The primary use of AVES is to provide bi-directional connectivity to hosts without IP addresses. For example, if you share a DSL or cable modem Internet connection among several hosts in the home, then AVES can restore bi-directional connectivity to these hosts so that they can be reached from outside the home network. With AVES, many applications become possible once again, here are just some common examples:

• Get a fixed host name for your NAT gateway even if you only get a dynamic IP address from your ISP.
• Run VNC (Virtual Network Computing) servers on home computers and interact remotely with your home computers.
• Bring up X windows applications on any home computers when accessing outside servers (without messy ssh X forwarding).
• Run peer-to-peer applications that use host names to address peers.
• Run web servers on any home computers.
• Run network file servers (e.g. NFS) on any home computers.
• Remote login to any home computers using telnet, ssh, etc.
• Transfer files from any home computers using ftp, scp, etc.
• And many other possibilities

In addition, since AVES generally provides a layer of indirection through the AVES waypoints, there are other situations where AVES can be beneficial even when there is not a lack of IP addresses. For example:

• When the true location of a host must be hidden from its communication peers. This may be desirable for security or privacy reasons. Using AVES, the true location of a host is hidden by the AVES waypoints.
• When an indirection is needed to achieve connectivity. This may sound strange, but it turns out that some DSL or cable modem service providers do not provide connectivity between their own customers. For example, one may not be able to connect to his neighbor's computer if both neighbors are customers of the same DSL provider. The only way to achieve connectivity in this case is by an indirection through a 3rd-party relay. The AVES waypoints can serve this purpose.

Note that these alternate uses of AVES are not yet efficiently supported by our current protocols and software implementations. Better support for these features may be added in the future.