Obtaining resources - FAQs
- What should my organization know before applying for its first allocation?
- How do I request IP addresses/Autonomous System (AS) numbers from APNIC?
- Does APNIC have a minimum allocation?
- What if I need less than a /22?
- Can I buy IP addresses?
- Are any fees associated with IP address allocation?
- Can I obtain a Class C address block?
- What are the new bootstrap criteria for a new cable/DSL services?
- Why should I seek IP addresses from my ISP before approaching APNIC?
- Will APNIC protect the confidential information I send in with my request?
- How long does it take to get IP addresses from APNIC?
- Why does APNIC require so much detailed information about my network?
- Can I get my address resources from another Regional Internet Registry (RIR)?
- Do I need an AS number?
What should my organization know before applying for its first allocation?
APNIC has now established criteria for initial portable allocations of IPv4 address space.
- See section 9.3 of Policies for address space management in the Asia Pacific region for more information
How do I request IP addresses/Autonomous System (AS) numbers from APNIC?
To request resources from APNIC, you should first become a member and then complete the appropriate request form. You will need to provide details and documentation of your current network and your plans for additional resources so carefully study the forms and ensure you gather all the necessary information before proceeding.
Does APNIC have a minimum allocation?
Yes. APNIC's minimum IPv4 allocation is a /22 (1024) addresses.
The APNIC community has set this as the minimum practical size in an effort to abide by the conflicting global goals of aggregation and conservation. New members are allocated a /22 as part of the "slow start" policy which seeks to prevent allocations of large blocks of address space that remain largely unassigned.
- See section 9.2 of Policies for address space management in the Asia Pacific region for more information
What if I need less than a /22?
APNIC does not make allocations smaller than a /22. APNIC generally recommends that organizations with smaller requirements should seek addresses from their ISP.
If you are currently multihomed or plan to multihome within one month, you can get a small portable assignment from APNIC.
Note this is an assignment, not an allocation and is available to both non-members and members.
- See the Multihoming assignment - FAQs for details
- If you are an ISP, see the IXP address assignment - FAQs.
Can I buy IP addresses?
No, IP resources are not for sale. They are a shared public resource and effective management of these resources are vital to the ongoing health of the Internet. However, if you obtain IP addresses from APNIC, you will have the right to continue using them provided that:
- You use them in accordance with APNIC allocation and assignment policies
- Your membership remains current
- Your non-membership maintenance fees are continually paid.
Are any fees associated with IP address allocation?
There is a one-time only IP resource application fee the first time your organization receives an IPv4 or IPv6 allocation from APNIC. Provided your membership fees are current, subsequent allocations are free of charge.
Can I obtain a Class C address block?
No. IPv4 address ranges are no longer referred to in terms of classes (class A, class B, class C). Classful addressing methods, which waste address space, are now made redundant by Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR). In CIDR, address ranges are referred to by their prefix (or subnet mask) length. For example, APNIC's minimum allocation, /22 ("slash 22"), refers to 1024 addresses or the equivalent of 4 former class Cs.
The use of CIDR is a fundamental requirement for eligibility to receive IP addresses.
See 3Com's Understanding IP addressing whitepaper for more information on the transition from classful addressing to CIDR.
What are the new bootstrap criteria for a new cable/DSL services?
The simplified bootstrap criteria allows you to assign a /24 to each CMTS in your network. If you think an allocation based on these criteria will not be sufficient for your needs, then you should not apply under these criteria.
- See section 10.1 of APNIC guidelines for IPv4 allocation and assignment for more information.
Why should I seek IP addresses from my ISP before approaching APNIC?
APNIC cannot guarantee that any address space it allocates will be globally routable. This is because the filtering policies implemented by transit providers around the world are beyond APNIC's control. The best way to avoid filtering problems is to ensure that your network is numbered into the address range of a larger network (such as your upstream ISP) so that many addresses can be aggregated and announced globally as a single route. The shorter prefix of such a global route will increase its changes of being unaffected by the filtering policies of large transit providers.
It is also in the interests of the Internet community as a whole that the number of separate routes injected into the global routing tables is kept to a minimum.
Encouraging organizations to obtain address space from upstream ISPs wherever possible is important to achieving this aim.
Will APNIC protect the confidential information I send in with my request?
Definitely. APNIC understands the commercial importance of the information that supports requests and the overriding need to protect its members’ rights to confidentiality. To this end, APNIC requires that its staff members and contractors sign non-disclosure agreements and are fully informed of their duty of confidentiality.
From time to time, APNIC may be required to provide details of resource requests and allocation records to other RIRs for the purposes of seeking evaluation advice, or to other Internet administrative authorities such as IANA or ICANN for compliance reasons; however, the provision of this information shall always be subject to the RIR or authority ensuring the confidentiality of the information.
How long does it take to get IP addresses from APNIC?
That depends on the complexity of the network you are requesting address space for and the completeness of the request. APNIC hostmaster's generally reply to all emails with one business day. However, in many cases, staff will require some additional information in order to process requests.
For initial applications, allow at least two weeks to complete the evaluation and membership process.
Why does APNIC require so much detailed information about my network?
APNIC must ensure that address space, which is a shared public resource, is managed responsibly in the region. APNIC needs detailed information so that it can properly evaluate whether your plans conform to agreed addressing policy and are consistent with the goals of global Internet management.
Can I get my address resources from another Regional Internet Registry (RIR)?
To avoid fragmentation of address space, very large blocks of address resources are distributed to the five existing RIRs who are then responsible for allocating those resources within their defined regions. If you require address space for networks in the Asia Pacific region, you should approach APNIC. However, if your organization already holds addresses from another RIR then the answer will depend upon the structure of your network.
- See section 8.5 of Policies for address space management in the Asia Pacific region, for more information.
Do I need an AS number?
APNIC can only assign AS numbers to multihomed organizations that have a unique routing policy distinct from their peers (this includes those directly connected to a public Internet Exchange Point (IXP). If your organization is not in this category, then you do not need as AS number.- See the Autonomous System number - FAQs for more information.
