Are there any plans to implement IPv6?

Henry Boze

A lot of ISP's are now using CGNAT addressing schemes to obtain enough IPv4 addresses for their customers. There are just not enough to go around and it is becoming a real problem with using your Flex Radio for remote operations. You cannot get through the internet to your home system if you're ISP is using CGNAT. IPv6 was designed to alleviate that issue, but implementation has been extremely slow. Starlink uses both IPv4, but with CGNAT addressing and also IPv6, but Flex will not work with IPv6.
Has there been any movement to use IPv6 addressing? If not, what are the obstacles that need to be overcome?

Mike-VA3MW

The networking side of the devices is always being looked including IPV6.

Even though we ran out of IPv4 addresses about 2011 and in 2015 for North America, the IPV6 solution has been a very slow integration.

Gord-VA7GP

I get an IPv6 Prefix from my ISP, then I configure my computers/workstations to use "Tokens" - which set the last few digits of the IPv6 address. I set these last few digits to match the last digits of my IPv4 addresses, so at-a-glance I know which device it is, and I can easily SSH to them using IPv6 or hostname (which prefers and resolves IPv6 first).

So, for a Flex IPv6 offering, I'd love to see a variety of address configurations, including Prefix Delegation and DHCPv6, along with Tokens for the last digits. This gives dynamic/changing prefixes as needed, but static, known final digits.

5h2mua

Hi,

i have to change to IPv6 soon. Is there any way that flex using ipv6? IPv4 will be switch off 31st december 2025 here.

Henry Boze

If there was one issue Flex needs to make a high priority, it's the ability to use IPv6 addressing! Many Flex fans are totally unable to connect remotely due to most ISP's now assigning CGNAT type addressing. There are just no IPv4 addresses available. Starlink, which I use supports, IPv6. Is this something that can be addressed in future SmartSDR versions or are there also hardware issues involved making it extremely difficult to implement with it's current line of radios?

Henry, N4HB

Mike-VA3MW

IPV6 is always on the table and even been explored in depth. I talked to Anna about it one day and it is a very significant amount of work to do and not a trivial exercise.

Doug - W3UB

IPV4 is nearing EOL, and is already there in some places. IPV6 has been known as the successor for some time. Regardless of how non-trivial the implementation is, the time has come to move in that direction.