Updated Lsn.’s router this early morning (at 5 am), to OpenWrt 23.05.4, and it supports IPv6 out-of-the-box. I’m not sure how to enable it, or tune it, and whether it works well, or not. I simply leave it as-is to defaults of the router. Maybe, when I’ll understand that better, I may tune something there, if needed.

But I asked ChatGPT for explanation, and it looks correct to me.

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) offers several advantages over IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4). Here are some key benefits:

  1. Larger Address Space:

    • IPv4: Uses 32-bit addresses, providing approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses.
    • IPv6: Uses 128-bit addresses, offering a virtually unlimited number of addresses (about 340 undecillion, or 3.4×10^38). This resolves the address exhaustion issue of IPv4 and accommodates the growing number of devices.

  2. Simplified Addressing:

    • IPv4: Addresses can be complex due to the need for NAT (Network Address Translation) to manage address shortages.
    • IPv6: Eliminates the need for NAT by providing a large address space, allowing devices to have unique global addresses and simplifying network configuration.

  3. Improved Network Efficiency:

    • IPv6: Streamlines packet headers and simplifies processing, which can improve network efficiency and performance.

  4. Enhanced Security:

    • IPv6: Includes IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) as a mandatory feature, providing built-in encryption and authentication for secure communication. While IPsec is available for IPv4, it’s optional and not always implemented.

  5. Better Support for Mobile Devices:

    • IPv6: Provides improved support for mobile devices by allowing for better routing and mobility features, facilitating seamless connections as devices move between networks.

  6. Automatic Address Configuration:

    • IPv6: Supports stateless address autoconfiguration (SLAAC), allowing devices to automatically configure their IP addresses without needing a DHCP server. This simplifies network setup and management.

  7. Enhanced Multicast and Anycast:

    • IPv6: Improves multicast and anycast capabilities. Multicast allows for efficient data distribution to multiple recipients, while anycast enables routing to the nearest instance of a service, enhancing performance and redundancy.

  8. Improved Quality of Service (QoS):

    • IPv6: Includes flow labels that help in identifying and managing traffic flows, which can enhance Quality of Service (QoS) by allowing better handling of data streams and priority services.

  9. Backward Compatibility:

    • IPv6: Although not directly backward-compatible with IPv4, it includes mechanisms like dual-stack operation, where devices can run both IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously. This facilitates a smoother transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

In summary, IPv6 addresses the limitations of IPv4 by providing a larger address space, improving network efficiency, enhancing security, and simplifying various network functions. While the transition to IPv6 is ongoing, its benefits are significant for the future of Internet connectivity.