Re: IPV6 with BT Infinity

M-B · ‎2016-11-26

How do you get IPV6 to work with Netgear routers (D6400)?

Nothing I do seems to ever give me IPV6 and by now most BT cabinets seem to support this.

It may be an issue with Netgear not enabling IPV6-PD (prefix deligation), which BT needs to work. If so will Netgear be updating their firmware?

michaelkenward · ‎2016-11-27

I'm on BT Infinity but have never felt the need to try IPv6.

Have you tried the IPv6 settings on this device?

They are there. Don't they work?

Which firmware are you on? You don't say. I have V1.0.0.54_1.0.54.

M-B · ‎2016-11-27

Yes, I have tried all the IPV6 settings without any luck. I am also on the current firmware V1.0.0.54_1.0.54.

I suspect either BT will need to make a change or Netgear need to support IPV6-PD.

michaelkenward · ‎2016-11-27

@M-B wrote:
I suspect either BT will need to make a change or Netgear need to support IPV6-PD.

Why is this useful?

Should I be worried that BT Infinity works fine here without it?

What does the execrable Homehub 5 do?

M-B · ‎2016-11-27

IPV4 address have run out so without IPV6 it would be impossible to keep up with the rising demand for IP addresses. IPV6 also has security improvements over IPV4. If you want to be stuck with an outdated router then ignor IPV6!

BT already support IPV6 as long as you have a Homehub 5 or Smarthub 6, which they have done through firmware updates.

Other 3rd party routers already support IPV6 on BT Infinity so I would have expected Netgear to do likewise on a fairly expensive model such as the D6400.

Eventually you will need IPV6 support to be able to access the full range of internet sites and I will be anoyed if I have to spend out yet again for a new router!

michaelkenward · ‎2016-11-27

@M-B wrote:
IPV4 address have run out so without IPV6 it would be impossible to keep up with the rising demand for IP addresses.

I had that argument with an FREng electronic engineer, the head of R&D at a major electronics business, and a part-time university IT prof about 10 years ago. He told me I was wrong. A decade later he seems to have been correct. Still no sign of an address shortage.

I heard the same thing from a previous Pres of the IET who was into IoT stuff. Again, he sniffed at the notion.

Another one to join the millennium bug until I see real evidence.

@M-B wrote:
Eventually you will need IPV6 support to be able to access the full range of internet sites and I will be anoyed if I have to spend out yet again for a new router!

If that is the reason for turning on this feature, I think I'll wait until we reach this theoretical cliff edge.

If my D6400 is still in use, I'll shout at Netgear.

M-B · ‎2016-11-27

The millennium bug was only avoided by companies taking action and updating their software/hardware to accommodate. Ignoring IPV6, like cancer, may be possible but it will eventually catch up with you!

ARIN (American Registry of Internet Numbers) exhausted their IPV4 pool of for North America last year.

Lots of techniques have been deployed to extend the life of IPV4 and these will continue to be used for decades to come. However, without a long term plan the cliff edge may well come. The fact that ISPs are rolling out IPV6 means they understand the issues and are ensuring their customers don't suffer.

Hopefully Netgear will also help contribute and update their firmware to support a large UK provider prepare for the future.

michaelkenward · ‎2016-11-28

Is IPv6 active on your bit of Infinity?

M-B · ‎2016-12-11

IPV6 is now active on all BT Infinity connections. It works correctly for the ISP supplied Smart Hub 6 devices.

Looking at the BT forums it seems many other makes of routers have problems with IPV6 as BT have used a /56 delegation but most routers have a /64 delegation hard coded into their firmware. BTs implementation is allowed by the standards but the routers fail to allow this!

Therefore when will Netgear be releasing a new firmware that will support the /56 delegation used by BT in the UK?

DarrenM · ‎2016-12-15

Hello M-B

BT Infinity ISP uses IPv6-PD IPv6 configuration our devices do not support IPv6-PD configuration and we do not have any plans to support this on D6400,D7000, D7800 or D8500 in future.

DarrenM

M-B · ‎2016-12-16

So I have wasted my money on an expensive router that is not compatible with the IPV6 implementation by the UKs largest ISP?

Will any of your routers support this?

M-B · ‎2016-12-17

Given, none of your routers are compatible with IPV6 as implemented by BT in the UK, will you be removing all the stickers on your boxes that state compatibility with BT Infinity? If you don't then I am sure you will be in breach of UK consumer law.

Reeantler · ‎2016-12-31

Darren trust you are not serious! I've just bought this model on the basis it was full compatible with BT infinity - as BT upgrades I would expect a company of Netgear's standing to support this. If this is not the case then I shall consider returning this Router for a full refund plus costs being that it will not be fit for purpose!

ratsalad · ‎2017-01-25

@DarrenM wrote:
Hello M-B

BT Infinity ISP uses IPv6-PD IPv6 configuration our devices do not support IPv6-PD configuration and we do not have any plans to support this on D6400,D7000, D7800 or D8500 in future.

DarrenM

Hi Darren, Can you confirm this as the official stance? as it pretty much makes these high-end routers useless in the future to a large portion of BT users.

Reeantler · ‎2017-01-25

That's quite right Kudo 0 - so Darren if this is the official
Policy then, given that I've had my D7800 for all of 3 months, I will be seeking recompense and replacement at no cost to me! Pathetic really ... Netgear's performance on this is something you'd expect from lesser brands!

DarrenM · ‎2017-01-25

I checked with engineering and that was the response that I have got about IPv6-PD.

DarrenM

michaelkenward · ‎2017-01-25

There may, though, be new gear in the works that will fix this issue. (As ElaineM has said to other forumites, sign up for the beta programmes to get wind of anything coming along.)

NETGEAR Testers

Netgear would be on a hiding to nothing if it didn't provide this functionality. Unless, of course, BT is back into its bad old ways of always knowing best and using technology that no one else on the planet adopts.

That is how the old GPO, the "ministry of telephones", managed to do irreparable damage to the UK's telephone equipment makers. It forced them to design systems that no one else would buy.

Is BT the only user of this flavour of IPV6? Does any modem, apart from BT's horrid Homehub, support it?