It seems like there are lots of folks that use it for direct downstream customer-facing allocations and are not even utilizing them for dual-stack services as intended. I have seen a number of “low end” web hosting companies (folks that advertise on websites like Low End Box) that do just that, as well as some smaller start up ISPs (including one right in my backyard that doesn’t even bother announcing IPv6).
Perhaps ARIN is OK with it — but there is probably better use for the space if it’s just being freely given out to those who aren’t willing to use it as intended. > On Dec 12, 2025, at 8:49 PM, Brandon Martin via NANOG <[email protected]> > wrote: > > On 12/12/25 15:53, William Herrin via NANOG wrote: >> 464xlat and similar technologies. Basically, ARIN has a set-aside for >> folks who have IPv6 devices on an IPv6 network that have a need to >> also talk to IPv4 devices on the Internet via one of the transition >> technologies. For that specific use case, there's still a pool of >> unallocated addresses available. > > In addition to address translation targets, they can (per policy) be used for > other critical functions that require dual-stacking such as DNS servers (both > recursive and authoritative noting that there are still a lot of "target" > networks that are IPv6-enabled but don't have dual-stack authoritative > nameservers) and things like mail servers and potentially even web servers > that require "some rando on the Internet" who may not have IPv6 at all to be > able to hit them. > > The (somewhat unwritten) intent appears to be to allow a newly started entity > to still obtain a minimal IPv4 presence so as to facilitate an "IPv6 first" > network deployment without having to wait on the waiting list or go to the > open market via specified transfer. You can get a 4.10 /24 allocation > essentially immediately after having an IPv6 allocation provided you use it > for the stated purposes. > > A /24 is cramped but largely adequate for this purpose for most newly-started > network. If you can justify need for more space such as because your NAT > overload ratio is becoming untenable, you can request expansion, and ARIN has > policies in place to try to make it so that your expansion space will > aggregate with your original space without requiring you to re-number. > _______________________________________________ > NANOG mailing list > https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/5HZMKGROD4AUTTJAU26KX4H6D5PUP2LL/ _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/K5YNF6YV7A3BTFIL36DAEHSGMCUYMWYL/
