[LINK] RFI: Dynamic IP-Addresses on Consumer Broadband

[Roger Clarke]

Maybe someone can help with an oddity that's arisen with my MSc(ECOM) 
candidates up here in Hong Kong.

One of the slides in the session on IP distinguishes static and 
dynamic IP-addresses.  I referred to dial-up as one extreme, major 
servers as the other;  and consumer ADSL/cable as in-between, but 
increasingly static.

(Since the bad old days of ADSL instability, mine lasts months at a 
time without either end falling over and having to be re-initialised 
with, pretty inevitably, a different IP-address from before).

Contributions to the Discussion Boards make clear that both HK and 
mainland China ISPs are making frequent changes to consumers' 
IP-addresses.  [Which presumably makes censorship even harder, but 
that's no bad thing!]

I floated the cause as perhaps old or low-quality network software 
resulting in relatively frequent dropouts.

Several candidates (these are mostly 26-40 year-olds, many with at 
least one postgrad qual, half in CS/IT) suggest that the main factor 
is to prevent people signing consumer contracts and running servers. 
(We went through that phase 3-4 years ago in Oz!).

Any insights much appreciated.

-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW