Comcast's IPv6 CPE selection

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

The WNR1000 and the WNR3500 run GPL Linux, you can download the
source from here:

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2649

The WNR3500 can run DD-WRT as a matter of fact.

The Linux that is contained in these probably already has
the Ipv6 utilities in it, and if you can get to a command
prompt you might even be able to activate Ipv6 routing
on them.  it's just the Netgear webinterface that would
need to be changed.

Thus Comcast has several options.  First they can contract with
the DD-WRT folks to produce a DD-WRT version for them that
contains IPv6, that would be very quick to do.  Secondly they
could contract with Netgear to produce a code version that
would contain IPv6 for them - but if that happened then Netgear
would be required under the GPL terms to distribute that on
their own website.  Third Comcast could take the existing code
and add in the IPv6 support themselves - which espically if
they consider their customers "owning" these devices once they
get them - would also constitute "redistribution" under the GPL
and thus Comcast would be obligated to post their source.

I think it highly unlikely that Comcast would pay to rewrite
the firmware for the WNR's from scratch, thus avoiding the
GPL redistribution requirements.  So I'd assume that your
going to be dealing with the Linux IPv6 stack.

My advice is if you have Comcast and plan on participating
in this trial to by all means get the WNR3500.  That way if
the Comcast or Netgear firmware is crap, you can load DD-WRT
on it.

Ted

On 4/24/2010 8:22 AM, Frank Bulk wrote:
> This week Comcast came out with some updated information regarding each of
> the trials it plans to undertake in the coming year
> (http://www.comcast6.net/).  One of the items was a list of three different
> CPE for Trial #2 (native dual-stack):
> 	Apple Airport Extreme
> 	NetGear WNR3500
> 	NetGear WNR1000
>
> I know that Apple has a reasonably decent IPv6 implementation, but I wasn't
> aware that Netgear was doing anything on SOHO routers.  When I checked the
> documentation for both models on Netgear's website there was no mention of
> IPv6 anywhere.
>
> Does anyone have the inside scoop?
>
> Frank
>