[Updated Dec 24] — Lantronix announced an IPv6 certified version of its tiny, RJ45-sized embedded Linux networking server called the XPort Pro Lx6 aimed at IoT applications.

Lantronix’s Xport Pro has long been a favorite of embedded engineers looking for a low-cost networking server that doesn’t consume much space or power. The new XPort Pro Lx6 is almost physically identical to the original, but adds full IPv6 compliance, making it more feasible as an IoT platform for unattended M2M (machine-to-machine) communications.

As before, the XPort Pro Lx6 measures only 33.9 x 16.25 x 13.5mm and weighs 9.6 grams. The 32-bit Freescale ColdFire MCF5208 SoC appears to be the same, but instead of coming standard with 8MB SDRAM, it now ships with the previously optional 16MB.

XPort Pro Lx6

Like the XPort Pro, the new model offers 16MB of flash storage and a 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet port. The device runs on 3.3VDC power, and the previously optional, industrial temperature range of -40 to 85°C is now standard. The device is available with embedded Linux or Lantronix’s homegrown Evolution OS.

Inside the XPort Pro

As can be seen in a close comparison between the XPort Pro and pin-compatible XPort Pro Lx6 data sheets, aside from the addition of IPv6 support, even the firmware is almost identical.

XPort Pro Block Diagram
(Click to enlarge)

XPort Pro Lx6 highlights include:

• Simple device setup, configuration and monitoring
• Robust, hardened Device Server Application Suite
• Web server, customizable with CGI, with content updatable via FTP
• Web manager, with support for CLI and XML Configuration Records
• Multiple session connectivity modes, remote firmware upgrades, and configuration with enterprise class management interfaces
• FIPS 197 compliant 256-bit AES encryption

Will IoT boost slow IPv6 adoption?

The IPv6 protocol, which is designed to greatly extend IPv4’s limited number of available Internet addresses, has been available for years, and was formally launched in June 2012. Yet despite widespread support from carriers and equipment manufacturers, according to a recent IT-Director.com report, on Dec. 9, 2013, only 2.24 percent of users were accessing Google search over IPv6.

The adoption of IPv6 has been slowed by the recession, but with the economy picking up, and IPv4 addresses growing increasingly scarce, things should start changing in 2014. The numerous product announcements surrounding IoT bode well for the momentum of the protocol.

In addition to extending IP addresses from 32 to 128 bits, IPv6 supports auto-configuration, as well as Multicast Neighbor Solicitation messages to resolve IP addresses to link-layer addresses, says Lantronix. IPv6 also manages membership in local subnet groups using Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) messages, and enables devices to determine the IP address of the best default gateway via ICMPv6 router solicitation and router advertisement messages. It also supports 1280-byte packet size or greater without fragmentation, says the company.

 
Further information

The XPort Pro Lx6 is available now for $39 for volume levels of 1,000 units. More information may be found at the XPort Pro Lx6 product page. See also our previous coverage of the original XPort Pro for a summary of the device’s specs, plus a block diagram of its embedded Freescale ColdFire MCF5208 system-on-chip.