diff --git a/content/u/blog/2022-01-20-to-viirb-or-not-to-viirb/contents.lr b/content/u/blog/2022-01-20-to-viirb-or-not-to-viirb/contents.lr new file mode 100644 index 0000000..48ef1b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/u/blog/2022-01-20-to-viirb-or-not-to-viirb/contents.lr @@ -0,0 +1,135 @@ +title: To VIIRB or not to VIIRB? +--- +pub_date: 2022-01-20 +--- +author: ungleich network team +--- +twitter_handle: ungleich +--- +_hidden: no +--- +_discoverable: no +--- +abstract: +A diary of our Open Source Router Journey +--- +body: + +## Introduction + +About 1.5 years ago we introduced the +[VIIRB](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/viirb-ipv6-box/) as the world's +smallest IPv6 router, enabling any IPv4 with IPv6. Seamless, real +plug'n'play. Shortly after that the VIIRB was joined +by the [VIWIB](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/viwib-wifi-ipv6-box/), +basically a two port variant of the VIIRB and soon after by the +[VIGIR](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/vigir). + +About a year later +[we announced on +twitter](https://twitter.com/ungleich/status/1463937807672655878) that +we are looking at the last and final batch of VIIRBs to be sold. Today +we want to shed some light on this post and introduce you to the +future plans of IPv6 and IPv6 providing routers from ungleich. + +## The requirements and development process + +All our routers are running unpatched, original upstream +[OpenWrt](https://openwrt.org/) as an operating system. When we +receive the devices, they usually contain a patched vendor version +that we replace for multiple reasons: + +- Sometimes the vendor version lacks IPv6 support +- Sometimes the vendor version lacks wireguard support +- We want to have the same look & feel for all devices +- We like to stay as close to upstream Open Source projects as + possible +- Upstream OpenWrt releases are much more trustworthy and easier to maintain + +So when we receive a new batch of devices in the ungleich HQ in +Switzerland, the typical process is: + +- Check if all devices are included +- Unpack and flash original OpenWrt +- Configure the router with IPv6/NAT64 related settings +- Verify all features work +- Pack it again, ready to be sent for an order +- On order, add the labels, accessory and have it ship out + +## The pricing + +The whole process for each devices take a bit of time, especially when +taken into all exceptions like defects, errors by the post or return +handling from customers when someone ordered a wrong device. + +Instead of taking into account all necessary work and creating a +pricing based on this input, we asked ourselves in the beginning: + +``` + What is the lowest price we can offer so that we can + enable as many people as possible with IPv6? +``` + +This led to a bit awkward pricing, which some of our customers +noticed: + +The devices themselves *including* an IPv6-VPN are actually cheaper +than the [IPv6 VPN](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/ipv6-vpn/) itself. +How does that make any sense? The short answer is: it doesn't if you +want to make any win. + +We did it anyway, because **our primary goal is to bring IPv6 anywhere**. +It's a bit like [HE.net](http://he.net/) offering free IPv6 tunnels - +it does not make any win, but you do it nonetheless. + +## The future of VIIRB, VIWIB and co. + +At some point you have to ask yourself, does it (financially) make +sense what we do? + +And the answer is "Jein" (a German combination of "Ja" + "Nein"): + +* Financially it doesn't +* For supporting IPv6 deployments world wide: it does + +To continue providing VIIRB and VIWIB, we have two + +### Introducing the "Fair Price" + +Instead of abandoning the VIIRB like we planned or our low price, we +are adding a new price for the VIIRB and VIWIB that covers all our +costs. We call this price the "Fair Price" and with that we are not +losing money on each device. + +We keep the original prices up and to make the pricing more clear, we +call them now "Sponsored Price". + +Obviously we encourage everyone who can to buy the devices at the fair +price, but if you can't, we will continue to sponsor IPv6 deployments. + +### VIIRB+VIWIB Sponsoring package + +Secondly we know offer VIIRB and VIWIB sponsoring packages: If you +think what we do is a good thing and you would like to support it, we +now offer VIIRB+VIWIB sponsoring packages that cover the difference +between the selling price and the real costs for the devices, leading +to a zerosum for ungleich. + +The sponsor packages work as follows: + +* You select a number of VIIRB/VIWIBs you would like to sponsor +* You can opt-in to send us stickers from your organisation that we + include with the VIIRBs/VIWIBs that you sponsored +* You can opt-in to be publicly named on a IPv6 deployment sponsor list + +* [Sponsor 5 VIIRBs/VIWIBs](https://linksanghee) - 435 CHF +* [Sponsor 10 VIIRBs/VIWIBs](https://linksanghee) - 870 CHF +* [Sponsor 20 VIIRBs/VIWIBs](https://linksanghee) - 1740 CHF +* [Sponsor 50 VIIRBs/VIWIBs](https://linksanghee) - 4350 CHF +* [Sponsor 100 VIIRBs/VIWIBs](https://linksanghee) - 8700 CHF + +## More IPv6 + +We hope with our continued efforts we can support more IPv6 +deployments out there. In the meantime, if you want to talk more about +IPv6, feel free to join [our open IPv6.chat](https://IPv6.chat).