It is difficult to understand why Cisco has not added IPv6 to its Linksys consumer routers yet, but the company is committed to supporting arrive this spring.
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It is 2011, the IPv4 addresses are officially sold out, and the world’s largest maker of routers, Cisco is not yet compatible with IPv6 in its best-selling line of Linksys wireless routers. This is true even for the router E4200 released last month (priced at $ 180). The company is committed to having IPv6 support for the Linksys line for spring, but has not been determined.
The networking world has been aware of the shortage of IPv4 addresses for years. Cisco’s competitors, D-Link and Netgear, for example, have been offering consumer certificates IPv6 routers for a while. Cisco routers support IPv6 company (of course) and have also been certified by the IPv6 Forum. Cisco has been involved in the IPv6 world day trial last year, even started to eat their own dog food IPv6, IPv6 serve content through its Web site www.ipv6.cisco.com. Heck, PC customers have had IPv6 support as an optional extra, since Windows XP SP2 and default from Vista. Mac OS has supported IPv6 since 2004.
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Updated: Cisco did not immediately address these issues, but offered this official statement:
“IPv6 is essential for next-generation Internet, enabling a range of new services and improved user experiences. As ISPs begin deployment of IPv6 services to its customers, consumers will need new routers and gateways that support IPv6 to participate in this next generation Internet. Later this spring, Cisco will begin to enable IPv6 on its entire line of consumer routers including the Linksys maximum performance E4200 Dual-Band Wireless-N Router. It is essential that consumers start to search for products and devices that support IPv6. Cisco has been and remains a leader in the development of IPv6 so that consumers can be sure that Cisco’s products offer superior performance of current first-line and provide a basis for the future. ”
After reading the statement he asked if Cisco’s words, “consumers will have new routers and gateways that support IPv6” meant that Cisco is going to require their customers to buy new routers with IPv6 support in routers available. We again asked whether there was any way for those who have recently bought new Cisco routers get when deploying IPv6, and if the routers of owning older also offer support for IPv6.
Update: We’ve received no response. After waiting three days for a response, Cisco, finally told us: “The E4200 has just launched Linksys and Linksys routers that will be launched this year -. IPv6 support out of the box or through a firmware update (free) “Cisco has not shared information on whether current users of Linksys routers will provide an update of the routers they already own.
When we asked questions similar Netgear, a company spokesperson told us: “Most of today not only Netgear routers support IPv6, but are also certified. We are working on IPv6 support for all our current shipping and routers will be available to customers in the form of a firmware update. “