[AfrICANN-discuss] IPv4's Last Day: What Will Happen When There Is Only IPv6?

[SM]

At 06:34 24-04-10, Dr Yassin Mshana wrote:
>I was wondering about the implications of this to a common user.

None in the short term.  It's irrelevant to the common user whether 
they are using IPv4 to access the content.  ISPs and content 
providers will be affected as they are the ones that go to RIRs to 
get IPv4 addresses.  If they cannot get IPv4 addresses, it won't be 
the end of the Internet.  They may have to spend more money.  ISPs 
would have to change the way their users access the web.  The common 
user won't notice the change as they are used to accessing the web 
from behind a NAT.  The uncommon users who require more than web 
access may be affected if they are running applications that require 
an IPv4 address reachable from anywhere on the Internet.

>Also, what is stopping the RIRs from requesting for IPv6 from this moment?

I am not sure what you mean here.  RIRs already assign IPv6 addresses.

At 07:02 24-04-10, Alex Gakuru wrote:
>My considered opinion is that it would help end users much if AfriNIC
>community supported end users with information, popularised, and

That wouldn't make any difference as end users do not have a 
choice.  Your ISP does not support IPv6 and does not plan to do 
so.  As an experiment, call your ISP and ask them whether you can get 
an IPv6 address.

>assisted more to use available, free IPv6 tunnel brokers - giving a
>first-hand experience of the IPv6 internet? for example, "Freenet6

There isn't much to experience as there is very little content 
available over IPv6.

>Would such a program already be existence? My apologies if it already
>does for I was not aware of it.

You can set up a IPv6 tunnel as there are a few free IPv6 tunnel 
providers outside Africa.  The other end of the tunnel will not be in 
the AfriNIC region.  This means that if you want to reach a friend 
using the same ISP as you and who's running a similar tunnel, the 
communication will go through Europe or some other point outside the 
region.  That causes a delay.

If you need help setting up an IPv6 tunnel, you can ask on the AfNOG 
mailing list.

Regards,
-sm