Inconsistencies with IPv6 and Homegroup?

Possible inconsistencies with IPv6 and Windows 7 Homegroup

In my case I think that I have traced the cause to the lack of implementation of the IPv6 stack  on the Western Digital Powerline (Live Wire) network adapters.

• All pages relating to IPv6 on The Technology Muse

IPv6

IPv6 issues and observations.

• Windows HomeGroup Networking ---Uses IPv6 protocols (possibly not too well)
• Interim measures for IPv6 implementation 
• IPv6 and Windows 7
• Methods of mitigation of IPv4 address exhaustion
• DOCSIS 3 modem and IPv6 --- Theoretically your ISP can "see through" your NAT
• How the implementation of IPv6 is going to affect anonymity --Determining who you are from your IP address
• How your individual device can be identified on the Internet

IPv6 can address individual devices on a network - even separate computers, tablets, phones and other Internet connected devices even when they are connected behind a network router.

This is the reason for security and privacy concerns in that your computing device will be identifiable even though you have taken steps to obscure your IP address. Although the primary need for Network Address translation is alleviated, I guess this means that you will be able to connect multiple computers in your home to the Internet via your ISP without the need for a router, it will probably a good idea that you don't.

IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, so the new address space supports 2128 (approximately 340 undecillion or 3.4*1038) addresses. This expansion allows for many more devices and users on the internet as well as extra flexibility in allocating addresses and efficiency for routing traffic. It also eliminates the primary need for network address translation (NAT), which gained widespread deployment as an effort to alleviate IPv4 address  exhaustion.

My advice is that you should always use a router when connecting to your ISP. Even when new IPv6 models become available it is probably best to try and use an old model. There will probably be some loss of functionality, such as the ability for you to uniquely identify all of your IPv6 compatible equipment even though you are using a shared Internet connection.

IPv6 has not been fully implemented (Fall 2011), Windows 7 uses Teredo Tunneling to  give IPv6 connectivity for IPv6-capable hosts which are on the IPv4 Internet . There have been reports that the IPv6 stack is a potential security problem for users of services such as The Pirate Bay's iPredator.

Determining who you are from your IP address

With the proposed changes to the IP addressing scheme used for Internet routing it will theoretically be possible to identify individual communications devices even if they are located behind a firewall or a NAT (Network Address Translator). This is accomplished using a process called "tunneling". The term "tunneling" is used here in a very generic manner as "Tunneling Protocols" can take on many forms and are beyond  the scope of this page.

The main discussion that you here when IPv6 is discussed is with regard to the fact that IPv4 addresses are going to run out and whether particular networking equipment and services are IPv6 ready. This is a minor issue in this debate.

The implications of this increased address-ability is that if you are participating  in an activity that you do not want traced an interested party may be able to pin-point your location. At the present time, under IPv4 addressing, your IP address will only revealed to the outside world as the one assigned to your modem or gateway by your ISP. Devices located behind a router or Network Address Translator cannot be identified unless there is some other interim process at play.

An Internet user can be connected to that server from anywhere in the world using numerous IP obscuring techniques. But, if IPv6 is used, the routing to your individual device can be determined irrespective if what proxy you are connecting through.

If you run the ipconfig command on a Windows 7 computer you get a listing of the Windows IP Configuration. At the present time it is not known whether the information so generated is visible, or is possible to be so, to the outside world. Or the Tunnel Adapter at the ISP. The listing that I get when connected at home reveals not only the local IP address assigned by my router by DHCP but also the Link-Local IPv6 address.

IPv6 Connectivity

IPv6 can address individual devices on a network - even separate computers, tablets, phones and other Internet connected devices even when they are connected behind a network router.

This is the reason for security and privacy concerns in that your computing device will be identifiable even though you have taken steps to obscure your IP address. Although the primary need for Network Address translation is alleviated, I guess this means that you will be able to connect multiple computers in your home to the Internet via your ISP without the need for a router, it will probably a good idea that you don't.

Strange observations of neighboring networks appearing in network listing on  peer computers. The theory is that due to the interim nature of the IPv6 implementation in Windows 7 that individual computers, that are not on your local network, can been seen but not accessed.

 This was only theory at the time of writing (June 2011) - see screen-shot below - could this be due to Teredo tunneling?

The implications of this are that for some reason Windows 7 is capable of idetifying computers connected to other wireless networks (presumably but they could be just computers on the same cable node of the WAN). These computers are also presumably behind network routers and their idendities are still seen in Windows Explorer. If this can be done in a somewhat local situation it could also be achieved it the computers were connecting through  a VPN.

The computers shown in the shot above are NOT ALL IN MY LOCAL NETWORK. In any case I tend not to name my computers with a real name (or the user), rather than describe the computer, as in ZOTEC_SEVEN-PC.

I am not saying that there is a security threat here in itself, only that it appears that computers that are not on your local network can be seen, not accessed, from your local neighborhood.

• IPv6 Main page