Difference between revisions of "IPv6 network addresses"
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= Unicast IPv6 addresses = | = Unicast IPv6 addresses = | ||
*'''Global unicast''' - similar to a public IPv4 address | *'''Global unicast''' - similar to a public IPv4 address, globally unique, Internet routable addresses. It can be configured statically or assigned dynamically. The current range is <span style="color: orange">'''2000::/3'''</span> | ||
*'''Link-local''' - Link-local addresses are used to communicate with other devices on the same local link. With IPv6, the term link refers to a subnet. Link-local addresses are confined to a single link. Their uniqueness must only be confirmed on that link because they are not routable beyond the link. In other words, routers will not forward packets with a link-local source or destination address. They are from <span style="color: orange">'''FE80::/10'''</span> range and also used by IPv6 routing protocols to exchange messages and as the next-hop address in the IPv6 routing table. | [[File:Ipv6_global_unicast_address.png|none|left|Ipv6_global_unicast_address]] | ||
*'''Link-local''' - Link-local addresses are used to communicate with other devices on the same local link. With IPv6, the term link refers to a subnet. Link-local addresses are confined to a single link. Their uniqueness must only be confirmed on that link because they are not routable beyond the link. In other words, routers will not forward packets with a link-local source or destination address. They are from <span style="color: orange">'''FE80::/10'''</span> range and also used by IPv6 routing protocols to exchange messages and as the next-hop address in the IPv6 routing table. When DHCPv6 or SLAAC (Stateless Address Autoconfiguration) is used, the link-local address will automatically be specified as the default gateway address. | |||
[[File:Ipv6_link-local_address.png|none|left|Ipv6_link-local_address]] | [[File:Ipv6_link-local_address.png|none|left|Ipv6_link-local_address]] | ||
*'''Loopback''' - represented as <span style="color: orange">'''::1/128'''</span> or just <span style="color: orange">'''::1'''</span> in the compressed format | *'''Loopback''' - represented as <span style="color: orange">'''::1/128'''</span> or just <span style="color: orange">'''::1'''</span> in the compressed format | ||
*Unspecified address - <span style="color: orange">'''::/128'''</span> or just <span style="color: orange">'''::'''</span> in the compressed format. It cannot be assigned to an interface and is only be used as a source address. It is used as a source address when the device does not yet have a permanent IPv6 address or when the source of the packet is irrelevant to the destination. | *'''Unspecified address''' - <span style="color: orange">'''::/128'''</span> or just <span style="color: orange">'''::'''</span> in the compressed format. It cannot be assigned to an interface and is only be used as a source address. It is used as a source address when the device does not yet have a permanent IPv6 address or when the source of the packet is irrelevant to the destination. | ||
*'''Unique local''' - some similarity to RFC 1918 private addresses for IPv4, Unique local addresses are used for local addressing within a site or between a limited number of sites. These addresses should not be routable in the global IPv6. Unique local addresses are in the range of <span style="color: orange">'''FC00::/7 to FDFF::/7'''</span>. | *'''Unique local''' - some similarity to RFC 1918 private addresses for IPv4, Unique local addresses are used for local addressing within a site or between a limited number of sites. These addresses should not be routable in the global IPv6. Unique local addresses are in the range of <span style="color: orange">'''FC00::/7 to FDFF::/7'''</span>. | ||
*'''IPv4 embedded''' - used to help transition from IPv4 to IPv6 | *'''IPv4 embedded''' - used to help transition from IPv4 to IPv6 | ||
Special purpose ranges | |||
* 2001:0DB8::/32 - reserved for documentation purposes | |||
== IPv6 unicast address has 3 parts == | |||
*'''Global routing prefix''' - network portion of the address that is assigned by the provider, such as an ISP, to a customer or site, currently /48 global prefix is used by ISPs | |||
*'''Subnet ID''' - used by an organization to identify subnets within its site | |||
*'''Interface ID''' - equivalent to the '''host portion''' of an IPv4 addres. The term Interface ID is used because a single host may have multiple interfaces, each having one or more IPv6 addresses. | |||
[[File:Ipv6_global_routing_prefix.png|none|left|Ipv6_global_routing_prefix]] | |||
= References = | |||
*[http://www.iana.org/assignments/ipv6-address-space/ipv6-address-space.xhtml Internet Protocol Version 6 Address Space] IANA.org |
Revision as of 13:30, 16 November 2014
There are three types of IPv6 addresses:
- Unicast - An IPv6 unicast address uniquely identifies an interface on an IPv6-enabled device.
- Multicast - An IPv6 multicast address is used to send a single IPv6 packet to multiple destinations.
- Anycast - An IPv6 anycast address is any IPv6 unicast address that can be assigned to multiple devices. A packet sent to an anycast address is routed to the nearest device having that address.
IPv6 does not have a broadcast address. However, there is an IPv6 all-nodes multicast address that essentially gives the same result.
Unicast IPv6 addresses
- Global unicast - similar to a public IPv4 address, globally unique, Internet routable addresses. It can be configured statically or assigned dynamically. The current range is 2000::/3
- Link-local - Link-local addresses are used to communicate with other devices on the same local link. With IPv6, the term link refers to a subnet. Link-local addresses are confined to a single link. Their uniqueness must only be confirmed on that link because they are not routable beyond the link. In other words, routers will not forward packets with a link-local source or destination address. They are from FE80::/10 range and also used by IPv6 routing protocols to exchange messages and as the next-hop address in the IPv6 routing table. When DHCPv6 or SLAAC (Stateless Address Autoconfiguration) is used, the link-local address will automatically be specified as the default gateway address.
- Loopback - represented as ::1/128 or just ::1 in the compressed format
- Unspecified address - ::/128 or just :: in the compressed format. It cannot be assigned to an interface and is only be used as a source address. It is used as a source address when the device does not yet have a permanent IPv6 address or when the source of the packet is irrelevant to the destination.
- Unique local - some similarity to RFC 1918 private addresses for IPv4, Unique local addresses are used for local addressing within a site or between a limited number of sites. These addresses should not be routable in the global IPv6. Unique local addresses are in the range of FC00::/7 to FDFF::/7.
- IPv4 embedded - used to help transition from IPv4 to IPv6
Special purpose ranges
- 2001:0DB8::/32 - reserved for documentation purposes
IPv6 unicast address has 3 parts
- Global routing prefix - network portion of the address that is assigned by the provider, such as an ISP, to a customer or site, currently /48 global prefix is used by ISPs
- Subnet ID - used by an organization to identify subnets within its site
- Interface ID - equivalent to the host portion of an IPv4 addres. The term Interface ID is used because a single host may have multiple interfaces, each having one or more IPv6 addresses.