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By: Rob Lever Agence France-Presse

10:26 am | Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

WASHINGTON The Internet is set for a major upgrade in the coming week. But if all goes well, users wont even know its happening.

The switch occurs at 0001 GMT Wednesday, when the Internet system shifts to a new standard that allows for trillions of IP numbers or addresses, up from the current four billion.

Known as the World IPv6 launch to geeks, the move will see Web operators and others switch permanently to the new system from the existing standard, IPv4. A test of the system was held last year.

The new standard was needed because the number of IP addresses under the old system has been exhausted.

The full transition will take several years, and old IPv4 devices and networks should continue to function as before.

Most users shouldnt notice anything, said Leo Vegoda, a numbers resources manager for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which manages the Internet address system.

If ordinary Internet users need to know stuff, then the technology isnt right.

But Vegoda said there may be some irritations for users, as those using equipment on the old standard connect to computers and networks on the new standard.

More here:
Internet address system upgrade likely to be smooth