Quote:
Originally Posted by Panopticon
Okay! I've updated and simplified my instructions using that input; thanks for the IP ranges.
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Those ranges have been posted for eight months, with never a report that they where incomplete.
The reasoning behind the use of ranges is based on the practical aspects of implementing an IPv4 network in these days of limited address block availability.
Other methods, such as:
Diverting by domain name (/etc/hosts or other means) ;
Blocking by specific IP address (iptables or other means) ;
can not be considered "stable" when dealing with a network owner that owns large address blocks.
Either or both the domain name or the IP address at the service edge of the network can be changed in minutes of time and will propagate within hours.
The blocks are large enough that end-users would be forever playing catch-up with the changes when using those specific blocking methods.
But with the shortage of IPv4 address blocks, it is both very time consuming and expensive to acquire a 'new' block of addresses.
Translation: Not likely to happen.
My original thread mentioned it was Part 1 of 2 parts - - -
But I never posted the Part 2.
Research showed that it was not required.
The Kindle hardware and software **could** use IPv6 addresses ;
Amazon does have their network accessible via IPv6 ;
But they have contracted with A.T.T. to provide their connectivity,
and A.T.T. currently only has one IPv6 backbone.
Their 2G, 3G, and 4G offerings are not IPv6 capable, the protocols do not (yet) support IPv6.
Their Wifi network is currently on life-support in an attempt to recover their existing equipment costs.
They aren't likely to shift that black hole of corporate funds onto their limited IPv6 facilities.
Translation: The Kindles are not going to be switched to IPv6 any time soon. At least not until some carrier offers Amazon a deal on "universal IPv6" access. Which is not likely to happen until all cell phone service is running on IPv6.
Hence, no "Part 2".
Could even "range blocking" deal with an IPv6 data mining operation?
Not likely.
There are so many IPv6 address blocks possible that carriers are giving away /64 blocks - not selling, giving.
Even I, sitting here in my home workroom have a /64 block of private addresses (left over from last February's research) assigned.
Since the IPv6 address scheme is 2^128 addressing, that gives me 2^64 public, IPv6 addresses.
Not even GM has that much network equipment in his home!
How big a number is that in terms of the Kindle product?
Fun with math:
The Kindles use a 16 character serial number, the first four characters indicate the product number, the other 12 characters are base 10 digits to specify the unit.
So Amazon has 10^12 serial numbers available for each product number ...
In en_Computer, that is a bit less than 2^40 serial numbers.
That single (free) /64 IPv6 assignment could be used to assign a unique IPv6 address to:
64 - 40 == 24
Every possible Kindle for each of 2^24 different Kindle products.
Amazon doesn't have 2^24 different Kindle products and not even in their wildest dreams have they used up all the 2^40 possible serial numbers for any one model.
But if they have plans to produce that many Kindles -
My carrier will give me another /64 block (for free) if I check the check-box on the account page.
Those are big numbers, even in their (current) smallest assignment size (/64).
PS: Yes, all twelve of my domains are on both IPv4 and IPv6.
I.E: KnetConnect.com can assign a personal, public IPv6 address to every possible Kindle there might ever be in the world. (So could you if you asked the right carrier nicely.)