Subj : What sense is a tunnel? (was: '-Unpublished-' with speed > 300)
To   : Dan Clough
From : Michiel van der Vlist
Date : Sun Nov 09 2025 09:58 pm

Hello Dan,

On Sunday November 09 2025 09:54, you wrote to me:

 MvV>> I am not familiar with IPFire but as someone else poited out
 MvV>> that also should support it. You may have to upgrade to a more
 MvV>> recent version.

 DC> It is well updated and I've now confirmed that it does NOT support
 DC> IPv6.  Seems strange from an open-source project, but.... is true.
 DC> :-\

Odd indeed. So maybe it is created and maintained by IPv6 antagonists. They DO exist you know. ;-) Actually I thought you were one of them until about a week ago. ;-)

 MvV>> PFsense supports IPv6.

 DC> Yes, but I'm not keen on having to learn and deal with FreeBSD.
 DC> Probably won't go that route.

OK...

 DC>> I also know about things like OpenWRT, but I believe that runs on
 DC>> an actual commercial router appliance,

 MvV>> OpenWRT supports IPv6. I have been running it for a couple of
 MvV>> years on a Linksys WRTsomething with a he.net tunnel.

 DC> Yes, and I have an (OLD) WRT54G around, but it's likely too old/slow
 DC> to meet the need.

Sure. The one I used actually was a WRT54G. But that was in 2011, fourteen years ago and even then it was on the edge. It was command line only, no room for a GUI, not enough resources.

 DC> I want to run whatever firewall I'm going to use on a mini-PC as I
 DC> currently am.  The reason for that is that the cable modem, router,
 DC> and main switch are located in a corner room of my house (the
 DC> "man-cave").  I do not need WiFi in this room as it has plenty of
 DC> wired outlets.  I have two Access Points in other parts of the house
 DC> (attached to the router via POE ethernet cables).  So I don't want to
 DC> buy/use an expensive "Wifi Router" (the kind with 6-8 antennae on it),
 DC> just to disable the wifi functions because I don't need/want them in
 DC> the "computer room".  Not sure if all that makes sense, but the bottom
 DC> line is that I want to continue using the mini-PC with a dedicated
 DC> "router distro" on it.  Will be checking to see if OpenWRT runs on a
 DC> PC or needs a commercial "router appliance".

Maybe you should reconsider. Low cost routers with just the basics are available these days. For the connection to my fiber glass provider I use a small low cost router from Mikrotik. No Wifi, no nonsense. Cheap and simple, but powerfull nonetheless. And of course full IPv6 support. IIRC I paid EUR 60 for it. It does not take much energy either. 10 Watts or zo. And no noise. IMNSHO much preferable over a small PC serving as a router.

 MvV>> *1) DISCLAIMER. It is my understanding that when using a
 MvV>> privately owned cable modem in the US, the firmware for the
 MvV>> modem comes from the provider not from the manufacture, so there
 MvV>> may be some snakes in the grass. Correct me if I am wrong.

 DC> I'm not sure about that either.  If so, it would seem that they (Cox
 DC> Cable ISP) could enable my IPv6 abilities from their end if it's
 DC> currently turned off.  I'll be asking them about that eventually.

Sure, ask them.

 DC> We'll see how this all plays out...  :-)

We stay tuned...


Cheers, Michiel

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