ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is proposing changes that could streamline how you access your home’s internal network. This means that instead of using the 192.168.xx address to configure your router, you can just type “.internal”.
As pointed out, registerICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) first recognized the need to reserve top-level domains for private networks in 2020, but not necessarily to facilitate connectivity to routers. .
SSAC wants the new .internal string to prevent private domain naming schemes from colliding with other networks. Currently, SSAC states that “unofficial uses of top-level domains,” such as the .dlink domain used by networking company D-Link, have “the potential to conflict with root zones and other designated purposes.” I am.
ICANN initially considered a total of 35 different strings, but ultimately settled on two options: “.internal” or “.private.” The organization ultimately adopted .internal because it determined that .private “may unintentionally violate privacy at a higher level.” We don’t yet know how exactly to configure the .internal domain to configure routers and other devices on your home network, but we should learn more in the coming weeks.
However, for now you can expect to access your router via the 192.168.xx address. ICANN is accepting comments from the public and will decide how to proceed from there.