The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →IP address starvation is a shortage of usable IP addresses relative to demand. In broad Internet discussions, it usually means the limited supply of public IPv4 addresses. The phrase can also describe a local network whose address plan or DHCP pool is too small for its devices. It is descriptive wording, not the name of a standardized protocol feature.
What does IP address starvation mean?
Starvation describes a mismatch: a particular address pool or plan cannot supply enough addresses for the devices or services that need them. The scale matters. Globally, the phrase generally refers to public IPv4 scarcity; within a company or campus, it can mean that the network’s own allocation has been outgrown.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses. Although that field represents about 4.3 billion theoretical values, that is not the number of addresses available for ordinary public assignment. Private-use, multicast, reserved, and other special-purpose ranges are not generally assignable as public host addresses. IANA’s IPv4 Address Space registry documents allocations and special-use references.
The 4.3-billion figure is a theoretical address-space count, cited in FIDIS’s 2007 report; it should not be read as a current count of free public addresses. A current availability figure would depend on what is being counted, such as registry-held space, regional Internet registry pools, reserved ranges, or addresses offered for transfer.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Why can a local network run short?
A network can experience address starvation even when the issue is not global public IPv4 scarcity. Its address plan may have been sized for fewer devices, or its DHCP scope may not have enough leases for the number of devices that connect. Cisco’s BYOD white paper describes how enterprise plans designed when employees used fewer connected devices can become inadequate as device counts grow.
That is an operational planning problem: the local pool or plan needs to accommodate demand. It is distinct from the total size of the public IPv4 address space.
Rank #2
- Dual band router upgrades to 1200 Mbps high speed internet (300mbps for 2.4GHz plus 900Mbps for 5GHz), reducing buffering and ideal for 4K stream
- Full Gigabit Ports - Gigabit Router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, ideal for any internet plan and allow you to directly connect your wired devices
- Boosted Coverage - Four external antennas equipped with Beamforming technology extend and concentrate the Wi-Fi signals
- MU-MIMO technology - (5GHz band) allows high speeds for multiple devices simultaneously
- Access Point Mode - Supports AP Mode to transform your wired connection into wireless network, an ideal wireless router for home
How is DHCP starvation different?
A DHCP starvation attack is a security attack against a local network. An attacker repeatedly requests DHCP addresses to consume the server’s available lease pool, which can prevent legitimate devices from obtaining an address. The 2019 paper by Mayoon Yaibuates and Roungsan Chaisricharoen discusses detection and recovery for this attack.
Recommended Free Tools
Despite the shared word “starvation,” this attack is not the cause of global IPv4 scarcity. It concerns deliberate depletion of a particular DHCP server’s leases, rather than a shortage of public addresses worldwide.
Rank #3
- Dual-band Wi-Fi with 5 GHz speeds up to 867 Mbps and 2.4 GHz speeds up to 300 Mbps, delivering 1200 Mbps of total bandwidth¹. Dual-band routers do not support 6 GHz. Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, and obstacles such as walls.
- Covers up to 1,000 sq. ft. with four external antennas for stable wireless connections and optimal coverage.
- Supports IGMP Proxy/Snooping, Bridge and Tag VLAN to optimize IPTV streaming
- Access Point Mode - Supports AP Mode to transform your wired connection into wireless network, an ideal wireless router for home
- Advanced Security with WPA3 - The latest Wi-Fi security protocol, WPA3, brings new capabilities to improve cybersecurity in personal networks
How do IPv6 and NAT address IPv4 scarcity?
IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, compared with IPv4’s 32-bit addresses. The Internet Engineering Task Force describes the larger address size as supporting “a much greater number of addressable nodes,” among other design goals, in RFC 8200 (2017). This gives networks far more addressing capacity, but using IPv6 requires compatible network equipment and services; IPv4-only resources still have to be accommodated during migration.
Network Address Translation (NAT), including port translation (NAPT), allows multiple internal devices to share one or more public IPv4 addresses. It conserves public IPv4 addresses and can help maintain access to IPv4 resources while IPv6 deployment grows. It does not create additional IPv4 addresses. Because NAT relies on stateful mappings, it can also affect inbound connections and network operations. Nokia’s SR OS documentation describes this shared-access role in the IPv6 transition context; its implementation details are specific to that platform.
Rank #4
- Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router - Up to 5400 Mbps WiFi for faster browsing, streaming, gaming and downloading, all at the same time(6 GHz: 2402 Mbps;5 GHz: 2402 Mbps;2.4 GHz: 574 Mbps)
- WiFi 6E Unleashed – The 6 GHz band brings more bandwidth, faster speeds, and near-zero latency; Enables more responsive gaming and video chatting
- Connect More Devices—True Tri-Band and OFDMA technology increase capacity by 4 times to enable simultaneous transmission to more devices
- Unique Design, More RAM, Better Processing - A unique housing design provides optimal heat dissipation, combined with a 1.0 GHz dual-core CPU and 512 MB High-Speed Memory, the AXE75 is designed for long-term reliability and performance.
- EasyMesh-compatible - Extend network range even more by adding EasyMesh-compatible routers, extenders, or wireless powerline adapters for a seamless, whole-home connection. Eliminate dead zones, drops, and lag as you move across your home.
| Approach | Address capacity | Deployment and compatibility | Operational effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPv6 | Expands address size from 32 bits to 128 bits. | Requires IPv6 support across relevant network and service components; IPv4-only services and peers may still need support during migration. | Changes addressing and network planning. |
| NAT/NAPT | Lets multiple internal hosts share one or more public IPv4 addresses; does not increase IPv4 address space. | Can operate at gateways or provider networks to preserve IPv4 connectivity while migration proceeds. | Maintains translation mappings and can complicate inbound reachability. |
These approaches address different parts of the transition: IPv6 supplies much greater address capacity, while NAT shares existing IPv4 addresses. Neither makes it safe to assume that every device, service, or peer has already moved to IPv6.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- hEX also known as RB750Gr3 is a five port Gigabit Ethernet router for locations where wireless connectivity is not required
- The device has a full size USB port. This new updated revision of the hEX brings several improvements in performance
- It is affordable, small and easy to use, but at the same time comes with a very powerful dual core 880MHz CPU and 256MB RAM
- IPsec hardware encryption (~470 Mbps) and The Dude server package is supported, microSD slot on it provides improved r/w speed for file storage and Dude
- Dimensions: 113x89x28mm; Storage size: 16 MB; Passive PoE (PoE in); PCB temperature monitor, Voltage monitor and Mode button
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
