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Four Root DNS Servers Go IPv6 On February 4th
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "On February 4th, IANA will add AAAA records for the IPv6 addresses of the four root servers. With this transition, it will finally be possible for two internet hosts to communicate without using IPv4 at all. Certain obsolete software may face compatibility problems due to the change, but those issues are addressed in an ICANN report (pdf)."
So when will this mean that I can actually use IPv6 for connecting to servers?
Like, when will I be able to open my browser window, type in an IPv6 address, and connect to...say..google?
I'm the guy with the unpopular opinion
No... if that was the case, your IP would change.
IP changes, in my experience from both Comcast and Verizon FIOS, are so rare that they effectively don't happen. I've never had a change with FIOS from the day the service was fired up, and although I can't recall ever having my previous Comcast one change except when I physically moved, its possible it did once or twice.
If they want to block servers, they'd block inbound ports.
Dynamic IP addresses are used because its the only possible way to do it without having techs setting up every joe six pack or grandmothers computer.
I ask this because I honestly don't know. How many routers on the net are embedded devices capable of receiving firmware updates to cope with the additional functionality? Or, how many full-fledged "router in a box" style server systems are capable of receiving software updates, or already support IPV6?
512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
Yeah, when slashdot drops it's IPv4 address, then I'll believe in this IPv6 nonsense.
OK, admit it... how many of us would go figure out how to run IPv6 if it was required to get a /. fix?
I think many of us geeks know that you can also use methods like DHCP to configure static IPs. What you are benefiting from here is DHCP, not your dynamic IP.
"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
Part of the problem is that, even though most routers can get software updates in the field, older models only have hardware accelerated IPv4 support. If you upgrade these routers to IPv6, they have to do everything with their puny CPU, which means the same router can handle fewer IPv6 packets than IPv4 packets.
IP addresses: :)
I can't remember my IPv4 addresses without looking them up, so I'd be no worse off than with IPv6. You'll get older too son, then you'll agree with me
As for web hosting providers, they won;t ever have to 'change your IP address', they'll just have to tell you it in the first place, then you're done.
In both cases, IPv6 supports auto-registration so you won't have to fiddle with it anyway. As the IETF says "Since IPv6 addresses are too long to remember and EUI64-based addresses are too complicated to remember, they are not suitable for such identifiers"
IIRC you don't need DHCP anymore with stateless autoconfiguration.
NAT:
think for a moment what NAT does. All you have is your router attached to the internet, and all your computers connected to the router. Unless you explicitly allow incoming connections to pass through, your PCs are "firewalled" at the router.
If you have IPv6, you'll still have the router. I hope that all router manufacturers will be shipping them with incoming connectivity disabled by default, just like it is at the moment. Then, you'll be no less secure with IPv6 than you are today.
You will have the benefit of being able to "DMZ" as many of your PCs as you like, not just one of them. This is best of both worlds.
I think IPv6 will be a good thing, if it ever happens. I can't see that happening anytime soon though, there's too much infrastructure out there.