17

What is the current status of IPv6 support?

From what I gathered reading the Wiki, protocol specifications support IPv6, but the original client does not.

However, I also came across the description of Bitcoins.lc, who claim "full IPv6 support".

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10

The standard Bitcoin client does not at this time support IPv6. Bitcoins.lc is a mining pool, and mining pools work by having an interface (such as PushPool) visible to the public which handles all the getwork stuff and various internals, miner tracking etc. This interface operates as a proxy to the actual bitcoin client and so the client itself can bind to an IPv4 address which is local relative to the mining interface which can have full IPv6 support.

In short, it is not the bitcoin client which bitcoins.lc is claiming IPv6 support for, but the proxy to which pooled miners connect.

Edit: It looks like sipa has submitted the necessary code. According to TheBlueMatt, there is "some alternate connection logic and anti-DDoS stuff wrt filling addr.dat on IRC" that needs to be done first. In any case the code is out there so it shouldn't be long now until it finds its way into the official client.

Update: IPv6 support was merged into the mainstream client and should be available in the 0.7.0 build.

Improve this answer
6
  • 2
    I think this answer should be returned to eventually and elaborated on, as IPv6 is going to shortly become necessary and the bitcoin client will likely change.
    – Evil Spork
    Sep 3, 2011 at 20:09
  • Absolutely. I've marked it as a favorite and plan to revisit it whenever IPv6 support gets rolled into the client.
    – David Perry
    Sep 3, 2011 at 21:44
  • 2
    Unfortunately, the client uses some of the bits of the IPv4 address as a surrogate for the geographical location. This logic will have to be re-thought for IPv6 addresses. (Or ditched. I'm not convinced it was ever particularly effective.)
    – David Schwartz
    Sep 8, 2011 at 6:21
  • That's probably part of the "alternate connection logic" TheBlueMatt was talking about. I haven't exactly pored over the source code so I can only trust what I read from the real devs.
    – David Perry
    Sep 8, 2011 at 6:26
  • 1
    I hope to get full IPv6 support in 0.7.0.
    – Pieter Wuille
    Mar 5, 2012 at 23:54

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.