IPv6 Test Pod

Introduction to the IPv6 Test Pod

As IPv6 usage continues to grow, it's important to ensure that software and services will function not only in a dual-stack environment, but also in IPv6-only networks. Not every network has access to IPv6 today, and on top of that, setting up an IPv6-only environment can be challenging, even for a network engineer.

Enter the IPv6 Test Pod - a device that aims to make it easy to test software and services in a variety of IPv6 networks including dual-stack, IPv6-only, and IPv6-only with transition mechanisms to access the IPv4-only internet, such as NAT64, DNS64, and PREF64.

The IPv6 Test Pod is a relatively inexpensive device made available at no cost that provides a variety of IPv6 test networks via Wifi SSIDs and optionally over Wired Ethernet connections. All you have to do is provide a wired internet connection to the WAN interface (IPv4-only is OK), power, and it will provide a series of networks to test devices and software with:

Dual-Stack (IPv4 and IPv6)
IPv6-only
IPv6 only with NAT64+DNS64
IPv6-only with NAT64+PREF64
IPv6 only with NAT64+DNS64+PREF64

These devices will come at no cost to a participant. IPv6 Tunnel termination is provided as part of this project by Internet2.

Who is this intended for?

This project

Software developers wanting to test their software against IPv6-only networks.
IT support personnel wanting to test systems and software they support in IPv6-only networks.
Network Engineers wanting to test IPv6-only networks and IPv6-only transition technologies such as 464XLAT.

How can I get one?

Fill out the Application Form! - We're now accepting applications and will review submissions and ship out when the hardware is ready.

What happens when you run out of hardware?

If hardware runs out, we want to look at ways to distribute a VM image participants can run or an OS image that can be flashed to hardware purchased by the user.

Is there a cost?

There is no cost; This is made possible by the ARIN Community Grant program.