SocketTools 7.2 Released

SocketTools 7.2 has been released and is a recommended update for developers who are currently using version 7.0 or 7.1. This update includes a new text messaging (SMS gateway) component, as well as new features, fixes and improvements to existing components. We’ve added support for secure connections using TLS version 1.1 and 1.2, support for compressed HTTP downloads, and there’s a number of new functions, properties and methods that we’ve added to our e-mail related components to make them easier to work with. We’ve also made some significant improvements to the documentation, and by popular request, we’ve included printable PDF versions of the help as well.

This is a free update for customers using version 7.x, and is a complete package that replaces the previous version. Note that because of the version change, we recommend that you uninstall the previous version of SocketTools before installing 7.2. This update also applies to the related products such as SocketWrench, SocketTools File Transfer and SocketTools Internet Mail.

You can download it using the same link that you were provided with when you ordered the software. The release notes are available on our website.

SocketTools 7.1 Released

SocketTools 7.1 has been released and is a recommended update for developers who are currently using 7.0. This new release includes some general network performace improvements, FTP/SFTP and SSH changes to improve server compatibility and a number of fixes. This is a free update for licensed developers, and is a complete package that replaces the previous version. Note that because of the version change, we recommend that you uninstall version 7.0 before installing 7.1. This update also applies to the related products such as SocketWrench, SocketTools File Transfer and SocketTools Internet Mail.

You can download it using the same link that you were provided with when you ordered the software. The release notes are available on our website.

World IPv6 Day

Today has been designated as World IPv6 Day, when the largest Internet backbones and many of the major Internet search engines and social network sites will test IPv6 deployment. It was originally promoted earlier this year by Akamai, Facebook, Google, Limelight and Yahoo to determine if there were any major problems with IPv6 connectivity and to generally promote the transition away from the legacy IPv4 protocol that is still predominantly used.

For those of you with an IPv6 connection, you can test that connection to us using ipv6.catalyst.com. If your IPv6 connectivity is limited to tunneling using Teredo, most browsers will not be able to connect to the site because they won’t resolve a host name to an IPv6 address if Teredo is the only IPv6 interface configured on the local system. Note that SocketTools works a bit differently. If a host name only has an IPv6 address associated with it, it will attempt to connect to the system, even if the only IPv6 interface is a Teredo tunnel.

SocketTools 7 NewsFeed Control

SocketTools 7 introduces a new component that makes it simple to access news feeds that use RSS. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a collection of standardized formats that are used to publish information about content that is frequently changed. A news feed is published in XML format, which contains one or more items that includes summary text, hyperlinks to source content and additional metadata that is used to describe the item. News feeds can be used for a variety of purposes, including providing updates for weblogs, news headlines, video and audio content. RSS can also be used for other purposes, such as a software updates, where new updates are listed as items in the feed. Continue reading →

No More IPv4 Addresses for APNIC

Today, the regional registrar APNIC, which is responsible for allocating IP addresses in Asia, has run out of freely available IPv4 addresses. This means that everyone who requests an IPv4 address in countries like China and India (where Internet usage is growing very rapidly) will not be able to get one. The next registrar that is predicted to exhaust their pool of IPv4 addresses is RIPE, which is responsible for IP address allocation in Europe. It’s notable that this has all happened faster than some originally predicted; it was thought that APNIC would exhaust its address pool about 6 months after the IANA assigned the last /8 blocks in early February. Instead, it happened just two months later.

It’s clear that the transition to IPv6 is really taking on some urgency, and Internet service providers are under increasing pressure to start providing IPv6 connectivity to their customers. While the exact timetable isn’t clear, there’s no question that developers need to plan for these changes and make sure that their software is capable of supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 networks.

SocketTools 7.0 Released

We’re pleased to announce that SocketTools 7.0 and SocketWrench 7.0 have been released and are available for download. Upgrade pricing is available for developers who are currently using version 6.0 or earlier, and those with active SocketTools Subscriptions can download a free update to the new release. We would also like to thank those developers who beta tested for us, your participation and feedback was a significant part of improving SocketTools.

Download Product
Online Documentation
Order Upgrade

SocketTools 7.0 Release Date Announced

We’re pleased to announce a release date for the new SocketTools family of products. Version 7.0 will be released on March 2nd, 2011 and it includes some significant changes to the products. We’d like to thank those who participated in beta testing and all of you who have been patiently waiting for this release. The two most important changes are support for 64-bit Windows platforms and support for IPv6. We have also consolidated products to create fewer but more robust Editions. Continue reading →

IPv4 Addresses Exhausted

On January 31st, the last of the last of the available IPv4 address blocks were allocated by the IANA. The APNIC registrar requested the last two unreserved /8 address blocks, and this automatically triggered the release of the last 5 reserved address blocks, one to each of the five regional Internet registries (RIRs). Today, the IANA had a ceremony and press conference that commemorated the event that signals the technical exhaustion of new IPv4 addresses. Continue reading →

SocketTools Native 64-bit Support

One of the most requested features for SocketTools 7 is native 64-bit support for Windows. Although most Windows installations today continue to be 32-bit, along with the vast majority of application software, there is no question that 64-bit platforms are growing in popularity. It’s estimated that approximately 50% of the Windows 7 installations are the 64-bit version, and virtually all desktop and laptop PCs sold in the past 5 years have 64-bit processors. Continue reading →

SocketTools 7 Beta Test

We’re pleased to announce the beginning of the SocketTools 7 Beta Test. If you’re interested in working with the next release of SocketTools and providing feedback on its features, you can join the testing group. You don’t need to be a current customer to join the beta test, but we have a limited number of slots and would prefer developers who are experienced with the product. Please note that this will require that you sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to remain in force until the product is released. Continue reading →