet Stream Protocal (ST). It was created to transmit video, audio, and simulations over the Internet. IPv5 gained some following at places like IBM, Apple, and Sun, but never really saw the light of day. Regardless of its popularity, the protocol was given the designation IPv5 and as a result, the next generation Internet protocol couldn’t take the name and is thus called IPv6.

So now you know. The next time someone brings up IPv6, you can talk about its predecessor and explain why IPv6 is IPv6.

Photo | gusmolina

Continue reading: The forgotten tale of IPv5

Question: How do I redirect every visitor to my website except for me?

Answer: There are two methods you can use to accompany the results you want and both involve using an .htaccess file. The first is to redirect your site’s visitors with standard Apache directives:

ErrorDocument 403 http://www.yourdomain.com
Order deny,allow
Deny from all
Allow from 192.168.5.5

This will redirect anyone who visits the site to yourdomain.com, with the exception of your computer or whichever computer uses the stated IP address.

Alternatively, you may use mod_rewrite to achieve similar results:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_HOST} !^192.168.5.5
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !/temporary-offline.html$
RewriteRule .* /temporary-offline.html [R=302,L]

Photo Source: Flickr

Continue reading: How to redirect a specific IP address

Question: How do I block clusters of IP addresses?

Answer: Although we previously illustrated a method of blocking single IP addresses using an .htaccess file, it is important to know a few things.

1. Many hackers use proxies and other methods to use fake IP addresses. Blocking the one they have faked might actually block a legitimate user.

2. Even if you do have the right IP address for the right attacker, there is no guarantee they will continue to use that address, as it might be dynamic.

3. An attacker may use a cluster of IP addresses to initiate an attack (i.e. 66.328.203.000), but blocking an entire range of IP addresses, particularly ones that could point to home routers, will inevitably also block potential users.

The other option is to rely on hostnames rather than IP addresses. The problem with hostnames is that these too can be forged. That only leaves one real option, the option that should take precedence anyway. Secure your server to make it as difficult as possible for attackers to get in, and even if they do get in, make it difficult for them to do damage. Most will give up if doing damage takes to long or if their automated attack bots fail. Make your firewall airtight, install application firewalls like Modsecurity, and make it impossible for an outsider to gain root access.

Photo Source: Flickr

Continue reading: How do I block clusters of IP addresses?

Computer users with dynamic IP addresses often have to contend with the reality that their internet identity can literally change without warning. For average Internet use, this is not a problem, but if you ever need to host something from home (even a private server that only gives you password access), you will need some support for dynamic DNS.

Dynamic DNS notifies the user’s domain that the IP address has been changed and needs to be updated. When someone remotely connects to the domain, they will get the right computer, even if the IP address changes regularly. The Linux command called nsupdate is a utility that allows the user to update a DNS zone without having to manually edit the zone file.

“nsupdate is a fantastic little utility that enable quick and secure DNS zone updates. Setup is quick and painless, and use is fairly intuitive for anyone remotely familiar with DNS, and skilled enough to admin their own Linux system.”

Read the full article
Photo Source: Flickr

Continue reading: The nsupdate for dynamic DNS

When you connect to the Internet, your ISP assigns you an IP address. This unique number tells servers where to deliver content and identifies you to websites.

While you can use computer-side commands to display your IP, the easiest way to find out your IP address is to use a site like whatismyipaddress.com. These sites not only display your IP, but also use what’s called a GEOIP database to determine your approximate location. There’s no need to worry, however, because since your IP is assigned by your ISP, the location showed is that of your provider, not your home or business.

Depending on the type of service you have, your IP will be either static or dynamic. Static IPs never change, while a new dynamic IP is generally assigned every time a user connects to the web. Because static IPs are more expensive, they are generally reserved for businesses and high-end residential plans.

Continue reading: What's my IP address?

If you’ve ever performed any administrative networking commands on your computer (such as traceroute), you may have noticed the IP 192.168.1.1. You’re not the only one to wonder what this address is used for. In fact, it is used by millions of devices around the world. So just what is it?

The IP 192.168.1.1 is a private address designated for use on routers and other networking devices. Since there are so few IP addresses remaining, the 192.168.x.x block has been designated for private network use. Generally a router on a network will use the 192.168.1.1 address and then assign the rest of the block to other computers– 192.168.253.539, 192.168.1, and so on.

If you have a router at home, type 192.168.1.1 into your browser. It will most likely take you to a control panel for your device. In addition, there is also an IP predominately used by modems: 192.168.100.1.

Photo | Flickr

Continue reading: What's 192.168.1.1?

Web service company IP2Location has released its annual Internet IP Address Report. The document analyzes IP usage in 240 countries during 2009.

Unsurprisingly, the United States currently holds 37.46% of the world’s IPv4 addresses. Far behind in the number-two position is the United Kingdom, which only owns 9.94% of addresses. Next is China with 8.33%, Japan with 7.13%, and Germany with 3.90%. Together, the top ten countries in the report control 79.1% of allocated IP addresses.

According to the report, the number of new IP addresses allocated to networks is slowly decreasing in the United States as it increases in China. Considering the heavy growth China has seen over the last decade, this trend isn’t surprising.

Continue reading: Internet IP Address 2010 Report released

In an effort to grab increasingly scarce IPv4 addresses, malware makers are now grabbing blocks of IPs. By colocating servers and requesting IPs under a fake business name, cyber criminals are snatching some of the last remaining addresses.

Unfortunately, this practice is hard to track down given the shear size of the Internet. Thousands of requests are made for IPs daily, but there is no system in place to verify them. Who should get the last few remaining IPs? Is a request a true need or merely a convenience?
In the coming year, expect to see more attention given to questions like these.

Personally, I think more effort should be put into verifying IP requests. Anything that cuts down on cyber crime and frees up precious IPv4 addresses is a good thing.

Source | Ars Technica
Photo | clix

Continue reading: Malware makers scramble for IPv4 address blocks