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Public IPv6 on Android platforms

First, some background:

Mobile PDP contexts offer a packet data connection over which the handset and the network can exchange IP packets. Imagine them as the access modems used in homes, but they are actually implemented in software of the handset.

More at http://www.3g4g.co.uk/Tutorial/ZG/zg_pdp

Running an IPv6 public address on any mobile platform normally needs a change in the IPv4-only PDP context that all mobile operators currently support. Dual-stack contexts have little support with the operators or handsets, so IPv6 public connectivity (in a Dual-Stack environment) is very difficult on a smartphones. This means dual-stack apps, like web browsers, on handsets cannot access content over IPv6; this lack of app testing is a critical issue in IPv6 migration for mobile platforms.

Android implementation:

My idea of a work around is to run a tunneling service within IPv4 PDP contexts, similar to what Freenet6 does today on fixed hosts.

Since the gogoClient is written in C++ for Linux, and Android has a C/C++ toolkit, known as the Android NDK, then porting the gogoClient to Android should be possible.

With the client on the Android handset, using PDP v4 contexts, then IPv6 packets can be transported from there to a dual-stack SGSN or GGSN node at the operators network where a gogoServer resides to terminate the v6-in-v4 tunnel.

Before we go further I like to see if anyone has feedback on the above concept ?

This should be portable to iPhone or any mobile terminal, but Android is easiest as it is an open source project on both the Android and gogoClient ends.

Tags: Android, GGSN, IPv6, Linux, PDP, SGSN, dualstack, gogoClient

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Knott on June 4, 2011 at 2:57pm

Android, at least later versions, already supports IPv6. When I connect to my home network, via WiFi, I get an IPv6 address. I assume it will also support it over the 3G interface, when my carrier gets around to supporting it. However, in the mean time, a gogoclient for it would be nice.

Permalink Reply by Ahmed Abu-Abed on June 4, 2011 at 3:24pm

Thanks for the feedback. When running IP over WiFi the PDP is not in use as you are likely using a fixed ISP and not the mobile operator network. My proposal was strictly on supporting IPv6 over the 3G network using the existing IPv4-only PDP contexts and the mobile carrier IPv4 packet core infrastructure.

Permalink Reply by Michael Biber on November 12, 2011 at 5:59pm

Hi Ahmed, has this thought gone anywhere more concrete?

Permalink Reply by Ahmed Abu-Abed on November 13, 2011 at 3:31am

Hi Michael, this is still an idea but the first step to try it out is to find a resource who can program Android platforms, preferably in C/C++ language. Same idea can be applied to iPhone/iPad.

Public IPv6 on Android platforms

Replies to This Discussion

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