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IPv6 for the Linksys WRT54G
AndersBrownworth writes "Earthlink Research and Development has released a firmware load for the Linksys WRT54G wireless access point that supports end-to-end IPv6. They suggest features such as extremely large address space, stateless autoconfiguration and low cost restoration of end-to-end addressability will revolutionize IP communications. It would be interesting if releases like this significantly boost the IPv6 take-up rate but as far as I know, Earthlink doesn't supply end-to-end IPv6 yet."
With the firmware being so easily changed, you can run just about anything on it.
I mean, I telnet into mine right now and review settings.. Which I love.
There is a list of firmware at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G
Proceed with Format (Y/N)? Y
OpenWRT has had this for what, a year now?
.... etc
ipkg install kernel-ipv6
modprobe ipv6
ip tunnel add
this isn't news
Don't forget about 172.x
You can get IPv6 tunnels (some free, although you need to prove you're a real person and send in ID stuff), so if that works with this new firmware, that's an option.
As for ISPs, I've only actually seen one U.S. backbone company that actually claims to support IPv6, NTT (which has a lot of experience from Japan--IPv6 rollout in other countries with less IPv4 space/more mobile devices is farther along). Before end user ISPs can provide IPv6, we'll need the big backbone companies to provide IPv6 to their customers.
Heck, I find it hard to even get IPv6 colocation service for hosting IPv6-accessible services. On the upside, Speakeasy has been planning on rolling out an IPv6 service, although I've heard they've run into delays getting their network up.
Windows does indeed support ipv6. Just typing ipv6 install at the command prompt just about does it if you want to enable it. It sets up your 6to4 tunnel too if you don't have native ipv6. Plus, windows are ahead because their ipsec stack does work. In linuxland, ipsec is supposed to be implemented by openswan, but last time I checked it was sort of incomplete and configuration was somewhat difficult.
On the other hand, most pppd daemons in solaris,freebsd and linux support ipv6. Windows will support ipv6 ppp in longhorn.
The WRT54G might be a nice piece of hardware. But I still like my WRAP more. It has a Compact Flash slot and, most importantly, a serial port.
I find a WRT54G extremely cumbersome to use without a low level access port and the danger of wrecking the device by uploading a wrong firmware.
With the WRAP, I can prepare "firmware" images on an extra computer, I can even test-boot them in a virtual machine and then transfer them straight to a CF card knowing that there is no way the device will ever get inoperable due to a bad OS image (except flashing a wrong BIOS, which sits in a separate area outside of any compact flash card).
Speaking of BIOS, there even is a BIOS update for WRAP with included Etherboot to boot an OS over the net, yay!
Of course it runs NetBSD. BTC: 1NT7QvbetmANwaMzhpVL6
Admittedly, to my surprise, the Windows protocol stack does support it, at least in XP. Open a DOS prompt and type "ipv6 install" to enable it. Of course, this isn't default, so the "great unwashed masses" still won't be using it.
Covad actuallly provides what you would call "Layer 2" connectivity between their equipment at the local telco's CO and the ISP's equipment using ATM. The ISP will provision both upstream connectivity to the internet and then an ATM trunk to Covad, who feeds all of that ISP's customers terminating at their DSLAMs (where your copper pair is split off to) at the various LEC's central offices and "concentrates" them using ATM PVCs (permanent virtual circuits) onto to the ISP's trunk. The ISP then feeds the data between the internet pipes and the ATM trunk.
It's been in mac os x since panther as well.
I'm friends with the youngest daughter of the former head of the PowerPC division of IBM you insensitive clod!
Is IPv6 a tool looking for a job to do?
IPv6 is often simplified to one feature: increased address space. Then the matter with NAT is brought up, which is not a very good solution for reasons mentioned numerous times elsewhere in these comments. Here are some more features of it to consider:
- IPv4 has optional support for end-to-end encryption via IPSec. In IPv6 it's mandatory.
- IPv6 doesn't require manual configuration or DHCP.
- IPv6 support QoS by router.
- IPv6 routers doesn't fragment packets like in IPv4, for clearly more efficient (faster and less processing requirements) packet routing.
- IPv6 streamlines packet sizes by extension headers.
- IPv6 has enhanced neighbor discovery features by multicast instead of broadcasted ARP messages. ICMPv6 has new messages to find best default gateways, that aren't optional like the ICMPv4 Router Discovery. These features should give an enhanced ad hoc connectivity experience for the users.
- IPv6 doesn't necessarily send broadcast messages to all nodes on a subnet, but uses more intelligent local scopes.
Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!