How to set up IP6 with IP4?
So, if I wish to add an IP6 address to my single linode, I want to know what I would do after getting one assigned from Linode: Would I simply add new my linode IP6 A records to my current IP4 A records (thereby having two sets of {www, @, *} entries in NetSol)?
Or, am I missing the way a webserver with IP4 and IP6 should be used?
Thanks.
Lester
21 Replies
@ingber:
Or, am I missing the way a webserver with IP4 and IP6 should be used?
You've pretty much got it, with the one clarification that you are adding AAAA records for your IPv6 address, not A records (which only hold IPv4 addresses). You can do this in the advanced DNS manager within the Network Solutions interface.
Also, one thing to be slightly cautious of - in general, IPv6 devices are supposed to prefer IPv6 addresses when both are available in DNS. However, there is a chance that some client devices may prefer the IPv6 address even if they don't really have a functional end-to-end IPv6 path to your server, which could then entail (potentially lengthy) timeouts before they fall back to IPv4.
What complicates this failure mode is it's not really something you can detect from the server side, unless some of your clients complain. Nor may they even understand why things are delayed, so on their part they may just assume it's the network.
In some cases, in the near term services are choosing to publish slightly different addresses (e.g., "www6" or using a ".v6.xxx.com" subdomain) for users who know they wish to use IPv6.
This should become a decreasing issue over time, and it's one of the things, among others, that IPv6 day in June is hoping to shed more light on. But in the near term, it's something to be cognizant of.
– David
I appreciate your detailed and knowledgeable reply.
Unfortunately, it seems that even common vendors of domains are not quite up to speed. I just called NetSol since there is no place under my Advanced DNS page to enter AAAA records. Instead, at least for now, I have to send them the IP 6 address and their tech enters it manually, within 24-48 hours. The only info online from them was sent to me:
The info at this URL is misleading at best, and probably incorrect, as the form page alluded to cannot be reached with that info. I called NetSol back to confirm their errors. I was told that their engineers would be contacted to correct these problems.
I hope IP 6 day in June is well attended, e.g., by domain vendors!
Lester
– David
Thank you for contacting Network Solutions Technical Support Department.
We reviewed your service request which indicates your concern to allow the use of IPv6 address in your ADNS records for INGBER.COM .
Network Solutions currently do not support IPv6 address within our systems.
We only offer the service to enter a IPv6 address to and existing name server in the com/net registry as the com/net registry does allow adding of IPv6 address to a name server.
If you have any other questions please visit our comprehensive support section at
Sincerely,
Rudy
Technical Services
Network Solutions
US/Can: 1.866.391.4357
International: 1.570.708.8788
@ingber:
Network Solutions currently do not support IPv6 address within our systems.
Wow, ok, time to delegate then :-)
– David
Cannot decipher this "sentence":
> We only offer the service to enter a IPv6 address to and existing name server in the com/net registry as the com/net registry does allow adding of IPv6 address to a name server.
GoDaddy, 1&1, Yahoo, NetSol, are all in the same category IMNSHO, utter garbage providing little to no value to anyone. They just bilk their customers for money. If a "major provider" like Netsol can't keep current, it's time to switch. AAAA records are something they should've implemented years ago.
For instance, here's a company that provides real value to their customers who implemented AAAA records in 2004:
You can get better service and also cheaper (in the case of NetSol) from so many other companies it's not even funny. It's not just time to delegate, it's time to switch companies.
@ingber:
If a major provider like NetSol does not yet support IP6, isn't this an indication that IP6 is not yet well supported over the internet. Some limitations have already been discussed above, but perhaps this is just not ready for prime time?
Nah, I just think it means one company doesn't yet support IPv6 records in their DNS hosting service (which is just one part of their product line). In any event, I'm sure it just indicates that not enough of their own customers care yet, which is probably a fair representation of the vast majority of Internet customers, but there are also plenty (and I'd guess a majority) of DNS providers that do support IPv6 records.
It's certainly true (and well documented) that IPv6 penetration in general is quite low, and until recently the cost/benefit has been unfortunately biased towards not doing anything about that. But that's going to have to change and I'm sure Network Solutions will eventually catch up.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other options for DNS hosting, including, as a Linode customer, their completely free service. It's simple to switch to, while keeping Network Solutions as your registrar.
– David
@haus:
Cannot decipher this "sentence":
> We only offer the service to enter a IPv6 address to and existing name server in the com/net registry as the com/net registry does allow adding of IPv6 address to a name server.
I believe they're talking about the root delegation records - that is, if you want to have your primary DNS for a domain hosted (or have at least one of its servers) on an IPv6 address. In this case, the IPv6 information is being installed in the root servers, not in Network Solutions' servers.
– David
@waldo:
It's not just time to delegate, it's time to switch companies.
I do not know how simple this is for a provider that holds my domain name. (a) I'm signed up for almost another decade and have also (b) signed up for their private listing service. I'd even consider switching (a) and re-paying for (b).
@ingber:
@waldo:It's not just time to delegate, it's time to switch companies.
I do not know how simple this is for a provider that holds my domain name. (a) I'm signed up for almost another decade and have also (b) signed up for their private listing service. I'd even consider switching (a) and re-paying for (b).
You don't need to worry about any of that if you just change your name servers to Linode's. That's just a technical change you make through the web config that does not affect your billing or WHOIS info.
@ingber:
@waldo:It's not just time to delegate, it's time to switch companies.
I do not know how simple this is for a provider that holds my domain name. (a) I'm signed up for almost another decade and have also (b) signed up for their private listing service. I'd even consider switching (a) and re-paying for (b).
Wow, I'm sorry to say it, but you're a sucker. Network Solutions has ludicrous prices for no reason other than that people like you pay them. What on earth are you getting for $35/year that you can't get elsewhere for less than a third of that?
@glg:
Wow, I'm sorry to say it, but you're a sucker. Network Solutions has ludicrous prices for no reason other than that people like you pay them. What on earth are you getting for $35/year that you can't get elsewhere for less than a third of that?
That's a little harsh. Even with some of the cheapest hosting, you're only talking about a difference of maybe $20 a year. BTW, at a 10-year plan the cost is around $28/year (domain plus private registration, assuming it isn't wrapped into another package).
Being in Lester's shoes with one of our domains, for me it's definitely more effort to switch registrars and deal with the transition then I want to bother with - the minor difference in savings is pretty much noise, particularly for a single domain.
A the risk of appearing to take an advocacy position, or start a registrar discussion (for which there have been other threads) there is some value included. For one thing, there's 7x24 real live person support included, which is rarely something included in cheaper offerings (if live support is available at all). There can also be some differences in how the cheaper privacy guards are set up.
Anyway, Lester, there's no need to worry about switching registrars if you'd just like to delegate DNS hosting elsewhere. You can just tell Network Solutions that your domain is using servers other than theirs for DNS and leave everything else in place.
On the main account DNS page, there should be an option to change where the domain points (I think in the same area as the advanced editing option). That's where you would install other servers (like ns1-ns5.linode.com) if you wanted to host your DNS elsewhere.
What you'd do is first dump (or record) your current DNS information as configured with Network Solutions. Set up a matching domain in Linode's (or whomever's) servers and make sure that queries to those servers work properly. Then re-configure NS. For a period of time (generally within 48 hours, though it's mostly stragglers after 24 hours or so) people may hit both servers so do this when there's no time critical changes you are making to DNS.
You can also always switch back if desired.
– David
@db3l:
@glg:Wow, I'm sorry to say it, but you're a sucker. Network Solutions has ludicrous prices for no reason other than that people like you pay them. What on earth are you getting for $35/year that you can't get elsewhere for less than a third of that?
That's a little harsh. Even with some of the cheapest hosting, you're only talking about a difference of maybe $20 a year.
Hosting? Who's talking about hosting? they charge $35 a year for registration by itself. Going rate is more like $10 a year.
@db3l:
A the risk of appearing to take an advocacy position, or start a registrar discussion (for which there have been other threads) there is some value included. For one thing, there's 7x24 real live person support included, which is rarely something included in cheaper offerings (if live support is available at all). There can also be some differences in how the cheaper privacy guards are set up.
While I have used the support here at linode and at previous shared hosts I've used, I have literally never had to contact support for domain registration.
@glg:
Hosting? Who's talking about hosting? they charge $35 a year for registration by itself. Going rate is more like $10 a year.
DNS hosting, which is included in the NS domain registration. Sorry, since we're talking DNS, I figured that would be unambiguous. And the $35 rate (which is sans privacy) is the single year price, so not applicable in Lester's case (he's probably paying around $18 for the registration/hosting). Cheapest around, absolutely not. I just disagree with the characterization of someone being a "sucker" for choosing NS.
– David
@db3l:
@glg:Hosting? Who's talking about hosting? they charge $35 a year for registration by itself. Going rate is more like $10 a year.
DNS hosting, which is included in the NS domain registration. Sorry, since we're talking DNS, I figured that would be unambiguous. And the $35 rate (which is sans privacy) is the single year price, so not applicable in Lester's case (he's probably paying around $18 for the registration/hosting). Cheapest around, absolutely not. I just disagree with the characterization of someone being a "sucker" for choosing NS.
I'm being harsh, no bones about it, but that's because NS has never changed their price in response to the competition. they're charging the same $35 they did back in 1999 before they had competition. why? because they can convince suckers that they're providing a "more stable" service or some BS like that.
Thanks very much for the help I got on this forum!
Lester
Lester