[NTLK] IPv4 v IPv6

[Morgan Aldridge]

On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 2:56 PM, Tony Kan <tony.kan at clear.net.nz> wrote:
>
> Here's a question for our more Internet Savvy members:
>
> There's much talk about the last of the ip addresses being divvyed out over the
> last week and that new addresses are only compatible with IPv6.
>
> Does this transition have any affect on the usability of the Newton as an
> Internet device?

Currently or in the near future? Unlikely.

The goal of IPv6 is two-fold, as I understand it: to provide more IP
addresses and to remove the need for NAT (Network Address
Translation). The IP address shortage is the reason IPv6 is currently
in the news as we're supposed to run out of IPv4 addresses any day
(minute?) now. While many modern computers & routers support IPv6 and
ISPs will undoubtedly start dishing out IPv6 addresses, I'd bet that
most Newtons connect to the Internet from behind a NAT router (esp.
home/business ethernet & WiFi). If behind a router that still dishes
out IPv4 addresses and can translate between IPv4 & IPv6
addresses(although I haven't fully researched how that's supposed to
be implemented), the Newton should be fine.

I doubt ISPs providing telephone dialup access will be rushing to dish
out IPv6 addresses. Cellular phone carriers might be earlier adopters,
so those that use Bluetooth to connect through a cell phone (which I
have done in the past) may be impacted (still a maybe, though). I
think websites will keep IPv4 support for a long time to come.

Anyone please correct me where I'm wrong.

Morgan
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