5 replies to this topic

[jobeard]

Short answer is no.

Since the beginning of the PC phenomena, Networking has be achieved using Ethernet IPv4 (meaning the IP address uses 32bits). If you investigate your existing LAN address, you will see it looks like aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd, and more specifically it may start with 192.168.x.x. The 32bits limit the number of end-points to 2^32 or 2.17 billon

IPv6 uses 128bit addresses and that looks like

2011:0db8:ac10:fe01:0000:0000:0000:0000

and the concept is to allow more discrete end-points on the Internet (ie: read more systems).

Today as noted, the 32bit addresses are quickly approaching exhaustion

A reasonable presentation on IPv6 is in this Wiki

When and where do the addresses matter?

Primarily the IPv6 addresses will benfit

• the Internet backbone
  Until this level is all IPv6, there will be no real expansion
  
• large private networks with a large number of users.
  There are two kinds; an ISP like AT&T or Comcast, and large corporations like IBM and GM. These kinds of users currently, with IPv4, have Class A addresses --
  

  IPv4 Network Classes:

• Class A - This is a class for very large networks
  126 networks with 16,777,214 (2^24 -2) systems each!
  
  
• Class B - Medium size;
  forming 16,384 networks with 65,534 (2^16 -2) systems each
  
  
• Class C - small-sized networks, like HOME USERS
  2,097,152 networks with 254 systems each.
  
  
• Class D - a class meant for multicasting only

These users will then have end-to-end IPv6 and avoid tunneling IPv6 over IPv4.

As a HOME user, we use (better said, only NEED) Class C addresses and IPv6 will never benefit us.

Q? So where does our IPv4 home lan addresses get merged into the IPv6 upstream?

A1: At the ISP gateway. The gateway address to their clients (you & I) will still be IPV4. The upstream address of the gateway is the FIRST possible transition to IPv6.

A2: At our routers. The home router WAN side address may be IPv6 and our lan addresses still be IPv4. Some of us will need new routers to allow this approach. (see the model status summary link below for details)

A3: Last choice and of no benefit to home users, is to use IPv6 even though we only have three or four systems. Our Modems, Routers and NICs will all need to support the IPv6 addressing. This is impractical by virtual of the implications shown in the Fed Mandate (ie: application changes required in paragraph two)

[edit 3/4/2011]
Other IPv6 topics for your review include:

• Verizon assistance
  
• Are you ready?
  
• Linksys still doesn't ...
  
• Vendor make/model status summary
  
• Misconceptions

[/edit]

[Blind Dragon]

Just a couple of questions while reading up on it -


Couldn't a case be made that IPv6 is safer than IPv4?

Internet Protocol security (IPSec) is built-in. IPsec is a framework of open standards for protecting communications over TCP/IP networks. Typically, it’s used in virtual private networks (VPNs) through the use of cryptographic security services. IPsec supports network-level peer authentication, data origin authentication, data integrity, and encryption. The net result should be to make all Internet traffic safer, since IPv6 can secure and authenticate communications at the network layer, instead of the higher levels of the stack such as today’s commonly used Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).


Also, it's been suggested that it provides an extra barrier against spam?
Spam over IPv6


Potential to increase speeds?
New IPv6 speed records set

[jobeard]

Just a couple of questions while reading up on it -


Couldn't a case be made that IPv6 is safer than IPv4?

Internet Protocol security (IPSec) is built-in. IPsec is a framework of open standards for protecting communications over TCP/IP networks. ...

The net result should be to make all Internet traffic safer, since IPv6 can secure and authenticate communications at the network layer, instead of the higher levels of the stack such as today’s commonly used Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).

Don't think that's right; IPsec is not internal to IPv6 and has been available for quite some time. IPsec does provide end-to-end encryption, but IPv6 doesn't need it and can be implemented without it. Mac OS X, Linux, and even Win/XP has IPsec already.

Also, it's been suggested that it provides an extra barrier against spam?
Spam over IPv6

hmm; that article has a lot of conditions, use of Black,Gray lists, protected DNS - - all of which again have nothing to do with IPv6 per se. We're all using some form of these already so imo, that's a push.

Potential to increase speeds?
New IPv6 speed records set

Now this may be an artifact of IPv6 and again - - that article was about some new equipment, a specific vendor, and one particular test setup. I can't say yea or nay if we all would enjoy this kind of enhancement. IMO though, it would also require IPv6 end-to-end, which will be some time from now.

If 9gb bandwidth IS an artifact of IPv6, then the flood of adoption would certainly follow

[Blind Dragon]

Makes sense - and good answers

[jobeard]

Microsoft has some notes on IPv6 here

The question becomes "Are there routers ready for IPv6?"

This Wiki can give some insight (Click on the View History for the currency of the information)

[jobeard]

bump;
[edit 3/4/2011] added to first post this thread

Other IPv6 topics for your review include:

* Verizon assistance

* Are you ready?

* Linksys still doesn't ...

* Vendor make/model status summary

[/edit]