Tell HN: IPv6-only still pretty much unusable

Article summary

The author attempted to set up a server cluster using IPv6 exclusively, but encountered several roadblocks, including GitHub API and code load endpoints not being reachable via IPv6, and default Ubuntu key servers not being reachable via IPv6. This experiment highlights the limitations of IPv6-only setups. The author's hosting provider, Hetzner, also does not provide their own API via IPv6. The author questions the viability of IPv6 in production environments.

Main themes

• IPv6 adoption
• IPv6-only limitations
• CGNAT and NAT64
• Geolocation and IP addressing
• Infrastructure and configuration challenges
• Demand and customer requirements

What commenters say

• Some argue that IPv6-only setups are not viable due to lack of support from major services like GitHub and BitBucket.
• Others suggest that IPv6-only setups can work with NAT64 and DNS64 configurations, but may not be scalable.
• The use of CGNAT for IPv4 is seen as a potential solution, but it has its own drawbacks, such as breaking IP-based geolocation.
• Some commenters believe that IPv6 adoption is growing rapidly, with some networks showing significant IPv6 traffic.
• There are differing opinions on the relevance of DJB's 'IPv6 mess' rant, with some arguing it is still relevant and others claiming it is no longer applicable.
• Some argue that the lack of IPv6 support is due to a lack of demand from customers, while others believe it is due to the complexity of configuration and infrastructure changes.
• The use of dual-stack setups is seen as a potential solution, but it can be complex and require significant configuration changes.
• Some commenters believe that IPv6-only setups can be beneficial, such as breaking IP-based geolocation, which can be seen as a positive aspect.