View Source: RouterAdvertisements - Waikato Linux Users Group

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Every so often an [IPv6] router is supposed to send out Router Advertisements saying what [IPv6] range(s) should be used on this subnet allowing a host to autoconfigure itself by appending it's [MAC] address to the [IPv6] address and using that.  So it's kinda like a built in [DHCP].

Some gotcha's
* You need to configure linux boxen to send RouterAdvertisements, either by running radvd(8) (__R__outer __Adv__erisement __D__ameon) or by using zebra(8) or the like.
* You don't want to [DHCP] routers, so if you forward packets you aren't allowed to auto configure yourself.  Kinda makes sense.
* You don't want to [DHCP] servers, so machines that run services should be manually configured with an IP address, if they aren't, they will auto configure themselves an address.
* Router configuration doesn't send out [DNS] servers or anything like that.  I guess you're supposed to use AnyCast, except I don't know of anyone doing [AnyCast] [DNS] serving.

Other than that, it means that desktop machines and the like just plugin and work, no configuration necessary.  Very cool.

Here's a page about how to configure RouterAdvertisements on debian, (although it's not very Debian specific): http://people.debian.org/~csmall/ipv6/setup.html

Don't worry about your [IPv6] boxes having several IP addresses per Interface.  [IPv6] enabled box collect them like stamps.

One page links to RouterAdvertisements:

IPv6LessonsLearnt

Last edited on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 5:51:47 pm by PerryLorier

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