Private vs. Public Autonomous System Numbers (ASN): What’s the Difference?

Interconnection

In the world of internet networking, Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) play a crucial role in routing data efficiently between different networks. ASNs are unique identifiers assigned to Autonomous Systems (AS)—large networks or groups of IP addresses that operate under a single organization, such as ISPs, cloud providers, or large enterprises. However, not all ASNs are … Read more

Why Is East-West Traffic Important in ISP Networks?

The terms east-west traffic and north-south traffic are pivotal for understanding data flows. These concepts are not limited to data centers or enterprise networks; they also have significant implications in Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks. While ISPs primarily focus on external connectivity (north-south traffic), the importance of east-west traffic within their networks is growing as … Read more

/127s for IPv6 Point -To-Point links

/127’s for point-to-point links (RFC 6164) instead of /64’s https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6164 [RFC4291] specifies that interface IDs for all unicast addresses, except those that start with the binary value 000, are required to be 64 bits long and to be constructed in Modified EUI-64 format. In addition, it defines the Subnet-Router anycast address, which is intended to … Read more

WISP tower random photos

I was going through some older hard drives and came across some of these photos of Baicells, Cambium and other gear on towers. These were installed for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). See below for those who don’t know what a WISP is. A Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) is a telecommunications company that delivers … Read more

Celebrating a Merry ISP Network Christmas: Spreading Connectivity Cheer!

Cassini End of Mission (NHQ201709150002)

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and amidst the joyous festivities, let’s take a moment to celebrate the unsung heroes of our connected world—the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our digital sleighs flying high. So, gather ’round, for this festive blog is dedicated to a Merry ISP Network … Read more

Why is XGS-PON better than standard GPON?

In this blog post, I will compare XGS-PON (10 Gigabit Symmetrical Passive Optical Network) and GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) to understand why XGS-PON is emerging as the superior choice for ultra-fast fiber internet. Many Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPS) are considering getting into fiber to the home (FTTH). Understanding GPON Gigabit Passive Optical Network … Read more

If you are an ISP, run your own DNS resolvers

Glenn Kelley has a great article on spinning up your own DNS resolvers. This is a critical piece of infrastructure if you are in internet Service Provider (ISP). https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-dns-server-your-network-uses-root-hints-glenn-kelley As Glenn writes. Here’s why ISPs should consider running their own: This is especially important in high-latency networks such as in the 3rd world or some … Read more