Revision History | ||
---|---|---|
Revision Release 0.43 | 2003-06-05 | Revised by: PB |
See revision history for more | ||
Revision Release 0.42 | 2003-05-09 | Revised by: PB |
See revision history for more | ||
Revision Release 0.41 | 2003-03-22 | Revised by: PB |
See revision history for more |
Information about available translations you will find in section Translations.
This Linux IPv6 HOWTO is published under GNU GPL version 2:
The Linux IPv6 HOWTO, a guide how to configure and use IPv6 on Linux systems.
Copyright (C) 2001-2003 Peter Bieringer
This documentation is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
1993: I got in contact with the Internet using console based e-mail and news client (e.g. look for "e91abier" on groups.google.com, that's me).
1996: I got a request for designing a course on IPv6, including a workshop with the Linux operating system.
1997: Started writing a guide on how to install, configure and use IPv6 on Linux systems, called IPv6 & Linux - HowTo (see IPv6 & Linux - HowTo/History for more information).
2001: Started writing this new Linux IPv6 HOWTO.
The author can be contacted via e-mail at <pb at bieringer dot de> and also via his homepage.
He's currently living in Munich [northern part of Schwabing] / Bavaria / Germany (south) / Europe (middle) / Earth (surface/mainland).
2001-11-30: Starting to design new HOWTO.
2002-01-02: A lot of content completed, first public release of chapter 1 (version 0.10).
2002-01-14: More completed, some reviews, public release of the whole document (version 0.14).
2002-08-16: Polish translation is in progress
2002-10-31: Chinese translation is available (see Translations for more)
2002-11-10: German translation is in progress
2003-02-10: German translation is available
2003-04-09: French translation is in progress
2003-05-09: French translation is available
Translations always have to contain the URL, version number and copyright of the original document (but yours, too). Pls. don't translate the original changelog, this is not very useful. Looks like the document's change frequency is mostly less than once per month. Since version 0.27 it looks like that most of the content contributed by me has been written. Translations always have to use the English version as source.
A Taiwanese translation by Burma Chen <expns at yahoo dot com> (announced to me at 2002-10-31) can be found on the CLDP: http://cldp.linuxforum.net/Linux-IPv6-HOWTO.html. It's a snapshot translation, don't know whether kept up-to-date.
Since 2002-08-16 a Polish translation was started and is still in progress by Lukasz Jokiel <Lukasz dot Jokiel at klonex dot com dot pl>. Taken source: CVS-version 1.29 of LyX file, which was source for howto version 0.27.
With 2002-11-10 a German translation was started by Georg Käfer <gkaefer at gmx dot at> and the first public version was published 2003-02-10. It's originally available on Deep Space 6 at http://mirrors.deepspace6.net/Linux+IPv6-HOWTO-de/. This version will stay up-to-date as much as possible.
With 2003-04-09 a French translation was started by Michel Boucey <mboucey at free dot fr> and the first public version was published 2003-05-09. It's originally available on Deep Space 6 at http://mirrors.deepspace6.net/Linux+IPv6-HOWTO-fr/.
This HOWTO is currently written with LyX version 1.2.0 on a Red Hat Linux 7.3 system with template SGML (DocBook book). It's available on TLDP-CVS / users / Peter-Bieringer for contribution.
Code line wrapping is done using selfmade utility "lyxcodelinewrapper.pl", you can get it from CVS for your own usage: TLDP-CVS / users / Peter-Bieringer
SGML is generated using export function in LyX.
Also some fixes are have to be made to create proper SGML code (see also here for the Perl programs TLDP-CVS / users / Peter-Bieringer):
Export of LyX table does not create proper "colspan" tags - tool for fixing: "sgmllyxtabletagfix.pl" (fixed since LyX 1.2.0)
LyX sometimes uses special left/right entities for quotes instead the normal one, which will still exist in generated HTML. Some browsers don't parse this very well (known: Opera 6 TP 2 or Konqueror) - tool for fixing: "sgmllyxquotefix.pl"
Because the HTML pages are generated out of the SGML file, the HTML filenames turn out to be quite random. However, some pages are tagged in LyX, resulting in static names. These tags are useful for references and shouldn't be changed in the future.
If you think that I have forgotten a tag, please let me know, and I will add it.
Some things first:
Including this, there are three (3) HOWTO documents available. Apologies, if that is too many ;-)
The first IPv6 related document was written by Eric Osborne and called Linux IPv6 FAQ/HOWTO (please use it only for historical issues). Latest version was 3.2.1 released July, 14 1997.
Please help: if someone knows the date of birth of this HOWTO, please send me an e-mail (information will be needed in "history").
There exists a second version called IPv6 & Linux - HowTo written by me (Peter Bieringer) in pure HTML. It was born April 1997 and the first English version was published in June 1997. I will continue to maintain it, but it will slowly fade (but not full) in favour of the Linux IPv6 HOWTO you are currently reading.
Because the IPv6 & Linux - HowTo is written in pure HTML it's not really compatible with the The Linux Documentation Project (TLDP). I (Peter Bieringer) got a request in late November 2001 to rewrite the IPv6 & Linux - HowTo in SGML. However, because of the discontinuation of that HOWTO (Future of IPv6 & Linux - HowTo), and as IPv6 is becoming more and more standard, I decided to write a new document covering basic and advanced issues which will remain important over the next few years. More dynamic and some advanced content will be still found further on in the second HOWTO (IPv6 & Linux - HowTo).
Well known decimal number system, represent any value with digit 0-9.
Usually used in lower and higher programming languages, known also as hexadecimal number system, represent any value with digit 0-9 and char A-F (case insensitive).
Representation of a value with 85 different digits/chars, this can lead to shorter strings but never seen in the wild.
Smallest storage unit, on/true (1) or off/false (0)
Mostly a collection of 8 (but not really a must - see older computer systems) bits
Here, hardware of network connection, see also NIC
A dual homed host is a node with two network (physical or virtual) interfaces on two different links, but does not forward any packets between the interfaces.
Generally a single homed host on a link. Normally it has only one active network interface, e.g. Ethernet or (not and) PPP.
Mostly same as "device", see also NIC
Header of an IP packet (each network packet has a header, kind of is depending on network layer)
A link is a layer 2 network packet transport medium, examples are Ethernet, Token Ring, PPP, SLIP, ATM, ISDN, Frame Relay,...
A node is a host or a router.
A collection of 8 real bits, today also similar to "byte".
Information for the TCP/UDP dispatcher (layer 4) to transport information to upper layers
Each network layer contains mostly a protocol field to make life easier on dispatching transported information to upper layer, seen in layer 2 (MAC) and 3 (IP)
A router is a node with two or more network (physical or virtual) interfaces, capable of forwarding packets between the interfaces.
An IP socket is defined by source and destination IP addresses and Ports and (binding)
Network related a collection of layers
IP networks uses bit masks to separate local networks from remote ones
A tunnel is typically a point-to-point connection over which packets are exchanged which carry the data of another protocol, e.g. an IPv6-in-IPv4 tunnel.
Access Control List
Application Programming Interface
Application Specified Integrated Circuit
Berkeley Software Distribution
Controller Area Network Bus (physical bus system)
Project - a joint effort of six companies in Japan to provide a free IPv6 and IPsec (for both IPv4 and IPv6) stack for BSD variants to the world www.kame.net
Network Interface Card
Request For Comments - set of technical and organizational notes about the Internet
UniverSAl playGround for Ipv6 Project - works to deliver the production quality IPv6 protocol stack for the Linux system.
The special character "¬" is used for signaling that this code line is wrapped for better viewing in PDF and PS files.
You should be familiar with the major Unix tools e.g. grep, awk, find, ... , and know about their most commonly used command-line options.
You should know about layers, protocols, addresses, cables, plugs, etc. If you are new to this field, here is one good starting point for you: linuxports/howto/intro_to_networking
You should definitely have some experience in IPv4 configuration, otherwise it will be hard for you to understand what is really going on.
IPv6 is a new layer 3 protocol (see linuxports/howto/intro_to_networking/ISO - OSI Model) which will supersede IPv4 (also known as IP). IPv4 was designed long time ago (RFC 760 / Internet Protocol from January 1980) and since its inception, there have been many requests for more addresses and enhanced capabilities. Latest RFC is RFC 2460 / Internet Protocol Version 6 Specification. Major changes in IPv6 are the redesign of the header, including the increase of address size from 32 bits to 128 bits. Because layer 3 is responsible for end-to-end packet transport using packet routing based on addresses, it must include the new IPv6 addresses (source and destination), like IPv4.
For more information about the IPv6 history take a look at older IPv6 related RFCs listed e.g. at SWITCH IPv6 Pilot / References.
The years 1992, 1993 and 1994 of the IPv6 History (in general) are covered by following document: IPv6 or IPng (IP next generation).
To-do: better time-line, more content...
The first IPv6 related network code was added to the Linux kernel 2.1.8 in November 1996 by Pedro Roque. It was based on the BSD API:
diff -u --recursive --new-file v2.1.7/linux/include/linux/in6.h ¬ linux/include/linux/in6.h --- v2.1.7/linux/include/linux/in6.h Thu Jan 1 02:00:00 1970 +++ linux/include/linux/in6.h Sun Nov 3 11:04:42 1996 @@ -0,0 +1,99 @@ +/* + * Types and definitions for AF_INET6 + * Linux INET6 implementation + * + * Authors: + * Pedro Roque <******> + * + * Source: + * IPv6 Program Interfaces for BSD Systems + * <draft-ietf-ipngwg-bsd-api-05.txt> |
The shown lines were copied from patch-2.1.8 (e-mail address was blanked on copy&paste).
Because of lack of manpower, the IPv6 implementation in the kernel was unable to follow the discussed drafts or newly released RFCs. In October 2000, a project was started in Japan, called USAGI, whose aim was to implement all missing, or outdated IPv6 support in Linux. It tracks the current IPv6 implementation in FreeBSD made by the KAME project. From time to time they create snapshots against current vanilla Linux kernel sources.
Unfortunately, the USAGI patch is so big, that current Linux networking maintainers are unable to include it in the production source of the Linux kernel 2.4.x series. Therefore the 2.4.x series is missing some (many) extensions and also does not confirm to all current drafts and RFCs (see IP Version 6 Working Group (ipv6) Charter). This can cause some interoperability problems with other operating systems.
USAGI is now making use of the new Linux kernel development series 2.5.x to insert all of their current extensions into this development release. Hopefully the 2.6.x kernel series will contain a true and up-to-date IPv6 implementation.
As previously mentioned, IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long. This number of bits generates very high decimal numbers with up to 39 digits:
2^128-1: 340282366920938463463374607431768211455 |
Such numbers are not really addresses that can be memorized. Also the IPv6 address schema is bitwise orientated (just like IPv4, but that's not often recognized). Therefore a better notation of such big numbers is hexadecimal. In hexadecimal, 4 bits (also known as "nibble") are represented by a digit or character from 0-9 and a-f (10-15). This format reduces the length of the IPv6 address to 32 characters.
2^128-1: 0xffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff |
This representation is still not very convenient (possible mix-up or loss of single hexadecimal digits), so the designers of IPv6 chose a hexadecimal format with a colon as separator after each block of 16 bits. In addition, the leading "0x" (a signifier for hexadecimal values used in programming languages) is removed:
2^128-1: ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff |
A usable address (see address types later) is e.g.:
3ffe:ffff:0100:f101:0210:a4ff:fee3:9566 |
For simplifications, leading zeros of each 16 bit block can be omitted:
3ffe:ffff:0100:f101:0210:a4ff:fee3:9566 -> ¬ 3ffe:ffff:100:f101:210:a4ff:fee3:9566 |
One sequence of 16 bit blocks containing only zeroes can be replaced with "::". But not more than one at a time, otherwise it is no longer a unique representation.
3ffe:ffff:100:f101:0:0:0:1 -> 3ffe:ffff:100:f101::1 |
The biggest reduction is seen by the IPv6 localhost address:
0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001 -> ::1 |
There is also a so-called compact (base85 coded) representation defined RFC 1924 / A Compact Representation of IPv6 Addresses (published on 1. April 1996), never seen in the wild, probably an April fool's joke, but here is an example:
# ipv6calc --addr_to_base85 3ffe:ffff:0100:f101:0210:a4ff:fee3:9566 Itu&-ZQ82s>J%s99FJXT |
Info: ipv6calc is an IPv6 address format calculator and converter program and can be found here: ipv6calc
On any IP header, the first 4 bits are reserved for protocol version. So theoretically a protocol number between 0 and 15 is possible:
4: is already used for IPv4
5: is reserved for the Stream Protocol (STP, RFC 1819 / Internet Stream Protocol Version 2) (which never really made it to the public)
The next free number was 6. Hence IPv6 was born!
During the design of IPv4, people thought that 32 bits were enough for the world. Looking back into the past, 32 bits were enough until now and will perhaps be enough for another few years. However, 32 bits are not enough to provide each network device with a global address in the future. Think about mobile phones, cars (including electronic devices on its CAN-bus), toasters, refrigerators, light switches, and so on...
So designers have chosen 128 bits, 4 times more in length and 2^96 greater in size than in IPv4 today.
The usable size is smaller than it may appear however. This is because in the currently defined address schema, 64 bits are used for interface identifiers. The other 64 bits are used for routing. Assuming the current strict levels of aggregation (/48, /35, ...), it is still possible to "run out" of space, but hopefully not in the near future.
See also for more information RFC 1715 / The H Ratio for Address Assignment Efficiency and RFC 3194 / The Host-Density Ratio for Address Assignment Efficiency.
While, there are (possibly) some people (only know about Jim Fleming...) on the Internet who are thinking about IPv8 and IPv16, their design is far away from acceptance and implementation. In the meantime 128 bits was the best choice regarding header overhead and data transport. Consider the minimum Maximum Transfer Unit (MTU) in IPv4 (576 octets) and in IPv6 (1280 octets), the header length in IPv4 is 20 octets (minimum, can increase to 60 octets with IPv4 options) and in IPv6 is 48 octets (fixed). This is 3.4 % of MTU in IPv4 and 3.8 % of MTU in IPv6. This means the header overhead is almost equal. More bits for addresses would require bigger headers and therefore more overhead. Also, consider the maximum MTU on normal links (like Ethernet today): it's 1500 octets (in special cases: 9k octets using Jumbo frames). Ultimately, it wouldn't be a proper design if 10 % or 20 % of transported data in a Layer-3 packet were used for addresses and not for payload.
Like IPv4, IPv6 addresses can be split into network and host parts using subnet masks.
IPv4 has shown that sometimes it would be nice, if more than one IP address can be assigned to an interface, each for a different purpose (aliases, multi-cast). To remain extensible in the future, IPv6 is going further and allows more than one IPv6 address to be assigned to an interface. There is currently no limit defined by an RFC, only in the implementation of the IPv6 stack (to prevent DoS attacks).
Using this large number of bits for addresses, IPv6 defines address types based on some leading bits, which are hopefully never going to be broken in the future (unlike IPv4 today and the history of class A, B, and C).
Also the number of bits are separated into a network part (upper 64 bits) and a host part (lower 64 bits), to facilitate auto-configuration. BTW: a good URL for displaying a given IPv6 address in detail is the Advanced Network Management Laboratory / IPv6 Address Oracle.
This is a special address for the loopback interface, similiar to IPv4 with its "127.0.0.1". With IPv6, the localhost address is:
0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001 |
or compressed:
::1 |
Packets with this address as source or destination should never leave the sending host.
This is a special address like "any" or "0.0.0.0" in IPv4 . For IPv6 it's:
0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 |
or:
:: |
These addresses are mostly used/seen in socket binding (to any IPv6 address) or routing tables.
Note: the unspecified address cannot be used as destination address.
There are two addresses which contain an IPv4 address.
IPv4-only IPv6-compatible addresses are sometimes used/shown for sockets created by an IPv6-enabled daemon, but only binding to an IPv4 address.
These addresses are defined with a special prefix of length 96 (a.b.c.d is the IPv4 address):
0:0:0:0:0:ffff:a.b.c.d/96 |
or in compressed format
::ffff:a.b.c.d/96 |
For example, the IPv4 address 1.2.3.4 looks like this:
::ffff:1.2.3.4 |
Used for automatic tunneling (RFC 2893 / Transition Mechanisms for IPv6 Hosts and Routers), which is being replaced by 6to4 tunneling.
0:0:0:0:0:0:a.b.c.d/96 |
or in compressed format
::a.b.c.d/96 |
Designers defined some address types and left a lot of scope for future definitions as currently unknown requirements arise. RFC 2373 [July 1998] / IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture defines the current addressing scheme but there is already a new draft available: draft-ietf-ipngwg-addr-arch-*.txt.
Now lets take a look at the different types of prefixes (and therefore address types):
These are special addresses which will only be valid on a link of an interface. Using this address as destination the packet would never pass through a router. It's used for link communications such as:
anyone else here on this link?
anyone here with a special address (e.g. looking for a router)?
They begin with ( where "x" is any hex character, normally "0")
fe8x: <- currently the only one in use. fe9x: feax: febx: |
An address with this prefix is found on each IPv6-enabled interface after stateless auto-configuration (which is normally always the case).
These are addresses similar to the RFC 1918 / Address Allocation for Private Internets in IPv4 today, with the added advantage that everyone who use this address type has the capability to use the given 16 bits for a maximum number of 65536 subnets. Comparable with the 10.0.0.0/8 in IPv4 today.
Another advantage: because it's possible to assign more than one address to an interface with IPv6, you can also assign such a site local address in addition to a global one.
It begins with:
fecx: <- most commonly used. fedx: feex: fefx: |
(where "x" is any hex character, normally "0")
Today, there is one global address type defined (the first design, called "provider based," was thrown away some years ago RFC 1884 / IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture [obsolete], you will find some remains in older Linux kernel sources).
It begins with (x are hex characters)
2xxx: 3xxx: |
Note: the prefix "aggregatable" is thrown away in current drafts. There are some further subtypes defined, see below:
These were the first global addresses which were defined and in use. They all start with
3ffe: |
Example:
3ffe:ffff:100:f102::1 |
A special 6bone test address which will be never be globally unique begins with
3ffe:ffff: |
and is mostly shown in examples, because if real addresses are shown, its possible for someone to do a copy & paste to their configuration files. Thus inadvertently causing duplicates on a globally unique address. This would cause serious problems for the original host (e.g. getting answer packets for request that were never sent). You can still apply for one of these prefixes, see here How to join 6bone. Also some tunnel brokers still distribute 6bone test address prefixes.
These addresses, designed for a special tunneling mechanism [RFC 3056 / Connection of IPv6 Domains via IPv4 Clouds and RFC 2893 / Transition Mechanisms for IPv6 Hosts and Routers], encode a given IPv4 address and a possible subnet and begin with
2002: |
For example, representing 192.168.1.1/5:
2002:c0a8:0101:5::1 |
A small shell command line can help you generating such address out of a given IPv4 one:
ipv4="1.2.3.4"; sla="5"; printf "2002:%02x%02x:%02x%02x:%04x::1" `echo $ipv4 ¬ | tr "." " "` $sla |
See also tunneling using 6to4 and information about 6to4 relay routers.
These addresses are delegated to Internet service providers (ISP) and begin with
2001: |
Prefixes to major (backbone owning) ISPs are delegated by local registries and currently they assign to them a prefix with length 35.
Major ISPs normally delegate to minor ISPs a prefix with length 48.
Multicast addresses are used for related services.
They alway start with (xx is the scope value)
ffxy: |
They are split into scopes and types:
Multicast scope is a parameter to specify the maximum distance a multicast packet can travel from the sending entity.
Currently, the following regions (scopes) are defined:
ffx1: node-local, packets never leave the node.
ffx2: link-local, packets are never forwarded by routers, so they never leave the specified link.
ffx5: site-local, packets never leave the site.
ffx8: organization-local, packets never leave the organization (not so easy to implement, must be covered by routing protocol).
ffxe: global scope.
others are reserved
There are many types already defined/reserved (see RFC 2373 / IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture for details). Some examples are:
All Nodes Address: ID = 1h, addresses all hosts on the local node (ff01:0:0:0:0:0:0:1) or the connected link (ff02:0:0:0:0:0:0:1).
All Routers Address: ID = 2h, addresses all routers on the local node (ff01:0:0:0:0:0:0:2), on the connected link (ff02:0:0:0:0:0:0:2), or on the local site (ff05:0:0:0:0:0:0:2)
Special multicast address used as destination address in neighborhood discovery, because unlike in IPv4, ARP no longer exists in IPv6.
An example of this address looks like
ff02::1:ff00:1234 |
Used prefix shows that this is a link-local multicast address. The suffix is generated from the destination address. In this example, a packet should be sent to address "fe80::1234", but the network stack doesn't know the current layer 2 MAC address. It replaces the upper 104 bits with "ff02:0:0:0:0:1:ff00::/104" and leaves the lower 24 bits untouched. This address is now used `on-link' to find the corresponding node which has to send a reply containing its layer 2 MAC address.
Anycast addresses are special addresses and are used to cover things like nearest DNS server, nearest DHCP server, or similar dynamic groups. Addresses are taken out of the unicast address space (aggregatable global or site-local at the moment). The anycast mechanism (client view) will be handled by dynamic routing protocols.
Note: Anycast addresses cannot be used as source addresses, they are only used as destination addresses.
A simple example for an anycast address is the subnet-router anycast address. Assuming that a node has the following global assigned IPv6 address:
3ffe:ffff:100:f101:210:a4ff:fee3:9566/64 <- Node's address |
The subnet-router anycast address will be created blanking the suffix (least significant 64 bits) completely:
3ffe:ffff:100:f101::/64 <- subnet-router anycast address |
For auto-configuration and mobility issues, it was decided to use the lower 64 bits as host part of the address in most of the current address types. Therefore each single subnet can hold a large amount of addresses.
This host part can be inspected differently:
With auto-configuration, the host part of the address is computed by converting the MAC address of an interface (if available), with the EUI-64 method, to a unique IPv6 address. If no MAC address is available for this device (happens e.g. on virtual devices), something else (like the IPv4 address or the MAC address of a physical interface) is used instead.
Consider again the first example
3ffe:ffff:100:f101:210:a4ff:fee3:9566 |
here,
210:a4ff:fee3:9566 |
is the host part and computed from the NIC's MAC address
00:10:A4:E3:95:66 |
using the IEEE-Tutorial EUI-64 design for EUI-48 identifiers.
Because the "automatically computed" host part is globally unique (except when a vendor of a NIC uses the same MAC address on more than one NIC), client tracking is possible on the host when not using a proxy of any kind.
This is a known problem, and a solution was defined: privacy extension, defined in RFC 3041 / Privacy Extensions for Stateless Address Autoconfiguration in IPv6 (there is also already a newer draft available: draft-ietf-ipngwg-temp-addresses-*.txt). Using a random and a static value a new suffix is generated from time to time. Note: this is only reasonable for outgoing client connections and isn't really useful for well-known servers.
For servers it's probably easier to remember simpler addresses, this can also be accommodated. It is possible to assign an additional IPv6 address to an interface, e.g.
3ffe:ffff:100:f101::1 |
For manual suffixes like "::1" shown in the above example it's required that the 6th most significant bit is set to 0 (the universal/local bit of the automatically generated identifier). Also some other (otherwise unchosen ) bit combinations are reserved for anycast addresses, too.
In the early design phase it was planned to use a fully hierarchical routing approach to reduce the size of the routing tables maximally. The reasoning behind this approach were the number of current IPv4 routing entries in core routers (> 104 thousand in May 2001), reducing the need of memory in hardware routers (ASIC "Application Specified Integrated Circuit" driven) to hold the routing table and increase speed (fewer entries hopefully result in faster lookups).
Todays view is that routing will be mostly hierarchically designed for networks with only one service provider. With more than one ISP connections, this is not possible, and subject to an issue named multi-homing (infos on multi-homing: Procider-Internal Aggregation based on Geography to Support Multihoming in IPv6; GAPI: A Geographically Aggregatable Provider Independent Address Space to Support Multihoming in IPv6; Extension Header for Site-Multi-homing support; IPv6 Multihoming Solutions)
Similar to IPv4, the routable network path for routing to take place. Because standard netmask notation for 128 bits doesn't look nice, designers employed the IPv4 Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR, RFC 1519 / Classless Inter-Domain Routing) scheme, which specifies the number of bits of the IP address to be used for routing. It is also called the "slash" notation.
An example:
3ffe:ffff:100:1:2:3:4:5/48 |
This notation will be expanded:
Network:
3ffe:ffff:0100:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 |
Netmask:
ffff:ffff:ffff:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 |
Under normal circumstances (no QoS) a lookup in a routing table results in the route with the most significant number of address bits means the route with the biggest prefix length matches first.
For example if a routing table shows following entries (list is not complete):
3ffe:ffff:100::/48 :: U 1 0 0 sit1 2000::/3 ::192.88.99.1 UG 1 0 0 tun6to4 |
Shown destination addresses of IPv6 packets will be routed through shown device
3ffe:ffff:100:1:2:3:4:5/48 -> routed through device sit1 3ffe:ffff:200:1:2:3:4:5/48 -> routed through device tun6to4 |
Before you can start using IPv6 on a Linux host, you have to test, whether your system is IPv6-ready. You may have to do some work to enable it first.
Modern Linux distributions already contain IPv6-ready kernels, the IPv6 capability is generally compiled as a module, but it's possible that this module is not loaded automatically on startup.
See IPv6+Linux-Status-Distribution page for most up-to-date information.
Note: you shouldn't anymore use kernel series 2.2.x, because it's not IPv6-up-to-date anymore.
To check, whether your current running kernel supports IPv6, take a look into your /proc-file-system. Following entry must exists:
/proc/net/if_inet6 |
A short automatical test looks like:
# test -f /proc/net/if_inet6 && echo "Running kernel is IPv6 ready" |
If this fails, it is quite likely, that the IPv6 module is not loaded.
You can try to load the IPv6 module executing
# modprobe ipv6 |
If this is successful, this module should be listed, testable with following auto-magically line:
# lsmod |grep -w 'ipv6' && echo "IPv6 module successfully loaded" |
And the check shown above should now run successfully.
Note: unloading the module is currently not supported and can result, under some circumstances, in a kernel crash.
Its possible to automatically load the IPv6 module on demand. You only have to add following line in the configuration file of the kernel module loader (normally /etc/modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules):
alias net-pf-10 ipv6 # automatically load IPv6 module on demand |
It's also possible to disable automatically loading of the IPv6 module using following line
alias net-pf-10 off # disable automatically load of IPv6 module on demand |
Additional note: in future kernels (newer 2.5 series and above), the module loader mechanism was changed. The new configuration file has to be named /etc/modprobe.conf instead of /etc/modules.conf but there is a translate-script available. For further details see module-init-tool.
If both above shown results were negative and your kernel has no IP6 support, than you have the following options:
Update your distribution to a current one which supports IPv6 out-of-the-box (recommended for newbies), see here again: IPv6+Linux-Status-Distribution
Compile a new vanilla kernel (easy, if you know which options you needed)
Recompile kernel sources given by your Linux distribution (sometimes not so easy)
Compile a kernel with USAGI extensions
If you decide to compile a kernel, you should have previous experience in kernel compiling and read the Linux Kernel HOWTO.
A mostly up-to-time comparison between vanilla and USAGI extended kernels is available on IPv6+Linux-Status-Kernel.
More detailed hints about compiling an IPv6-enabled kernel can be found e.g. on IPv6-HOWTO-2#kernel.
Note: you should use whenever possible kernel series 2.4.x or above, because the IPv6 support in series 2.2.x is not so in current state and needs some patches for ICMPv6 and 6to4 support (can be found on kernel series 2.2.x IPv6 patches).
Same as for vanilla kernel, only recommend for advanced users, which are already familiar with IPv6 and kernel compilation. See also USAGI project / FAQ and Obtaining the best IPv6 support with Linux (Article).
Not all existing network devices have already (or ever) the capability to transport IPv6 packets. A current status can be found at IPv6+Linux-status-kernel.html#transport.
A major issue is that because of the network layer structure of kernel implementation an IPv6 packet isn't really recognized by it's IP header number (6 instead of 4). It's recognized by the protocol number of the Layer 2 transport protocol. Therefore any transport protocol which doesn't use such protocol number cannot dispatch IPv6 packets. Note: the packet is still transported over the link, but on receivers side, the dispatching won't work (you can see this e.g. using tcpdump).
Serial Line IP (SLIP, RFC 1055 / SLIP), should be better called now to SLIPv4, device named: slX
Parallel Line IP (PLIP), same like SLIP, device names: plipX
ISDN with encapsulation rawip, device names: isdnX
You wont get very far, if you are running an IPv6-ready kernel, but have no tools to configure IPv6. There are several packages in existence which can configure IPv6.
The net-tool package includes some tools like ifconfig and route, which helps you to configure IPv6 on an interface. Look at the output of ifconfig -? or route -?, if something is shown like IPv6 or inet6, then the tool is IPv6-ready.
Auto-magically check:
# /sbin/ifconfig -? 2>& 1|grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'ifconfig' is ¬ IPv6-ready" |
Same check can be done for route:
# /sbin/route -? 2>& 1|grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'route' is IPv6-ready" |
Alexey N. Kuznetsov (current a maintainer of the Linux networking code) created a tool-set which configures networks through the netlink device. Using this tool-set you have more functionality than net-tools provides, but its not very well documented and isn't for the faint of heart.
# /sbin/ip 2>&1 |grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'ip' is IPv6-ready" |
If the program /sbin/ip isn't found, then I strongly recommend you install the iproute package.
You can get it from your Linux distribution (if contained)
You can download the tar-ball and recompile it: Original FTP source and mirror (missing)
You're able to look for a proper RPM package at RPMfind/iproute (sometimes rebuilding of a SRPMS package is recommended)
After you have prepared your system for IPv6, you now want to use IPv6 for network communications. First you should learn how to examine IPv6 packets with a sniffer program. This is strongly recommended because for debugging/troubleshooting issues this can aide in providing a diagnosis very quickly.
This program is normally included in package iputils. It is designed for simple transport tests sending ICMPv6 echo-request packets and wait for ICMPv6 echo-reply packets.
Usage
# ping6 <hostwithipv6address> # ping6 <ipv6address> # ping6 [-I <device>] <link-local-ipv6address> |
Example
# ping6 -c 1 ::1 PING ::1(::1) from ::1 : 56 data bytes 64 bytes from ::1: icmp_seq=0 hops=64 time=292 usec --- ::1 ping statistics --- 1 packets transmitted, 1 packets received, 0% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max/mdev = 0.292/0.292/0.292/0.000 ms |
Hint: ping6 needs raw access to socket and therefore root permissions. So if non-root users cannot use ping6 then there are two possible problems:
ping6 is not in users path (probably, because ping6 is generally stored in /usr/sbin -> add path (not really recommended)
ping6 doesn't execute properly, generally because of missing root permissions -> chmod u+s /usr/sbin/ping6
Using link-local addresses for an IPv6 ping, the kernel does not know through which (physically or virtual) device it must send the packet - each device has a link-local address. A try will result in following error message:
# ping6 fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3456 connect: Invalid argument |
In this case you have to specify the interface additionally like shown here:
# ping6 -I eth0 -c 1 fe80::2e0:18ff:fe90:9205 PING fe80::212:23ff:fe12:3456(fe80::212:23ff:fe12:3456) from ¬ fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3478 eth0: 56 data bytes 64 bytes from fe80::212:23ff:fe12:3456: icmp_seq=0 hops=64 time=445 usec --- fe80::2e0:18ff:fe90:9205 ping statistics --- 1 packets transmitted, 1 packets received, 0% packet loss round-trip ¬ min/avg/max/mdev = 0.445/0.445/0.445/0.000 ms |
An interesting mechanism to detect IPv6-active hosts on a link is to ping6 to the link-local all-node multicast address:
# ping6 -I eth0 ff02::1 PING ff02::1(ff02::1) from fe80:::2ab:cdff:feef:0123 ¬ eth0: 56 data bytes 64 bytes from ::1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.104 ms 64 bytes from fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3450: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.549 ms (DUP!) |
Unlike in IPv4, where replies to a ping on the broadcast address can be disabled, in IPv6 currently this behavior cannot be disable except by local IPv6 firewalling.
This program is normally included in package iputils. It's a program similar to IPv4 traceroute. Below you will see an example:
# traceroute6 www.6bone.net traceroute to 6bone.net (3ffe:b00:c18:1::10) from 3ffe:ffff:0000:f101::2, 30 ¬ hops max, 16 byte packets 1 localipv6gateway (3ffe:ffff:0000:f101::1) 1.354 ms 1.566 ms 0.407 ms 2 swi6T1-T0.ipv6.switch.ch (3ffe:2000:0:400::1) 90.431 ms 91.956 ms 92.377 ms 3 3ffe:2000:0:1::132 (3ffe:2000:0:1::132) 118.945 ms 107.982 ms 114.557 ms 4 3ffe:c00:8023:2b::2 (3ffe:c00:8023:2b::2) 968.468 ms 993.392 ms 973.441 ms 5 3ffe:2e00:e:c::3 (3ffe:2e00:e:c::3) 507.784 ms 505.549 ms 508.928 ms 6 www.6bone.net (3ffe:b00:c18:1::10) 1265.85 ms * 1304.74 ms |
Note: unlike some modern versions of IPv4 traceroute, which can use ICMPv4 echo-request packets as well as UDP packets (default), current IPv6-traceroute is only able to send UDP packets. As you perhaps already know, ICMP echo-request packets are more accepted by firewalls or ACLs on routers inbetween than UDP packets.
This program is normally included in package iputils. It's a program like traceroute6 and traces the path to a given destination discovering the MTU along this path. Below you will see an example:
# tracepath6 www.6bone.net 1?: [LOCALHOST] pmtu 1480 1: 3ffe:401::2c0:33ff:fe02:14 150.705ms 2: 3ffe:b00:c18::5 267.864ms 3: 3ffe:b00:c18::5 asymm 2 266.145ms pmtu 1280 3: 3ffe:3900:5::2 asymm 4 346.632ms 4: 3ffe:28ff:ffff:4::3 asymm 5 365.965ms 5: 3ffe:1cff:0:ee::2 asymm 4 534.704ms 6: 3ffe:3800::1:1 asymm 4 578.126ms !N Resume: pmtu 1280 |
On Linux, tcpdump is the major tool for packet capturing. Below you find some examples. IPv6 support is normally built-in in current releases of version 3.6.
tcpdump uses expressions for filtering packets to minimize the noise:
icmp6: filters native ICMPv6 traffic
ip6: filters native IPv6 traffic (including ICMPv6)
proto ipv6: filters tunneled IPv6-in-IPv4 traffic
not port ssh: to suppress displaying SSH packets for running tcpdump in a remote SSH session
Also some command line options are very useful to catch and print more information in a packet, mostly interesting for digging into ICMPv6 packets:
"-s 512": increase the snap length during capturing of a packet to 512 bytes
"-vv": really verbose output
"-n": don't resolve addresses to names, useful if reverse DNS resolving isn't working proper
# tcpdump -t -n -i eth0 -s 512 -vv ip6 or proto ipv6 tcpdump: listening on eth0 3ffe:ffff:100:f101:2e0:18ff:fe90:9205 > 3ffe:ffff:100:f101::1: icmp6: echo ¬ request (len 64, hlim 64) 3ffe:ffff:100:f101::1 > 3ffe:ffff:100:f101:2e0:18ff:fe90:9205: icmp6: echo ¬ reply (len 64, hlim 64) |
1.2.3.4 and 5.6.7.8 are tunnel endpoints (all addresses are examples)
# tcpdump -t -n -i ppp0 -s 512 -vv ip6 or proto ipv6 tcpdump: listening on ppp0 1.2.3.4 > 5.6.7.8: 2002:ffff:f5f8::1 > 3ffe:ffff:100::1: icmp6: echo request ¬ (len 64, hlim 64) (DF) (ttl 64, id 0, len 124) 5.6.7.8 > 1.2.3.4: 3ffe:ffff:100::1 > 2002:ffff:f5f8::1: icmp6: echo reply (len ¬ 64, hlim 61) (ttl 23, id 29887, len 124) 1.2.3.4 > 5.6.7.8: 2002:ffff:f5f8::1 > 3ffe:ffff:100::1: icmp6: echo request ¬ (len 64, hlim 64) (DF) (ttl 64, id 0, len 124) 5.6.7.8 > 1.2.3.4: 3ffe:ffff:100::1 > 2002:ffff:f5f8::1: icmp6: echo reply (len ¬ 64, hlim 61) (ttl 23, id 29919, len 124) |
Current distributions already contain the most needed IPv6 enabled client and servers. See first on IPv6+Linux-Status-Distribution. If still not included, you can check IPv6 & Linux - Current Status - Applications whether the program is already ported to IPv6 and usable with Linux. For common used programs there are some hints available at IPv6 & Linux - HowTo - Part 3 and IPv6 & Linux - HowTo - Part 4.
To run the following shown tests, it's required that your system is IPv6 enabled, and some examples show addresses which only can be reached if a connection to the 6bone is available.
Because of security updates in the last years every Domain Name System (DNS) server should run newer software which already understands the (intermediate) IPv6 address-type AAAA (the newer one named A6 isn't still common at the moment because only supported using BIND9 and newer and also the non-existent support of root domain IP6.ARPA). A simple test whether the used system can resolve IPv6 addresses is
# host -t AAAA www.join.uni-muenster.de |
and should show something like following:
www.join.uni-muenster.de. is an alias for ns.join.uni-muenster.de. ns.join.uni-muenster.de. has AAAA address 3ffe:400:10:100:201:2ff:feb5:3806 |
IPv6-ready telnet clients are available. A simple test can be done with
$ telnet 3ffe:400:100::1 80 Trying 3ffe:400:100::1... Connected to 3ffe:400:100::1. Escape character is '^]'. HEAD / HTTP/1.0 HTTP/1.1 200 OK Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 16:07:21 GMT Server: Apache/2.0.28 (Unix) Last-Modified: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 21:34:42 GMT ETag: "3f02-a4d-b1b3e080" Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-Length: 2637 Connection: close Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Connection closed by foreign host. |
If the telnet client don't understand the IPv6 address and says something like "cannot resolve hostname", then it's not IPv6-enabled.
Current versions of openssh are IPv6-ready. Depending on configuring before compiling it has two behavior.
--without-ipv4-default: the client tries an IPv6 connect first automatically and fall back to IPv4 if not working
--with-ipv4-default: default connection is IPv4, IPv6 connection must be force like following example shows
$ ssh -6 ::1 user@::1's password: ****** [user@ipv6host user]$ |
If your ssh client doesn't understand the option "-6" then it's not IPv6-enabled, like most ssh version 1 packages.
A current status of IPv6 enabled web browsers is available at IPv6+Linux-status-apps.html#HTTP.
Most of them have unresolved problems at the moment
If using an IPv4 only proxy in the settings, IPv6 requests will be sent to the proxy, but the proxy will fail to understand the request and the request fails. Solution: update proxy software (see later).
Automatic proxy settings (*.pac) cannot be extended to handle IPv6 requests differently (e.g. don't use proxy) because of their nature (written in Java-script and well hard coded in source like to be seen in Maxilla source code).
Also older versions don't understand an URL with IPv6 encoded addresses like http://[3ffe:400:100::1]/ (this given URL only works with an IPv6-enabled browser!).
A short test is to try shown URL with a given browser and using no proxy.
A good starting point for browsing using IPv6 is http://www.kame.net/. If the turtle on this page is animated, the connection is via IPv6, otherwise the turtle is static.
In this part of this HOWTO, more client specific issues are mentioned. Therefore hints for IPv6-ready servers like sshd, httpd, telnetd, etc. are shown below in Hints for IPv6-enabled daemons.
Error message: "connect: Invalid argument"
Kernel doesn't know, which physical or virtual link you want to use to send such ICMPv6 packets. Therefore it displays this error message.
Solution: Specify interface like: "ping6 -I eth0 fe80::2e0:18ff:fe90:9205", see also program ping6 usage.
Error message: "icmp socket: Operation not permitted"
These utilities create special ICMPv6 packets and send them out. This is done by using raw sockets in the kernel. But raw sockets can only be used by the "root" user. Therefore normal users get such error message.
Solution: If it's really needed that all users should be able to use these utilities, you can add the "suid" bit using "chmod u+s /path/to/program", see also program ping6 usage. If not all users should be able to, you can change the group of the program to e.g. "wheel", add these power users to this group and remove the execution bit for other users using "chmod o-rwx /path/to/program". Or configure "sudo" to enable your security policy.
On a node, there exist different network devices. They can be collected in classes
Physically bounded, like eth0, tr0
Virtually existing, like ppp0, tun0, tap0, sit0, isdn0, ippp0
Physically bounded interfaces like Ethernet or Token-Ring are normal ones and need no special treatment.
Virtually bounded interfaces always need special support
These interfaces are normally named sitx. The name sit is a shortcut for Simple Internet Transition. This device has the capability to encapsulate IPv6 packets into IPv4 ones and tunnel them to a foreign endpoint.
sit0 has a special meaning and cannot be used for dedicated tunnels.
IPv6 capability for HDLC with encapsulation ip is already built-in in the kernel
ISDN PPP interfaces (ippp) aren't IPv6 enabled by kernel. Also there are also no plans to do that because in kernel 2.5.+ they will be replaced by a more generic ppp interface layer.
Like mentioned earlier, this interfaces don't support IPv6 transport (sending is OK, but dispatching on receiving don't work).
There are different ways to configure an IPv6 address on an interface. You can use use "ifconfig" or "ip".
First you should check, whether and which IPv6 addresses are already configured (perhaps auto-magically during stateless auto-configuration).
Usage:
# /sbin/ip -6 addr show dev <interface> |
Example for a static configured host:
# /sbin/ip -6 addr show dev eth0 2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_ fast qlen 100 inet6 fe80::210:a4ff:fee3:9566/10 scope link inet6 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::1/64 scope global inet6 fec0:0:0:f101::1/64 scope site |
Example for a host which is auto-configured
Here you see some auto-magically configured IPv6 addresses and their lifetime.
# /sbin/ip -6 addr show dev eth0 3: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,PROMISC,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast qlen ¬ 100 inet6 2002:d950:f5f8:f101:2e0:18ff:fe90:9205/64 scope global dynamic valid_lft 16sec preferred_lft 6sec inet6 3ffe:400:100:f101:2e0:18ff:fe90:9205/64 scope global dynamic valid_lft 2591997sec preferred_lft 604797sec inet6 fe80::2e0:18ff:fe90:9205/10 ¬ scope link |
Usage:
# /sbin/ifconfig <interface> |
Example (output filtered with grep to display only IPv6 addresses). Here you see different IPv6 addresses with different scopes.
# /sbin/ifconfig eth0 |grep "inet6 addr:" inet6 addr: fe80::210:a4ff:fee3:9566/10 Scope:Link inet6 addr: 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::1/64 Scope:Global inet6 addr: fec0:0:0:f101::1/64 Scope:Site |
Adding an IPv6 address is similar to the mechanism of "IP ALIAS" addresses in Linux IPv4 addressed interfaces.
Not so often needed, be carefully with removing non existent IPv6 address, sometimes using older kernels it results in a crash.
If you want to leave your link and want to send packets in the world wide IPv6-Internet, you need routing. If there is already an IPv6 enabled router on your link, it's possible enough to add IPv6 routes.
Also here there are different ways to configure an IPv6 address on an interface. You can use use "ifconfig" or "ip"
First you should check, whether and which IPv6 addresses are already configured (perhaps auto-magically during auto-configuration).
Usage:
# /sbin/ip -6 route show [dev <device>] |
Example:
# /sbin/ip -6 route show dev eth0 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::/64 proto kernel metric 256 mtu 1500 advmss 1440 fe80::/10 proto kernel metric 256 mtu 1500 advmss 1440 ff00::/8 proto kernel metric 256 mtu 1500 advmss 1440 default proto kernel metric 256 mtu 1500 advmss 1440 |
Usage:
# /sbin/route -A inet6 |
Example (output is filtered for interface eth0). Here you see different IPv6 routes for different addresses on a single interface.
# /sbin/route -A inet6 |grep -w "eth0" 3ffe:ffff:0:f101 ::/64 :: UA 256 0 0 eth0 <- Interface route for global ¬ address fe80::/10 :: UA 256 0 0 eth0 <- Interface route for link-local ¬ address ff00::/8 :: UA 256 0 0 eth0 <- Interface route for all multicast ¬ addresses ::/0 :: UDA 256 0 0 eth0 <- Automatic default route |
Mostly needed to reach the outside with IPv6 using an IPv6-enabled router on your link.
Usage:
# /sbin/ip -6 route add <ipv6network>/<prefixlength> via <ipv6address> ¬ [dev <device>] |
Example:
# /sbin/ip -6 route add 2000::/3 via 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::1 |
Usage:
# /sbin/route -A inet6 add <ipv6network>/<prefixlength> gw ¬ <ipv6address> [dev <device>] |
A device can be needed, too, if the IPv6 address of the gateway is a link local one.
Following shown example adds a route for all currently global addresses (2000::/3) through gateway 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::1
# /sbin/route -A inet6 add 2000::/3 gw 3ffe:ffff:0:f101::1 |
Not so often needed manually, mostly done by network configure scripts on shutdown (full or per interface)
Not often needed, sometimes in cases of dedicated point-to-point links.
Not so often needed to use by hand, configuration scripts will use such on shutdown.
One idea of IPv6 was a hierachical routing, therefore only less routing entries are needed in routers.
There are some issues in current Linux kernels:
Client can setup a default route like prefix "::/0", they also learn such route on autoconfiguration e.g. using radvd on the link like following example shows:
# ip -6 route show | grep ^default default via fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3450 dev eth0 proto kernel metric 1024 expires ¬ 29sec mtu 1500 advmss 1440 |
Current mainstream Linux kernel (at least <= 2.4.17) don't support default routes. You can set them up, but the route lookup fails when a packet should be forwarded (normal intention of a router).
Therefore at this time "default routing" can be setup using the currently only global address prefix "2000::/3".
The USAGI project already supports this in their extension with a hack.
Note: take care about default routing without address filtering on edge routers. Otherwise unwanted multicast or site-local traffic leave the edge.
Neighbor discovery was the IPv6 successor for the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) in IPv4. You can retrieve information about the current neighbors, in addition you can set and delete entries. The kernel keeps tracking of successful neighbor detection (like ARP in IPv4). You can dig into the learnt table using "ip".
With following command you can display the learnt or configured IPv6 neighbors
# ip -6 neigh show [dev <device>] |
The following example shows one neighbor, which is a reachable router
# ip -6 neigh show fe80::201:23ff:fe45:6789 dev eth0 lladdr 00:01:23:45:67:89 router nud reachable |
With following command you are able to manually add an entry
# ip -6 neigh add <IPv6 address> lladdr <link-layer address> dev <device> |
Example:
# ip -6 neigh add fec0::1 lladdr 02:01:02:03:04:05 dev eth0 |
Like adding also an entry can be deleted:
# ip -6 neigh del <IPv6 address> lladdr <link-layer address> dev <device> |
Example:
# ip -6 neigh del fec0::1 lladdr 02:01:02:03:04:05 dev eth0 |
The tool "ip" is less documentated, but very strong. See online "help" for more:
# ip -6 neigh help Usage: ip neigh { add | del | change | replace } { ADDR [ lladdr LLADDR ] [ nud { permanent | noarp | stale | reachable } ] | proxy ADDR } [ dev DEV ] ip neigh {show|flush} [ to PREFIX ] [ dev DEV ] [ nud STATE ] |
Looks like some options are only for IPv4...if you can contribute information about flags and advanced usage, pls. send.
If you want to leave your link you have no IPv6 capable network around you, you need IPv6-in-IPv4 tunneling to reach the world wide IPv6-Internet.
There are some kind of tunnel mechanism and also some possibilities to setup tunnels.
There are more than one possibility to tunnel IPv6 packets over IPv4-only links.
A point-to-point tunnel is a dedicated tunnel to an endpoint, which knows about your IPv6 network (for backward routing) and the IPv4 address of your tunnel endpoint and defined in RFC 2893 / Transition Mechanisms for IPv6 Hosts and Routers. Requirements:
IPv4 address of your local tunnel endpoint must be static, global unique and reachable from the foreign tunnel endpoint
A global IPv6 prefix assigned to you (see 6bone registry)
A foreign tunnel endpoint which is capable to route your IPv6 prefix to your local tunnel endpoint (mostly remote manual configuration required)
Automatic tunneling occurs, when a node directly connects another node gotten the IPv4 address of the other node before.
6to4 tunneling (RFC 3056 / Connection of IPv6 Domains via IPv4 Clouds) uses a simple mechanism to create automatic tunnels. Each node with a global unique IPv4 address is able to be a 6to4 tunnel endpoint (if no IPv4 firewall prohibits traffic). 6to4 tunneling is mostly not a one-to-one tunnel. This case of tunneling can be divided into upstream and downstream tunneling. Also, a special IPv6 address indicates that this node will use 6to4 tunneling for connecting the world-wide IPv6 network
The 6to4 address is defined like following (schema is taken from RFC 3056 / Connection of IPv6 Domains via IPv4 Clouds):
| 3+13 | 32 | 16 | 64 bits | +---+------+-----------+--------+--------------------------------+ | FP+TLA | V4ADDR | SLA ID | Interface ID | | 0x2002 | | | | +---+------+-----------+--------+--------------------------------+ |
FP and TLA together (16 bits) have the value 0x2002. V4ADDR is the node's global unique IPv4 address (in hexadecimal notation). SLA is the subnet identifier (65536 local subnets possible) and are usable to represent your local network structure.
For gateways, such prefix is generated by normally using SLA "0000" and suffix "::1" and assigned to the 6to4 tunnel interface.
The node has to know to which foreign tunnel endpoint its in IPv4 packed IPv6 packets should be send to. In "early" days of 6to4 tunneling, dedicated upstream accepting routers were defined. See NSayer's 6to4 information for a list of routers.
Nowadays, 6to4 upstream routers can be found auto-magically using the anycast address 192.88.99.1. In the background routing protocols handle this, see RFC 3068 / An Anycast Prefix for 6to4 Relay Routers for details.
The downstream (6bone -> your 6to4 enabled node) is not really fix and can vary from foreign host which originated packets were send to. There exist two possibilities:
Foreign host uses 6to4 and sends packet direct back to your node (see below)
Foreign host sends packets back to the world-wide IPv6 network and depending on the dynamic routing a relay router create a automatic tunnel back to your node.
Usage:
# /sbin/ip -6 tunnel show [<device>] |
Example:
# /sbin/ip -6 tunnel show sit0: ipv6/ip remote any local any ttl 64 nopmtudisc sit1: ipv6/ip remote 195.226.187.50 local any ttl 64 |
Usage:
# /sbin/route -A inet6 |
Example (output is filtered to display only tunnels through virtual interface sit0):
# /sbin/route -A inet6 | grep "\Wsit0\W*$" ::/96 :: U 256 2 0 sit0 2002::/16 :: UA 256 0 0 sit0 2000::/3 ::193.113.58.75 UG 1 0 0 sit0 fe80::/10 :: UA 256 0 0 sit0 ff00::/8 :: UA 256 0 0 sit0 |
There are 3 possibilities to add or remove point-to-point tunnels.
A good additional information about tunnel setup using "ip" is Configuring tunnels with iproute2 (article).
Common method at the moment for a small amount of tunnels.
Usage for creating a tunnel device (but it's not up afterward, also a TTL must be specified because the default value is 0).
# /sbin/ip tunnel add <device> mode sit ttl <ttldefault> remote ¬ <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel> local <ipv4addresslocal> |
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/ip tunnel add sit1 mode sit ttl <ttldefault> remote ¬ <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel1> local <ipv4addresslocal> # /sbin/ip link set dev sit1 up # /sbin/ip -6 route add <prefixtoroute1> dev sit1 metric 1 # /sbin/ip tunnel add sit2 mode sit ttl <ttldefault> ¬ <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel2> local <ipv4addresslocal> # /sbin/ip link set dev sit2 up # /sbin/ip -6 route add <prefixtoroute2> dev sit2 metric 1 # /sbin/ip tunnel add sit3 mode sit ttl <ttldefault> ¬ <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel3> local <ipv4addresslocal> # /sbin/ip link set dev sit3 up # /sbin/ip -6 route add <prefixtoroute3> dev sit3 metric 1 |
This not very recommended way to add a tunnel because it's a little bit strange. No problem if adding only one, but if you setup more than one, you cannot easy shutdown the first ones and leave the others running.
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 up # /sbin/ifconfig sit0 tunnel <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel1> # /sbin/ifconfig sit1 up # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute1> dev sit1 # /sbin/ifconfig sit0 tunnel <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel2> # /sbin/ifconfig sit2 up # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute2> dev sit2 # /sbin/ifconfig sit0 tunnel <ipv4addressofforeigntunnel3> # /sbin/ifconfig sit3 up # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute3> dev sit3 |
Important: DON'T USE THIS, because this setup implicit enable "automatic tunneling" from anywhere in the Internet, this is a risk, and it should not be advocated.
It's also possible to setup tunnels in Non Broadcast Multiple Access (NBMA) style, it's a easy way to add many tunnels at once. But none of the tunnel can be numbered (which is a not required feature).
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 up # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute1> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel1> dev sit0 # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute2> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel2> dev sit0 # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute3> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel3> dev sit0 |
Important: DON'T USE THIS, because this setup implicit enable "automatic tunneling" from anywhere in the Internet, this is a risk, and it should not be advocated.
Manually not so often needed, but used by scripts for clean shutdown or restart of IPv6 configuration.
Usage for removing a tunnel device:
# /sbin/ip tunnel del <device> |
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/ip -6 route del <prefixtoroute1> dev sit1 # /sbin/ip link set sit1 down # /sbin/ip tunnel del sit1 # /sbin/ip -6 route del <prefixtoroute2> dev sit2 # /sbin/ip link set sit2 down # /sbin/ip tunnel del sit2 # /sbin/ip -6 route del <prefixtoroute3> dev sit3 # /sbin/ip link set sit3 down # /sbin/ip tunnel del sit3 |
Not only the creation is strange, the shutdown also...you have to remove the tunnels in backorder, means the latest created must be removed first.
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/route -A inet6 del <prefixtoroute3> dev sit3 # /sbin/ifconfig sit3 down # /sbin/route -A inet6 del <prefixtoroute2> dev sit2 # /sbin/ifconfig sit2 down # /sbin/route -A inet6 add <prefixtoroute1> dev sit1 # /sbin/ifconfig sit1 down # /sbin/ifconfig sit0 down |
This is like removing normal IPv6 routes.
Usage (generic example for three tunnels):
# /sbin/route -A inet6 del <prefixtoroute1> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel1> dev sit0 # /sbin/route -A inet6 del <prefixtoroute2> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel2> dev sit0 # /sbin/route -A inet6 del <prefixtoroute3> gw ¬ ::<ipv4addressofforeigntunnel3> dev sit0 # /sbin/ifconfig sit0 down |
Sometimes it's needed to configure a point-to-point tunnel with IPv6 addresses like in IPv4 today. This is only possible with the first (ifconfig+route - deprecated) and third (ip+route) tunnel setup. In such cases, you can add the IPv6 address to the tunnel interface like shown on interface configuration.
Pay attention that the support of 6to4 tunnels currently lacks on vanilla kernel series 2.2.x (see systemcheck/kernel for more information). Also note that that the prefix length for a 6to4 address is 16 because of from network point of view, all other 6to4 enabled hosts are on the same layer 2.
First, you have to calculate your 6to4 prefix using your local assigned global routable IPv4 address (if your host has no global routable IPv4 address, in special cases NAT on border gateways is possible):
Assuming your IPv4 address is
1.2.3.4 |
the generated 6to4 prefix will be
2002:0102:0304:: |
Local 6to4 gateways should always assigned the suffix "::1", therefore your local 6to4 address will be
2002:0102:0304::1 |
Use e.g. following for automatic generation:
ipv4="1.2.3.4"; printf "2002:%02x%02x:%02x%02x::1" `echo $ipv4 | tr "." " "` |
There are two ways possible to setup 6to4 tunneling now.
This is now the recommended way (a TTL must be specified because the default value is 0).
Create a new tunnel device
# /sbin/ip tunnel add tun6to4 mode sit ttl <ttldefault> remote any local <localipv4address> |
Bring interface up
# /sbin/ip link set dev tun6to4 up |
Add local 6to4 address to interface (note: prefix length 16 is important!)
# /sbin/ip -6 addr add <local6to4address>/16 dev tun6to4 |
Add (default) route to the global IPv6 network using the all-6to4-routers IPv4 anycast address
# /sbin/ip -6 route add 2000::/3 via ::192.88.99.1 dev tun6to4 metric 1 |
This is now deprecated because using the generic tunnel device sit0 doesn't let specify filtering per device.
Bring generic tunnel interface sit0 up
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 up |
Add local 6to4 address to interface
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 add <local6to4address>/16 |
Add (default) route to the global IPv6 network using the all-6to4-relays IPv4 anycast address
# /sbin/route -A inet6 add 2000::/3 gw ::192.88.99.1 dev sit0 |
Remove all routes through this dedicated tunnel device
# /sbin/ip -6 route flush dev tun6to4 |
Shut down interface
# /sbin/ip link set dev tun6to4 down |
Remove created tunnel device
# /sbin/ip tunnel del tun6to4 |
Remove (default) route through the 6to4 tunnel interface
# /sbin/route -A inet6 del 2000::/3 gw ::192.88.99.1 dev sit0 |
Remove local 6to4 address to interface
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 del <local6to4address>/16 |
Shut down generic tunnel device (take care about this, perhaps it's still in use...)
# /sbin/ifconfig sit0 down |
This will be filled in the future. At the moment, such tunnels are more used in test environments.
More information in the meantime: RFC 2473 / Generic Packet Tunneling in IPv6 Specification
Note: the source of this section is mostly the file "ip-sysctl.txt" which is included in current kernel sources in directory "Documentation/networking". Credits to Pekka Savola for maintaining the IPv6-related part in this file. Also some text is more or less copied & pasted into this document.
Using "cat" and "echo" is the simplest way to access the /proc filesystem, but some requirements are needed for that
The /proc-filesystem had to be enabled in kernel, means on compiling following switch has to be set
CONFIG_PROC_FS=y |
The /proc-filesystem was mounted before, which can be tested using
# mount | grep "type proc" none on /proc type proc (rw) |
You need read and sometimes also write access (normally root only) to the /proc-filesystem
Normally, only entries in /proc/sys/* are writable, the others are readonly and for information retrieving only.
Using the "sysctl" program to access the kernel switches is a modern method today. You can use it also, if the /proc-filesystem isn't mounted. But you have only access to /proc/sys/*!
The program "sysctl" is included in package "procps" (on Red Hat Linux systems).
The sysctl-interface had to be enabled in kernel, means on compiling following switch has to be set
CONFIG_SYSCTL=y |
The value of an entry can be retrieved now:
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0 |
A new value can be set (if entry is writable):
# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 1 |
Note: Don't use spaces around the "=" on setting values. Also on multiple values per line, quote them like e.g.
# sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range="32768 61000" net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range = 32768 61000 |
There are several formats seen in /proc-filesystem:
BOOLEAN: simple a "0" (false) or a "1" (true)
INTEGER: an integer value, can be unsigned, too
more sophisticated lines with several values: sometimes a header line is displayed also, if not, have a look into the kernel source to retrieve information about the meaning of each value...
Change all the interface-specific settings.
Exception: "conf/all/forwarding" has a different meaning here
Type: BOOLEAN
This enables global IPv6 forwarding between all interfaces.
In IPv6 you can't control forwarding per device, forwarding control has to be done using IPv6-netfilter (controlled with ip6tables) rulesets and specify input and output devices (see Firewalling/Netfilter6 for more). This is different to IPv4, where you are able to control forwarding per device (decision is made on interface where packet came in).
This also sets all interfaces' Host/Router setting 'forwarding' to the specified value. See below for details. This referred to as global forwarding.
If this value is 0, no IPv6 forwarding is enabled, packets never leave another interface, neither physical nor logical like e.g. tunnels.
Change special settings per interface.
The functional behaviour for certain settings is different depending on whether local forwarding is enabled or not.
Type: BOOLEAN
Functional default: enabled if local forwarding is disabled. disabled if local forwarding is enabled.
Accept Router Advertisements, and autoconfigure this interface with received data.
Type: BOOLEAN
Functional default: enabled if local forwarding is disabled. disabled if local forwarding is enabled.
Accept Redirects sent by an IPv6 router.
Type: BOOLEAN
Default: TRUE
Configure link-local addresses (see also Addresstypes) using L2 hardware addresses. E.g. this generates automagically an address like "fe80::201:23ff:fe45:6789" on an interface with a L2-MAC address.
Type: INTEGER
Default: 1
The amount of Duplicate Address Detection probes to send.
Type: BOOLEAN
Default: FALSE if global forwarding is disabled (default), otherwise TRUE
Configure interface-specific Host/Router behaviour.
Note: It is recommended to have the same setting on all interfaces; mixed router/host scenarios are rather uncommon.
Value FALSE: By default, Host behaviour is assumed. This means:
IsRouter flag is not set in Neighbour Advertisements.
Router Solicitations are being sent when necessary.
If accept_ra is TRUE (default), accept Router Advertisements (and do autoconfiguration).
If accept_redirects is TRUE (default), accept Redirects.
Value TRUE: If local forwarding is enabled, Router behaviour is assumed. This means exactly the reverse from the above:
IsRouter flag is set in Neighbour Advertisements.
Router Solicitations are not sent.
Router Advertisements are ignored.
Redirects are ignored.
Type: INTEGER
Default: 1
Number of seconds to wait after interface is brought up before sending Router Solicitations.
Change default settings for neighbor detection and some special global interval and threshold values:
Type: INTEGER
Default: 1024
Tuning parameter for neighbour table size.
Increase this value if you have a lot of interfaces and problem with routes start to act mysteriously and fail. Or if a running Zebra (routing daemon) reports:
ZEBRA: netlink-listen error: No buffer space available, type=RTM_NEWROUTE(24), seq=426, pid=0 |
At the moment (and this will be until IPv4 is completly converted to an independend kernel module) some switches are also used here for IPv6.
In /proc/net there are several read-only entries available. You cannot retrieve information using "sysctl" here, so use e.g. "cat".
Type: One line per addresss containing multiple values
Here all configured IPv6 addresses are shown in a special format. The example displays for loopback interface only. The meaning is shown below (see "net/ipv6/addrconf.c" for more).
# cat /proc/net/if_inet6 00000000000000000000000000000001 01 80 10 80 lo +------------------------------+ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ | | | | | | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
IPv6 address displayed in 32 hexadecimal chars without colons as separator
Netlink device number (interface index) in hexadecimal (see "ip addr" , too)
Prefix length in hexadecimal
Scope value (see kernel source " include/net/ipv6.h" and "net/ipv6/addrconf.c" for more)
Interface flags (see "include/linux/rtnetlink.h" and "net/ipv6/addrconf.c" for more)
Device name
Type: One line per route containing multiple values
Here all configured IPv6 routes are shown in a special format. The example displays for loopback interface only. The meaning is shown below (see "net/ipv6/route.c" for more).
# cat /proc/net/ipv6_route 00000000000000000000000000000000 00 00000000000000000000000000000000 00 +------------------------------+ ++ +------------------------------+ ++ | | | | 1 2 3 4 ¬ 00000000000000000000000000000000 ffffffff 00000001 00000001 00200200 lo ¬ +------------------------------+ +------+ +------+ +------+ +------+ ++ ¬ | | | | | | ¬ 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
IPv6 destination network displayed in 32 hexadecimal chars without colons as separator
IPv6 destination prefix length in hexadecimal
IPv6 source network displayed in 32 hexadecimal chars without colons as separator
IPv6 source prefix length in hexadecimal
IPv6 next hop displayed in 32 hexadecimal chars without colons as separator
Metric in hexadecimal
Reference counter
Use counter
Flags
Device name
Type: One line per protocol with description and value
Statistics about used IPv6 sockets. Example:
# cat /proc/net/sockstat6 TCP6: inuse 7 UDP6: inuse 2 RAW6: inuse 1 FRAG6: inuse 0 memory 0 |
It's always interesting which server sockets are currently active on a node. Using "netstat" is a short way to get such information:
Used options: -nlptu
Example:
# netstat -nlptu Active Internet connections (only servers) Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State ¬ PID/Program name tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32768 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 1258/rpc.statd tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32769 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 1502/rpc.mountd tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:515 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 22433/lpd Waiting tcp 0 0 1.2.3.1:139 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 1746/smbd tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 1230/portmap tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:6000 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 3551/X tcp 0 0 1.2.3.1:8081 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 18735/junkbuster tcp 0 0 1.2.3.1:3128 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 18822/(squid) tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:953 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ¬ 30734/named tcp 0 0 ::ffff:1.2.3.1:993 :::* LISTEN ¬ 6742/xinetd-ipv6 tcp 0 0 :::13 :::* LISTEN ¬ 6742/xinetd-ipv6 tcp 0 0 ::ffff:1.2.3.1:143 :::* LISTEN ¬ 6742/xinetd-ipv6 tcp 0 0 :::53 :::* LISTEN ¬ 30734/named tcp 0 0 :::22 :::* LISTEN ¬ 1410/sshd tcp 0 0 :::6010 :::* LISTEN ¬ 13237/sshd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32768 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1258/rpc.statd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:2049 0.0.0.0:* ¬ - udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32770 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1502/rpc.mountd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32771 0.0.0.0:* ¬ - udp 0 0 1.2.3.1:137 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1751/nmbd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:137 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1751/nmbd udp 0 0 1.2.3.1:138 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1751/nmbd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:138 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1751/nmbd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:33044 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 30734/named udp 0 0 1.2.3.1:53 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 30734/named udp 0 0 127.0.0.1:53 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 30734/named udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:67 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1530/dhcpd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:67 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1530/dhcpd udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32858 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 18822/(squid) udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:4827 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 18822/(squid) udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* ¬ 1230/portmap udp 0 0 :::53 :::* ¬ 30734/named |
Here some examples of captured packets are shown, perhaps useful for your own debugging...
...more coming next...
15:43:49.484751 fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3450 > ff02::1: icmp6: router ¬ advertisement(chlim=64, router_ltime=30, reachable_time=0, ¬ retrans_time=0)(prefix info: AR valid_ltime=30, preffered_ltime=20, ¬ prefix=2002:0102:0304:1::/64)(prefix info: LAR valid_ltime=2592000, ¬ preffered_ltime=604800, prefix=3ffe:ffff:0:1::/64)(src lladdr: ¬ 0:12:34:12:34:50) (len 88, hlim 255) |
Router with link-local address "fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3450" send an advertisement to the all-node-on-link multicast address "ff02::1" containing two prefixes "2002:0102:0304:1::/64" (lifetime 30 s) and "3ffe:ffff:0:1::/64" (lifetime 2592000 s) including its own layer 2 MAC address "0:12:34:12:34:50".
15:44:21.152646 fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3456 > ff02::2: icmp6: router solicitation ¬ (src lladdr: 0:12:34:12:34:56) (len 16, hlim 255) |
Node with link-local address "fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3456" and layer 2 MAC address "0:12:34:12:34:56" is looking for a router on-link, therefore sending this solicitation to the all-router-on-link multicast address "ff02::2".
Following packets are sent by a node with layer 2 MAC address "0:12:34:12:34:56" during autoconfiguration to check whether a potential address is already used by another node on the link sending this to the solicited-node link-local multicast address.
Node wants to configure its link-local address "fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3456", checks for duplicate now
15:44:17.712338 :: > ff02::1:ff12:3456: icmp6: neighbor sol: who has ¬ fe80::212:34ff:fe12:3456(src lladdr: 0:12:34:12:34:56) (len 32, hlim 255) |
Node wants to configure its global address "2002:0102:0304:1:212:34ff:fe12:3456" (after receiving advertisement shown above), checks for duplicate now
15:44:21.905596 :: > ff02::1:ff12:3456: icmp6: neighbor sol: who has ¬ 2002:0102:0304:1:212:34ff:fe12:3456(src lladdr: 0:12:34:12:34:56) (len 32, ¬ hlim 255) |
Node wants to configure its global address "3ffe:ffff:0:1:212:34ff:fe12:3456" (after receiving advertisement shown above), checks for duplicate now
15:44:22.304028 :: > ff02::1:ff12:3456: icmp6: neighbor sol: who has ¬ 3ffe:ffff:0:1:212:34ff:fe12:3456(src lladdr: 0:12:34:12:34:56) (len 32, hlim ¬ 255) |
Node wants to send packages to "3ffe:ffff:0:1::10" but has no layer 2 MAC address to send packet, so send solicitation now
13:07:47.664538 2002:0102:0304:1:2e0:18ff:fe90:9205 > ff02::1:ff00:10: icmp6: ¬ neighbor sol: who has 3ffe:ffff:0:1::10(src lladdr: 0:e0:18:90:92:5) (len 32, ¬ hlim 255) |
Node looks for "fe80::10" now
13:11:20.870070 fe80::2e0:18ff:fe90:9205 > ff02::1:ff00:10: icmp6: neighbor ¬ sol: who has fe80::10(src lladdr: 0:e0:18:90:92:5) (len 32, hlim 255) |
Some Linux distribution contain already support of a persistent IPv6 configuration using existing or new configuration and script files and some hook in the IPv4 script files.
Since starting writing the IPv6 & Linux - HowTo it was my intention to enable a persistent IPv6 configuration which catch most of the wished cases like host-only, router-only, dual-homed-host, router with second stub network, normal tunnels, 6to4 tunnels, and so on. Nowadays there exists a set of configuration and script files which do the job very well (never heard about real problems, but I don't know how many use the set). Because this configuration and script files are extended from time to time, they got their own HOWTO page: IPv6-HOWTO/scripts/current. Because I began my IPv6 experience using a Red Hat Linux 5.0 clone, my IPv6 development systems are mostly Red Hat Linux based now, it's kind a logic that the scripts are developed for this kind of distribution (so called historic issue). Also it was very easy to extend some configuration files, create new ones and create some simple hook for calling IPv6 setup during IPv4 setup.
Fortunately, in Red Hat Linux since 7.1 a snapshot of my IPv6 scripts is included, this was and is still further on assisted by Pekka Savola.
Mandrake since version 8.0 also includes an IPv6-enabled initscript package, but a minor bug still prevents usage ("ifconfig" misses "inet6" before "add").
You can test, whether your Linux distribution contain support for persistent IPv6 configuration using my set. Following script library should exist:
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions-ipv6 |
Auto-magically test:
# test -f /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions-ipv6 && echo "Main ¬ IPv6 script library exists" |
The version of the library is important if you miss some features. You can get it executing following (or easier look at the top of the file):
# source /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions-ipv6 && ¬ getversion_ipv6_functions 20011124 |
In shown example, the used version is 20011124. Check this against latest information on IPv6-HOWTO/scripts/current to see what has been changed. There is also a change-log available in the distributed tar-ball.
Check whether running system has already IPv6 module loaded
# modprobe -c | grep net-pf-10 alias net-pf-10 off |
If result is "off", then enable IPv6 networking by editing /etc/sysconfig/network, add following new line
NETWORKING_IPV6=yes |
Reboot or restart networking using
# service network restart |
Now IPv6 module should be loaded
# modprobe -c | grep ipv6 alias net-pf-10 ipv6 |
If your system is on a link which provides router advertisement, autoconfiguration will be done automatically. For more information which settings are supported see /usr/share/doc/initscripts-$version/sysconfig.txt.
In newer 7.x versions there is a really rudimentary support available, see /etc/rc.config for details.
Because of the really different configuration and script file structure it is hard (or impossible) to use the set for Red Hat Linux and clones with this distribution. In versions 8.x they completly change their configuration setup.
Following information was contributed by Stephane Bortzmeyer <bortzmeyer at nic dot fr>
Be sure that IPv6 is loaded, either because it is compiled into the kernel or because the module is loaded. For the latest, three solutions, adding it to /etc/modules, using the pre-up trick shown later or using kmod (not detailed here).
Configure your interface. Here we assume eth0 and address (3ffe:ffff:1234:5::1:1). Edit /etc/network/interfaces:
iface eth0 inet6 static pre-up modprobe ipv6 address 3ffe:ffff:1234:5::1:1 # To suppress completely autoconfiguration: # up echo 0 > /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/autoconf netmask 64 # The router is autoconfigured and has no fixed address. # It is magically # found. (/proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/accept_ra). Otherwise: #gateway 3ffe:ffff:1234:5::1 |
And you reboot or you just
# ifup --force eth0 |
and you have your static address.
IPv6 on Debian Linux by Craig Small
Jean-Marc V. Liotier's HOWTO for Freenet6 & Debian Users (announced 24.12.2002 on mailinglist users@ipv6.org )
Is supported and seen on the assigned link-local address after an IPv6-enabled interface is up.
to be filled. See radvd daemon autoconfiguration below.
to be filled.
For the moment, see Issues Concerning DHCP in IPv6 Specifications; Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6) ; A Guide to Implementing Stateless DHCPv6 Service and DHCPv6 Options for SIP Servers for more details.
to be filled.
For the moment, see Mobile IPv6 for Linux(MIPL) homepage for more details. Further infos can be found here:
Securing MIPv6 Binding Updates Using Address Based Keys (ABKs)
IPv6 Reverse Routing Header and its application to Mobile Networks
Using IPsec to Protect Mobile IPv6 Signaling between Mobile Nodes and Home Agents
Mobile IPv6 Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Requirements
RObust Header Compression (ROHC): A Compression Profile for Mobile IPv6
IPv6 firewalling is important, especially if using IPv6 on internal networks with global IPv6 addresses. Because unlike at IPv4 networks where in common internal hosts are protected automatically using private IPv4 addresses like RFC 1918 / Address Allocation for Private Internets or Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA)Google search for Microsoft + APIPA, in IPv6 normally global addresses are used and someone with IPv6 connectivity can reach all internal IPv6 enabled nodes.
Native IPv6 firewalling is only supported in kernel versions 2.4+. In older 2.2- you can only filter IPv6-in-IPv4 by protocol 41.
Attention: no warranty that described rules or examples can really protect your system!
Audit your ruleset after installation, see Section 17.3 for more.
Get the latest kernel source: http://www.kernel.org/
Get the latest iptables package:
Source tarball (for kernel patches): http://www.netfilter.org/
Source RPM for rebuild of binary (for RedHat systems): ftp://ftp.redhat.com/redhat/linux/rawhide/SRPMS/SRPMS/ or perhaps also at http://www.netcore.fi/pekkas/linux/ipv6/
Change to source directory:
# cd /path/to/src |
Unpack and rename kernel sources
# tar z|jxf kernel-version.tar.gz|bz2 # mv linux linux-version-iptables-version+IPv6 |
Unpack iptables sources
# tar z|jxf iptables-version.tar.gz|bz2 |
Change to iptables directory
# cd iptables-version |
Apply pending patches
# make pending-patches KERNEL_DIR=/path/to/src/linux-version-iptables-version/ |
Apply additional IPv6 related patches (still not in the vanilla kernel included)
# make patch-o-matic KERNEL_DIR=/path/to/src/linux-version-iptables-version/ |
Say yes at following options (iptables-1.2.2)
ah-esp.patch
masq-dynaddr.patch (only needed for systems with dynamic IP assigned WAN connections like PPP or PPPoE)
ipv6-agr.patch.ipv6
ipv6-ports.patch.ipv6
LOG.patch.ipv6
REJECT.patch.ipv6
Check IPv6 extensions
# make print-extensions Extensions found: IPv6:owner IPv6:limit IPv6:mac IPv6:multiport |
Change to kernel sources
# cd /path/to/src/linux-version-iptables-version/ |
Edit Makefile
- EXTRAVERSION = + EXTRAVERSION = -iptables-version+IPv6-try |
Run configure, enable IPv6 related
Code maturity level options Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers : yes Networking options Network packet filtering: yes The IPv6 protocol: module IPv6: Netfilter Configuration IP6 tables support: module All new options like following: limit match support: module MAC address match support: module Multiple port match support: module Owner match support: module netfilter MARK match support: module Aggregated address check: module Packet filtering: module REJECT target support: module LOG target support: module Packet mangling: module MARK target support: module |
Configure other related to your system, too
Compilation and installing: see the kernel section here and other HOWTOs
Make sure, that upper kernel source tree is also available at /usr/src/linux/
Rename older directory
# mv /usr/src/linux /usr/src/linux.old |
Create a new softlink
# ln -s /path/to/src/linux-version-iptables-version /usr/src/linux |
Rebuild SRPMS
# rpm --rebuild /path/to/SRPMS/iptables-version-release.src.rpm |
Install new iptables packages (iptables + iptables-ipv6)
On RH 7.1 systems, normally, already an older version is installed, therefore use "freshen"
# rpm -Fhv /path/to/RPMS/cpu/iptables*-version-release.cpu.rpm |
If not already installed, use "install"
# rpm -ihv /path/to/RPMS/cpu/iptables*-version-release.cpu.rpm |
On RH 6.2 systems, normally, no kernel 2.4.x is installed, therefore the requirements don't fit. Use "--nodeps" to install it
# rpm -ihv --nodeps /path/to/RPMS/cpu/iptables*-version-release.cpu.rpm |
Perhaps it's necessary to create a softlink for iptables libraries where iptables looks for them
# ln -s /lib/iptables/ /usr/lib/iptables |
Load module, if so compiled
# modprobe ip6_tables |
Check for capability
# [ ! -f /proc/net/ip6_tables_names ] && echo "Current kernel doesn't support ¬ 'ip6tables' firewalling (IPv6)!" |
Short
# ip6tables -L |
Extended
# ip6tables -n -v --line-numbers -L |
# ip6tables --table filter --append INPUT -j LOG --log-prefix "INPUT:" ¬ --log-level 7 |
Using older kernels (unpatched kernel 2.4.5 and iptables-1.2.2) no type can be specified
Accept incoming ICMPv6 through tunnels
# ip6tables -A INPUT -i sit+ -p icmpv6 -j ACCEPT |
Allow outgoing ICMPv6 through tunnels
# ip6tables -A OUTPUT -o sit+ -p icmpv6 -j ACCEPT |
Newer kernels allow specifying of ICMPv6 types:
# ip6tables -A INPUT -p icmpv6 --icmpv6-type echo-request -j ACCEPT |
Because it can happen (author already saw it to times) that an ICMPv6 storm will raise up, you should use available rate limiting for at least ICMPv6 ruleset. In addition logging rules should also get rate limiting to prevent DoS attacks against syslog and storage of log file partition. An example for a rate limited ICMPv6 looks like:
# ip6tables -A INPUT --protocol icmpv6 --icmpv6-type echo-request ¬ -j ACCEPT --match limit --limit 30/minute |
Here an example is shown for a ruleset which allows incoming SSH connection from a specified IPv6 address
Allow incoming SSH from 3ffe:ffff:100::1/128
# ip6tables -A INPUT -i sit+ -p tcp -s 3ffe:ffff:100::1/128 --sport 512:65535 ¬ --dport 22 -j ACCEPT |
Allow response packets (at the moment IPv6 connection tracking isn't in mainstream netfilter6 implemented)
# ip6tables -A OUTPUT -o sit+ -p tcp -d 3ffe:ffff:100::1/128 --dport 512:65535 ¬ --sport 22 ! --syn j ACCEPT |
To accept tunneled IPv6-in-IPv4 packets, you have to insert rules in your IPv4 firewall setup relating to such packets, for example
Accept incoming IPv6-in-IPv4 on interface ppp0
# iptables -A INPUT -i ppp0 -p ipv6 -j ACCEPT |
Allow outgoing IPv6-in-IPv4 to interface ppp0
# iptables -A OUTPUT -o ppp0 -p ipv6 -j ACCEPT |
If you have only a static tunnel, you can specify the IPv4 addresses, too, like
Accept incoming IPv6-in-IPv4 on interface ppp0 from tunnel endpoint 1.2.3.4
# iptables -A INPUT -i ppp0 -p ipv6 -s 1.2.3.4 -j ACCEPT |
Allow outgoing IPv6-in-IPv4 to interface ppp0 to tunnel endpoint 1.2.3.4
# iptables -A OUTPUT -o ppp0 -p ipv6 -d 1.2.3.4 -j ACCEPT |
VERY RECOMMENDED! For security issues you should really insert a rule which blocks incoming TCP connection requests. Adapt "-i" option, if other interface names are in use!
Block incoming TCP connection requests to this host
# ip6tables -I INPUT -i sit+ -p tcp --syn -j DROP |
Block incoming TCP connection requests to hosts behind this router
# ip6tables -I FORWARD -i sit+ -p tcp --syn -j DROP |
Perhaps the rules have to be placed below others, but that is work you have to think about it. Best way is to create a script and execute rules in a specified way.
ALSO RECOMMENDED! Like mentioned on my firewall information it's possible to control the ports on outgoing UDP/TCP sessions. So if all of your local IPv6 systems are using local ports e.g. from 32768 to 60999 you are able to filter UDP connections also (until connection tracking works) like:
Block incoming UDP packets which cannot be responses of outgoing requests of this host
# ip6tables -I INPUT -i sit+ -p udp ! --dport 32768:60999 -j DROP |
Block incoming UDP packets which cannot be responses of forwarded requests of hosts behind this router
# ip6tables -I FORWARD -i sit+ -p udp ! --dport 32768:60999 -j DROP |
Following lines show a more sophisticated setup as an example. Happy netfilter6 ruleset creation....
# ip6tables -n -v -L Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination 0 0 extIN all sit+ * ::/0 ::/0 4 384 intIN all eth0 * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT all * * ::1/128 ::1/128 0 0 ACCEPT all lo * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `INPUT-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain FORWARD (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 int2ext all eth0 sit+ ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ext2int all sit+ eth0 ::/0 ::/0 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `FORWARD-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 extOUT all * sit+ ::/0 ::/0 4 384 intOUT all * eth0 ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT all * * ::1/128 ::1/128 0 0 ACCEPT all * lo ::/0 ::/0 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `OUTPUT-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain ext2int (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT icmpv6 * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:1:65535 dpts:1024:65535 flags:!0x16/0x02 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `ext2int-default:' 0 0 DROP tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 DROP udp * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain extIN (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * 3ffe:400:100::1/128 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:512:65535 dpt:22 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * 3ffe:400:100::2/128 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:512:65535 dpt:22 0 0 ACCEPT icmpv6 * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:1:65535 dpts:1024:65535 flags:!0x16/0x02 0 0 ACCEPT udp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ udp spts:1:65535 dpts:1024:65535 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ limit: avg 5/min burst 5 LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `extIN-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain extOUT (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ¬ 3ffe:ffff:100::1/128tcp spt:22 dpts:512:65535 flags:!0x16/0x02 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ¬ 3ffe:ffff:100::2/128tcp spt:22 dpts:512:65535 flags:!0x16/0x02 0 0 ACCEPT icmpv6 * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:1024:65535 dpts:1:65535 0 0 ACCEPT udp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ udp spts:1024:65535 dpts:1:65535 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `extOUT-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain int2ext (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT icmpv6 * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ tcp spts:1024:65535 dpts:1:65535 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `int2ext:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `int2ext-default:' 0 0 DROP tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 DROP udp * * ::/0 ::/0 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 Chain intIN (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT all * * ::/0 ¬ fe80::/ffc0:: 4 384 ACCEPT all * * ::/0 ff02::/16 Chain intOUT (1 references) pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination ¬ 0 0 ACCEPT all * * ::/0 ¬ fe80::/ffc0:: 4 384 ACCEPT all * * ::/0 ff02::/16 0 0 LOG all * * ::/0 ::/0 ¬ LOG flags 0 level 7 prefix `intOUT-default:' 0 0 DROP all * * ::/0 ::/0 |
It's very recommended to apply all available patches and disable all not necessary services. Also bind services to the needed IPv4/IPv6 addresses only and install local firewalling.
More to be filled...
Many services uses the tcp_wrapper library for access control. Below is described the use of tcp_wrapper.
More to be filled...
Currently there are no comfortable tools out which are able to check a system over network for IPv6 security issues. Neither Nessus nor any commercial security scanner is as far as I know able to scan IPv6 addresses.
ATTENTION: always take care that you only scan your own systems or after receiving a written order, otherwise legal issues are able to come up to you. CHECK destination IPv6 addresses TWICE before starting a scan.
With the IPv6-enabled netcat (see IPv6+Linux-status-apps/security-auditing for more) you can run a portscan by wrapping a script around which run through a port range, grab banners and so on. Usage example:
# nc6 ::1 daytime 13 JUL 2002 11:22:22 CEST |
NMap, one of the best portscaner around the world, supports IPv6 since version 3.10ALPHA1. Usage example:
# nmap -6 -sT ::1 Starting nmap V. 3.10ALPHA3 ( www.insecure.org/nmap/ ) Interesting ports on localhost6 (::1): (The 1600 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed) Port State Service 22/tcp open ssh 53/tcp open domain 515/tcp open printer 2401/tcp open cvspserver Nmap run completed -- 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 0.525 seconds |
Strobe is a (compared to NMap) more a low budget portscanner, but there is an IPv6-enabling patch available (see IPv6+Linux-status-apps/security-auditing for more). Usage example:
# ./strobe ::1 strobe 1.05 (c) 1995-1999 Julian Assange <proff@iq.org>. ::1 2401 unassigned unknown ::1 22 ssh Secure Shell - RSA encrypted rsh ::1 515 printer spooler (lpd) ::1 6010 unassigned unknown ::1 53 domain Domain Name Server |
Note: strobe isn't really developed further on, the shown version number isn't the right one.
If the result of an audit mismatch your IPv6 security policy, use IPv6 firewalling to close the holes, e.g. using netfilter6 (see Firewalling/Netfilter6 for more).
Info: More detailed information concerning IPv6 Security can be found here:
Unlike in IPv4 encryption and authentication is a mandatory feature of IPv6. This features are normally implemented using IPsec (which can be also used by IPv4).
But because of the independence of encryption and authentication from the key exchange protocol there exists currently some interoperability problems regarding this issue.
Currently missing in 2.4, perhaps in 2.5 (see below). There is an issue about keeping the Linux kernel source free of export/import-control-laws regarding encryption code. This is also one case why FreeS/WAN project (IPv4 only IPsec) isn't still contained in vanilla source.
The USAGI project has taken over in July 2001 the IPv6 enabled FreeS/WAN code from the IABG / IPv6 Project and included in their kernel extensions, but still work in progress, means that not all IABG features are already working in USAGI extension.
to be filled, mostly like FreeS/WAN for IPv4. For the meantime look for documentation at FreeS/WAN / Online documentation.
IPv6 supports QoS with use of Flow Labels and Traffic Classes. This can be controlled using "tc" (contained in package "iproute").
Additional infos:
more to be filled...
Here some hints are shown for IPv6-enabled daemons.
IPv6 is supported since version 9. Always use newest available version. At least version 9.1.3 must be used, older versions can contain remote exploitable security holes.
Note: unlike in IPv4 current versions doesn't allow to bind a server socket to dedicated IPv6 addresses, so only any or none are valid. Because this can be a security issue, check the Access Control List (ACL) section below, too!
To enable IPv6 for listening, following options are requested to change
options { # sure other options here, too listen-on-v6 { any; }; }; |
This should result after restart in e.g.
# netstat -lnptu |grep "named\W*$" tcp 0 0 :::53 :::* LISTEN 1234/named ¬ # incoming TCP requests udp 0 0 1.2.3.4:53 0.0.0.0:* 1234/named ¬ # incoming UDP requests to IPv4 1.2.3.4 udp 0 0 127.0.0.1:53 0.0.0.0:* 1234/named ¬ # incoming UDP requests to IPv4 localhost udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32868 0.0.0.0:* 1234/named ¬ # dynamic chosen port for outgoing queries udp 0 0 :::53 :::* 1234/named ¬ # incoming UDP request to any IPv6 |
And a simple test looks like
# dig localhost @::1 |
and should show you a result.
IPv6 enabled ACLs are possible and should be used whenever it's possible. An example looks like following:
acl internal-net { 127.0.0.1; 1.2.3.0/24; 3ffe:ffff:100::/56; ::1/128; ::ffff:1.2.3.4/128; }; acl ns-internal-net { 1.2.3.4; 1.2.3.5; 3ffe:ffff:100::4/128; 3ffe:ffff:100::5/128; }; |
This ACLs can be used e.g. for queries of clients and transfer zones to secondary name-servers. This prevents also your caching name-server to be used from outside using IPv6.
options { # sure other options here, too listen-on-v6 { none; }; allow-query { internal-net; }; allow-transfer { ns-internal-net; }; }; |
It's also possible to set the allow-query and allow-transfer option for most of single zone definitions, too.
This option is not required, but perhaps needed:
query-source-v6 address <ipv6address|*> port <port|*>; |
It's also possible to define per zone some IPv6 addresses.
Some information can be also found at IPv6 DNS Setup Information (article). Perhaps also helpful is the IPv6 Reverse DNS zone builder for BIND 8/9 (webtool).
For IPv6 new types and root zones for reverse lookups are defined:
AAAA and reverse IP6.INT: specified in RFC 1886 / DNS Extensions to support IP version 6, usable since BIND version 4.9.6
A6, DNAME (DEPRECATED NOW!) and reverse IP6.ARPA: specified in RFC 2874 / DNS Extensions to Support IPv6 Address Aggregation and Renumbering, usable since BIND 9, but see also an information about the current state at draft-ietf-dnsext-ipv6-addresses-00.txt
Perhaps filled later more content, for the meantime take a look at given RFCs and
AAAA and reverse IP6.INT: IPv6 DNS Setup Information
A6, DNAME (DEPRECATED NOW!) and reverse IP6.ARPA: take a look into chapter 4 and 6 of the BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual (ARM) distributed which the bind-package or get this here: BIND version 9 ARM (PDF)
Because IP6.INT is deprecated (but still in use), a DNS server which will support IPv6 information has to serve both reverse zones.
To check, whether BIND is listening on an IPv6 socket and serving data see following examples.
Specifying a dedicated server for the query, an IPv6 connect can be forced:
$ host -t aaaa www.6bone.net 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1 Using domain server: Name: 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1 Address: 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1#53 Aliases: Host www.6bone.net. not found: 5(REFUSED) |
Related log entry looks like following:
Jan 3 12:43:32 gate named[12347]: client ¬ 3ffe:ffff:200:f101:212:34ff:fe12:3456#32770: query denied |
If you see such entries in the log, check whether requests from this client should be allowed and perhaps review your ACL configuration.
A successful IPv6 connect looks like following:
$ host -t aaaa www.6bone.net 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1 Using domain server: Name: 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1 Address: 3ffe:ffff:200:f101::1#53 Aliases: www.6bone.net. is an alias for 6bone.net. 6bone.net. has AAAA address 3ffe:b00:c18:1::10 |
IPv6 is supported since xinetd version around 1.8.9. Always use newest available version. At least version 2.3.3 must be used, older versions can contain remote exploitable security holes.
Some Linux distribution contain an extra package for the IPv6 enabled xinetd, some others start the IPv6-enabled xinetd if following variable is set: NETWORKING_IPV6="yes", mostly done by /etc/sysconfig/network (only valid for Red Hat like distributions).
If you enable a built-in service like e.g. daytime by modifying the configuration file in /etc/xinetd.d/daytime like
# diff -u /etc/xinetd.d/daytime.orig /etc/xinetd.d/daytime --- /etc/xinetd.d/daytime.orig Sun Dec 16 19:00:14 2001 +++ /etc/xinetd.d/daytime Sun Dec 16 19:00:22 2001 @@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ protocol = tcp user = root wait = no - disable = yes + disable = no } |
After restarting the xinetd you should get a positive result like:
# netstat -lnptu -A inet6 |grep "xinetd*" tcp 0 0 ::ffff:192.168.1.1:993 :::* LISTEN 12345/xinetd-ipv6 tcp 0 0 :::13 :::* LISTEN 12345/xinetd-ipv6 <- service ¬ daytime/tcp tcp 0 0 ::ffff:192.168.1.1:143 :::* LISTEN 12345/xinetd-ipv6 |
Shown example also displays an IMAP and IMAP-SSL IPv4-only listening xinetd.
Note: An IPv4-only xinetd won't start on an IPv6-enabled node and also the IPv6-enabled won't start on an IPv4-only node (will be hopefully fixed in the future).
Apache web server supports IPv6 native by maintainers since 2.0.14. Available patches for the older 1.3.x series are not current and shouldn't be used in public environment, but available at KAME / Misc.
Note: virtual hosts on IPv6 addresses are broken in versions until 2.0.28 (a patch is available for 2.0.28). But always try latest available version first because earlier versions had some security issues.
Listen [3ffe:ffff:100::1]:80 <VirtualHost [3ffe:ffff:100::1]:80> ServerName ipv6only.yourdomain.yourtopleveldomain # ...sure more config lines </VirtualHost> |
Listen [3ffe:ffff:100::2]:80 Listen 1.2.3.4:80 <VirtualHost [3ffe:ffff:100::2]:80 1.2.3.4:80> ServerName ipv6andipv4.yourdomain.yourtopleveldomain # ...sure more config lines </VirtualHost> |
This should result after restart in e.g.
# netstat -lnptu |grep "httpd2\W*$" tcp 0 0 1.2.3.4:80 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 12345/httpd2 tcp 0 0 3ffe:ffff:100::1:80 :::* LISTEN 12345/httpd2 tcp 0 0 3ffe:ffff:100::2:80 :::* LISTEN 12345/httpd2 |
For simple tests use the telnet example already shown.
The router advertisement daemon is very useful on a LAN, if clients should be auto-configured. The daemon itself should run on the Linux default IPv6 gateway router (it's not required that this is also the default IPv4 gateway, so pay attention who on your LAN is sending router advertisements).
You can specify some information and flags which should be contained in the advertisement. Common used are
Prefix (needed)
Lifetime of the prefix
Frequency of sending advertisements (optional)
After a proper configuration, the daemon sends advertisements through specified interfaces and clients are hopefully receive them and auto-magically configure addresses with received prefix and the default route.
Radvd's config file is normally /etc/radvd.conf. An simple example looks like following:
interface eth0 { AdvSendAdvert on; MinRtrAdvInterval 3; MaxRtrAdvInterval 10; prefix 3ffe:ffff:0100:f101::/64 { AdvOnLink on; AdvAutonomous on; AdvRouterAddr on; }; }; |
This results on client side in
# ip -6 addr show eth0 3: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast qlen 100 inet6 3ffe:ffff:100:f101:2e0:12ff:fe34:1234/64 scope global dynamic valid_lft 2591992sec preferred_lft 604792sec inet6 fe80::2e0:12ff:fe34:1234/10 scope link |
Because no lifetime was defined, a very high value was used.
Version since 0.6.2pl3 support the automatic (re)-generation of the prefix depending on an IPv4 address of a specified interface. This can be used to distribute advertisements in a LAN after the 6to4 tunneling has changed. Mostly used behind a dynamic dial-on-demand Linux router. Because of the sure shorter lifetime of such prefix (after each dial-up, another prefix is valid), the lifetime configured to minimal values:
interface eth0 { AdvSendAdvert on; MinRtrAdvInterval 3; MaxRtrAdvInterval 10; prefix 0:0:0:f101::/64 { AdvOnLink off; AdvAutonomous on; AdvRouterAddr on; Base6to4Interface ppp0; AdvPreferredLifetime 20; AdvValidLifetime 30; }; }; |
This results on client side in (assuming, ppp0 has currently 1.2.3.4 as local IPv4 address):
# ip -6 addr show eth0 3: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast qlen 100 inet6 2002:0102:0304:f101:2e0:12ff:fe34:1234/64 scope global dynamic valid_lft 22sec preferred_lft 12sec inet6 fe80::2e0:12ff:fe34:1234/10 scope link |
Because a small lifetime was defined, such prefix will be thrown away quickly, if no related advertisement was received.
A program called "radvdump" can help you looking into sent or received advertisements. Simple to use:
# radvdump Router advertisement from fe80::280:c8ff:feb9:cef9 (hoplimit 255) AdvCurHopLimit: 64 AdvManagedFlag: off AdvOtherConfigFlag: off AdvHomeAgentFlag: off AdvReachableTime: 0 AdvRetransTimer: 0 Prefix 2002:0102:0304:f101::/64 AdvValidLifetime: 30 AdvPreferredLifetime: 20 AdvOnLink: off AdvAutonomous: on AdvRouterAddr: on Prefix 3ffe:ffff:100:f101::/64 AdvValidLifetime: 2592000 AdvPreferredLifetime: 604800 AdvOnLink: on AdvAutonomous: on AdvRouterAddr: on AdvSourceLLAddress: 00 80 12 34 56 78 |
Output shows you each advertisement package in readable format. You should see your configured values here again, if not, perhaps it's not your radvd which sends the advertisement...look for another router on the link (and take the LLAddress, which is the MAC address for tracing).
tcp_wrapper is a library which can help you to protect service against misuse.
You can use tcp_wrapper for
Filtering against source addresses (IPv4 or IPv6)
Filtering against users (requires a running ident daemon on the client)
Following are known:
Each service which is called by xinetd (if xinetd is compiled using tcp_wrapper library)
sshd (if compiled using tcp_wrapper)
tcp_wrapper is controlled by two files name /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny. For more information see
$ man hosts.allow |
In this file, each service which should be positive filtered (means connects are accepted) need a line.
sshd: 1.2.3. [3ffe:ffff:100:200::]/64 daytime-stream: 1.2.3. [3ffe:ffff:100:200::]/64 |
This file contains all negative filter entries and should normally deny the rest using
ALL: ALL |
If this node is a more sensible one you can replace the standard line above with this one, but this can cause a DoS attack (load of mailer and spool directory), if too many connects were made in short time. Perhaps a logwatch is better for such issues.
ALL: ALL: spawn (echo "Attempt from %h %a to %d at `date`" | tee -a /var/log/tcp.deny.log | mail root@localhost) |
Depending on the entry in the syslog daemon configuration file /etc/syslog.conf the tcp_wrapper logs normally into /var/log/secure.
A refused connection via IPv4 to an xinetd covered daytime service produces a line like following example
Jan 2 20:40:44 gate xinetd-ipv6[12346]: FAIL: daytime-stream libwrap ¬ from=::ffff:1.2.3.4 Jan 2 20:32:06 gate xinetd-ipv6[12346]: FAIL: daytime-stream libwrap from=3ffe:ffff:100:200::212:34ff:fe12:3456 |
A refused connection via IPv4 to an dual-listen sshd produces a line like following example
Jan 2 20:24:17 gate sshd[12345]: refused connect from ::ffff:1.2.3.4 ¬ (::ffff:1.2.3.4) Jan 2 20:39:33 gate sshd[12345]: refused connect from 3ffe:ffff:100:200::212:34ff:fe12:3456 ¬ (3ffe:ffff:100:200::212:34ff:fe12:3456) |
A permitted connection via IPv4 to an xinetd covered daytime service produces a line like following example
Jan 2 20:37:50 gate xinetd-ipv6[12346]: START: daytime-stream pid=0 ¬ from=::ffff:1.2.3.4 Jan 2 20:37:56 gate xinetd-ipv6[12346]: START: daytime-stream pid=0 from=3ffe:ffff:100:200::212:34ff:fe12:3456 |
A permitted connection via IPv4 to an dual-listen sshd produces a line like following example
Jan 2 20:43:10 gate sshd[21975]: Accepted password for user from ::ffff:1.2.3.4 ¬ port 33381 ssh2 Jan 2 20:42:19 gate sshd[12345]: Accepted password for user from 3ffe:ffff:100:200::212:34ff:fe12:3456 port 33380 ssh2 |
I have no experience in IPv6 programming, perhaps this chapter will be filled by others or moved away to another HOWTO.
More Information can be found here:
There are some projects around the world which checks the interoperability of different operating systems regarding the implementation of IPv6 features. Here some URLs:
More coming next...
Cisco Self-Study: Implementing IPv6 Networks (IPV6), by Regis Desmeules. Cisco Press; ISBN 1587050862; 500 pages; 1st edition (April 11, 2003). Note: This item will be published on April 11, 2003.
Configuring IPv6 with Cisco IOS, by Sam Brown, Sam Browne, Neal Chen, Robbie Harrell, Edgar, Jr. Parenti (Editor), Eric Knipp (Editor), Paul Fong (Editor)362 pages; Syngress Media Inc; ISBN 1928994849; (July 12, 2002).
IPv6 Essentials by Silvia Hagen, July 2002, O'Reilly Order Number: 1258, ISBN 0-5960-0125-8, 352 pages. ToC, Index, Sample Chapter etc.; O'Reilly Pressrelease
IPv6: The New Internet Protocol. By Christian Huitema; Published by Prentice-Hall; ISBN 0138505055. Description: This book, written by Christian Huitema - a member of the InternetArchitecture Board, gives an excellent description of IPv6, how it differs from IPv4, and the hows and whys of it's development. Source: http://www.cs.uu.nl/wais/html/na-dir/internet/tcp-ip/resource-list.html
IPv6 Networks by Niles, Kitty; (ISBN 0070248079); 550 pages; Date Published 05/01/1998.
Implementing IPV6. Supporting the Next Generation Internet Protocols by P. E. Miller, Mark A. Miller; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; ISBN 0764545892; 2nd edition (March 15, 2000); 402 pages.
Big Book of Ipv6 Addressing Rfcs by Peter H. Salus (Compiler), Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, April 2000, 450 pages ISBN 0126167702.
Understanding IPV6 by Davies, Joseph; ISBN 0735612455; Date Published 05/01/2001; Number of Pages: 350. Understanding IPV6 by Davies, Joseph; ISBN 0735612455; Date Published 13/11/2002; Number of Pages 544.
Migrating to IPv6 - IPv6 in Practice. By Marc Blanchet Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; ISBN 0471498920; 1st edition (November 2002); 368 pages.
Programming IPv6 by Sean Walton; 560 pages; Addison-Wesley Professional; ISBN 0672323443 Note: Will be published August 1, 2003.
Wireless boosting IPv6 by Carolyn Duffy Marsan, 10/23/2000.
O'reilly Network search for keyword IPv6 results in 29 hits (28. January 2002).
Technik der IP-Netze (TCP/IP incl. IPv6) bei Amazon.de Anatol Badach, Erwin Hoffmann Carl Hanser Verlag München, Wien, 2001 ISBN 3-446-21501-8 Kap. 6: Protokoll IPv6 S.205-242 Kap. 7: Plug&Play-Unterstützung bei IPv6 S.243-276 Kap. 8: Migration zum IPv6-Einsatz S.277-294 Kap. 9.3.4: RIP für das Protokoll IPv6 (RIPng) S.349-351 Kap. 9.4.6: OSPF für IPv6 S.384-385 Kommentar: tw. nicht ganz up-to-date bzw. nicht ganz fehlerfreie Abbildungen Homepage des Buches und Tabelle mit Fixes
Internet-Sicherheit (Browser, Firewalls und Verschlüsselung) bei Amazon.de Kai Fuhrberg 2. akt. Auflage 2000 Carl Hanser Verlag München, Wien, ISBN 3-446-21333-3 Kap.2.3.1.4. IPv6 S.18-22 Kurz angerissen werden: RFC1825 - Security Association Konzept RFC1826 - IP authentication Header RFC1827 - IP Encapsulation Security Payload
IPv6. Das neue Internet- Protokoll. Technik, Anwendung, Migration bei Amazon Hans Peter Dittler 2. akt. und erweiterte Auflage 2002 dpunkt.verlag, ISBN 3-89864-149-X
Das neue Internetprotokoll IPv6 bei Amazon Herbert Wiese 2002 Carl Hanser Verlag, ISBN 3446216855
Getting Connected with 6to4 by Huber Feyrer, 06/01/2001
How Long the Aversion to IP Version 6 - Review of META Group, Inc., full access needs (free) registration at META Group, Inc.
Transient Addressing for Related Processes: Improved Firewalling by Using IPv6 and Multiple Addresses per Host; written by Peter M. Gleiz, Steven M. Bellovin (PC-PDF-Version; Palm-PDF-Version; PDB-Version)
IPv6, théorie et pratique (french) 3e édition, mars 2002, O'Reilly, ISBN 2-84177-139-3
IPSec (language: french)
Internetworking IPv6 with Cisco Routers by Silvano Gai, McGrawHill Italia, 1997. The 13 chapters and appendix A-D are downloadable as PDF-documents.
Secure and Dynamic Tunnel Broker by Vegar Skaerven Wang, Master of Engineering Thesis in Computer Science, 2.June 2000, Faculty of Science, Dep.of Computer Science, University of Tromso, Norway.
Aufbruch in die neue Welt - IPv6 in IPv4 Netzen von Dipl.Ing. Ralf Döring, TU Illmenau, 1999
Migration and Co-existence of IPv4 and IPv6 in Residential Networks by Pekka Savola, CSC/FUNET, 2002
Standardisation Report, December 2002 published by IPv6 Cluster, 1mb (every 4 months the Standards report will be updated under: http://www.ist-ipv6.org/standards.html).
Mobility support in IPv6 by C.E. Perkins and D.B. Johnson. In Proceedings of the Second Annual International Conference on Mobile (1996).
A simulation study on the performance of Mobile IPv6 in a WLAN-based cellular network, by Perez Costa X.; Hartenstein H. -- Computer Networks, September 2002, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 191-204(14) -- Elsevier Science.
IPv6 Trials on UK Academic Networks: Bermuda Project Aug.2002: Participants - Getting connected - Project deliverables - Network topology - Address assignments - Wireless IPv6 access - IPv6 migration - Project presentations - Internet 2 - Other IPv6 projects - IPv6 fora and standards Bermuda 2...
A scalable parallel internet router that enables the QoS through merging ATM with IPv6. By Song S. -- Computer Communications, 1 May 2002, vol. 25, no. 7, pp. 647-651(5) -- Elsevier Science.
Linux IPv6: Which One to Deploy? Linux Journal, Vol. 96, p. 86, 88-90, April 2002.
An overview and analysis of mobile Internet protocols in cellular environments. Chao H-C. -- Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 24 October 2001, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 435-450(16) -- MCB University Press
IPv6 for Future Wireless NetworksToftegaard Nielsen T. -- Wireless Personal Communications, June 2001, vol. 17, no. 2/3, pp. 237-247(11) -- Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Seamless Support for Mobile Internet Protocol Based Cellular EnvironmentsChao H-C.; Chu Y-M. -- International Journal of Wireless Information Networks, July 2001, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 133-153(21) -- Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, U.S.A.
IPv6: The Solution for Future Universal Networks. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 1818, p. 82-??, 2000.
Modeling and performance analysis for IPv6 traffic with multiple QoS classes. Zhang L.; Zheng L. -- Computer Communications, 1 October 2001, vol. 24, no. 15, pp. 1626-1636(11) -- Elsevier Science.
Threshold-Based Registration (TBR) in Mobile IPv6. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 1818, p. 150-??, 2000.
IPv6 Performance Analysis on FreeBSD Workstation Using Simple Applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 1961, p. 33-??, 2000.
Microsoft Research IPv6 Implementation (MSRIPv6): MSRIPv6 Configuring 6to4 - Connectivity with MSR IPv6 - Our 6Bone Node...
New frontiers in cybersegmentation: marketing success in cyberspace depends on IP address. Louvieris P.; Driver J. -- Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 27 June 2001, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 169-181(13) -- MCB University Press.
QoS-Conditionalized Handoff for Mobile IPv6. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 2345, p. 721-??, 2002.
More to be filled later...suggestions are welcome!
IPv6 test backbone: 6bone, How to join 6bone, Teilnahme am 6bone (german language), 6bone participation (english language)
America: ARIN, ARIN / registration page, ARIN / IPv6 guidelines
EMEA: Ripe NCC, Ripe NCC / registration page, Ripe NCC / IPv6 registration
Asia/Pacific: APNIC, APNIC / IPv6 ressource guide
Latin America and Caribbea: LACNIC, IPv6 Registration Services, IPv6 Allocation Policy
Africa: AfriNIC
Also a list of major (prefix length 35) allocations per local registry is available here: Ripe NCC / IPv6 allocations.
Note: A list of available Tunnel broker can be found in the section Tunnel broker below.
Sourcecode used in Vermicellis Master thesis about tunnelbroker, University of Tromso.
Former IPng. Tunnelbroker and IPv6 resources, now migrated to the SixXs System.
Eckes' IPv6-with-Linux Page.
RIPE6.net: Configure an IPv6 Tunnel to a tunnelbroker; Route ipv6-ips from your router to other clients in your network...
tunnelc - a perl based tunnel client script: freshmeat.net: Project details for tunnel client SourceForge: Project Info - tunnelc (also here)
Linux Advanced Routing & Traffic Control HOWTO, Chapter 6: IPv6 tunneling with Cisco and/or 6bone.
See also here for more information and URLs: ipv6-net.org.
More to be filled later...suggestions are welcome!
hs247 / IPv6 news and information, also homepage for #ipv6 channel on EFnet
bofh.st / latest IPv6 news (but currently [Jan 2002] outdated...), also homepage for #IPv6 channel on IRCnet
ipv6-net.org, German forum
Publishing the list of IPv6-related RFCs is beyond the scope of this document, but given URLs will lead you to such lists:
HS247 / IPv6 RFC list (a little bit out-of-sync at the moment)
List sorted by IPng Standardization Status or IPng Current Specifications by Robert Hinden
IPv6 Related Specifications on IPv6.org
Current (also) IPv6-related drafts can be found here:
Get any information about IPv6, from overviews, through RFCs & drafts, to implementations (including availability of stacks on various platforms & source code for IPv6 stacks)
IPv6 specifications - Latest RFCs and Internet Drafts Collection.
Network Sorcery / IPv6, Internet Protocol version 6, IPv6 protocol header
SWITCH IPv6 Pilot / References, big list of IPv6 references maintained by Simon Leinen
Advanced Network Management Laboratory / IPv6 Address Oracle shows you IPv6 addresses in detail
More to be filled later...suggestions are welcome!
IPv6-HowTo for Linux by Peter Bieringer - Germany, and his Bieringer / IPv6 - software archive
Linux+IPv6 status by Peter Bieringer - Germany
USAGI project - Japan, and their USAGI project - software archive
Polish(ed) Linux Distribution ("market leader" in containing IPv6 enabled packages)
Debian Linux, Craig Small's IPv6 information and status, Jim's insignificant LAN IPv6 global connectivity HOWTO
For more see the IPv6+Linux Status Distributions page.
JOIN: IPv6 information - Germany, by the JOIN project team maintaining also Links to external WWW pages comprising IPv6/IPng.
TIPSTER6 project - Hungary, "Testing Experimental IPv6 Technology and Services in Hungary".
WIDE project - Japan
SWITCH IPv6 Pilot - Switzerland
IPv6 Corner of Hubert Feyrer - Germany
Vermicelli Project - Norway
IPv6 Forum - a world-wide consortium of leading Internet vendors, Research & Education Networks...
Playground.sun.com / IPv6 Info Page - maintained by Robert Hinden, Nokia. Get any information about IPv6, from overviews, through RFCs & drafts, to implementations (including availability of stacks on various platforms & source code for IPv6 stacks).
NASA Ames Research Center (old content)
6INIT - IPv6 Internet Initiative - an EU Fifth Framework Project under the IST Programme.
IPv6 Document Project (Japanese language)
6init - IPv6 INternet IniTiative
IPv6: The New Version of the Internet Protocol, by Steve Deering.
IPv6: The Next Generation Internet Protocol, by Gary C. Kessler.
Literature Research IPv6 (IPng), by Mike Crawfurd.
internet || site and internet2 Working Group - Presentation (HTML + PPT) from IPv6 Workshops: (Stateless Autoconfiguration, IPv6 Addressing, USAGI, Provider Independent IPv6 Addressing and other topics).
NetworkWorldFusion: Search / Doc Finder: searched for IPv6 (102 documents found 22.12.2002)
The Register (Search for IPv6 will result in 30 documents, 22.12.2002)
Klingon IPv6 tools, Klingon IPv6 tools (native IPv6 only access): IPv6 firewall examples, bandwith testing and portscanner
Something missing? Suggestions are welcome!
A Tale of Two Wireless Technology Trends: Processor Development Outsourcing and IPv6Yankee Group - 4/1/2002 - 12 Pages - ID: YANL768881
The World Atlas of the Internet: Americas; IDATE - 2/1/2002 - 242 PAges - ID: IDT803907. Countries covered: Central America, North America, South America; List: Price: $ 3,500.00; excerpt: Panorama of Internet access markets across the globe. Market assessment and forecasts up to 2006 for 34 countries: market structure: main ISPs and market shares; number of subscribers, of ISPs.
Early Interest Rising for IPv6 by IDC (Author); List Price: $1,500.00; Edition: e-book (Acrobat Reader); Publisher: IDC; ISBN B000065T8E; (March 1, 2002)
Canadian Patent Database: Home, Search (Basic Search, just enter IPv6 in the search field ;-); 84 documents found 22.12.2002)
Espacenet - European patent information: National Offices, Members of Espacenet(IPv6: 84 documents, 22.12.2002)
Delphion Research: Patent Search Page. Basic (free) registration needed. Examples found 21.12.2002 searching for IPv6: Communicating method between IPv4 terminal and IPv6 terminal and IPv4-IPv6 converting apparatus Translator for IP networks, network system using the translator, and IP network coupling method therefor
IPv6@IKNnet and MIPv6 Research Group: TU Vienna, Austria (IPv6: project, publications, diploma / doctor thesis, Conference Proceedings etc.)
ETRI: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institut
IPv6 Forum Korea: Korean IPv6 Deployment Project
IPv6 Mexico (spain & english version): IPv6 Project Hompeage of The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
SURFnet: SURFnet IPv6 Backbone
STACK, STACK (IPv6): Students' computer association of the Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherland
IPng.nl: collaboration between WiseGuys and Intouch
British Telecom IPv6 Home: BT's ISP IPv6 Trial, UK's first IPv6 Internet Exchange etc.
KAME project (*BSD)
BUGAT - BSD Usergroup Austria - www.bugat.at: FreeBSD IPv6 Tunnel (German language)
IPv6 for Cisco IOS Software, File 2 of 3: Aug 2002 -- Table of Contents: IPv6 for Cisco IOS Software; Configuring Documentation Specifics; Enabling IPv6 Routing and Configuring; IPv6 Addressing; Enabling IPv6 Processing Globally.
Cisco Internet Networking Handbook, Chapter IPv6
Now that IBM's announced the availability of z/OS V1.4, what's new in this release? This question was posed on 15 August 2002
MSRIPv6 - Microsoft Research Network - IPv6 Homepage
Getting Started with the Microsoft IPv6 Technology Preview for Windows 2000
Internet Connection Firewall Does Not Block Internet Protocol Version 6 Traffic (6.11.2001)
Internet Protocol Numbers (8.10.2002)
IPv6 Technology Preview Refresh (16.10.2002)
HOW TO: Install and Configure IP Version 6 in Windows .NET Enterprise Server (26.10.2002)
Windows .NET Server 6to4 Router Service Quits When You Advertise a 2002 Address on the Public Interface (28.10.2002)
msdn - search for IPv6 (100 results, 22.12.2002)
Internet Security Systems: Security Center, X-Force Database Search (21.12.2002 - 6 topics found relating to IPv6)
NIST IPsec Project ( National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST)
Information Security, Search for IPv6 (21.12.2002 - 9 articles found)
NewOrder.box.sk (search for IPv6) (Articles, exploits, files database etc.)
Freshmeat / IPv6 search, currently (14 Dec 2002) 62 projects
IPv6 Forum: IPv6 Router List
Ethereal - Ethereal is a free network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows
Radcom RC100-WL - Download Radcom RC100-WL protocol analyzer version 3.20
6wind - solutions for IPv4/IPv6 Router, QoS, Multicast, Mobility, Security/VPN/Firewall.
Fefe's patches for IPv6 with djbdnsAug 2002 -- What is djbdns and why does it need IPv6? djbdns is a full blown DNS server which outperforms BIND in nearly all respects.
Hitachi, Ltd. IPv6 Home PageIPv6 Products GR2000 - IPv6 router; Toolnet6 - Protocol Exchange software for IPv6.
IPv6 routing table history created by Gert Döring, Space.Net
Usage Statistics for www6.vermicelli.pasta.cs.uit.no (last 12 months)
IPv6 Allocation Data & Survey Results, IPv6 WG, Ripe 42, Ripe NCC
Another list of IPv6 Internet Exchanges can be found here: IPv6 Exchanges Web Site
French National Internet Exchange IPv6 (since 1.11.2002 active). FNIX6 provides a free and reliable high speed FastEthernet interconnection between ISP located in TeleCity Paris.
Freenet6 - /48 Delegation, Canada Getting IPv6 Using Freenet6 on Debian Freenet6 creater
JOIN, University of Münster
Tunnelbroker Leipzig, Germany - DialupUsers with dynamic IP's can get a fix IPv6 IP... JOIN, Tunnelbroker Leipzig, (currently offline ?) Das offizielle IPv6 Forum, Leipziger Tunnelbroker Experimental Live IPv6 Stream! 6bone Knoten Leipzig Info bez. Hackangriff (2001) Tunnelbroker for JOIN. This tunnel broker is only available for students and staff members of colleges and universities
Centro Studi e Laboratory Telecomunicazioni ( Downloadpage: TunnelBroker Version 2.1.) IPv6 Tunnel Broker: Installation instructions
Bersafe (Italian language)
Internet Initiative Japan (Japanese language) - with IPv6 native line service and IPv6 tunneling Service
XS26 - "Access to Six" - with POPs in Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany and Hungary.
IPng Netherland - Intouch, SurfNet, AMS-IX, UUNet, Cistron, RIPE NCC and AT&T are connected at the AMS-IX. It is possible (there are requirements...) to get an static tunnel.
UNINETT, Norway - Pilot IPv6 Service (for Customers): tunnelbroker & address allocation UNINETT's Tunnel Broker (link correct, but inavailable - 23.12.2002) Uninett-Autoupdate-HOWTO
NTT Europe, NTT, United Kingdom - IPv6 Trial. IPv4 Tunnel and native IPv6 leased Line connections. POPs are located in London, UK Dusseldorf, Germany New Jersey, USA (East Coast) Cupertino, USA (West Coast) Tokyo, Japan
ESnet, USA - Energy Sciences Network: Tunnel Registry & Address Delegation for directly connected ESnet sites and ESnet collaborators.
6REN, USA - The 6ren initiative is being coordinated by the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), the network for the Energy Research program of the US Dept. of Energy, located at the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
XS26 Distributed Tunnel Broker, USA & Europe
Hurricane Electric, US backbone; Hurrican Electric Tunnelbroker (also available under http://tunnelbroker.com/) Press Release: Hurricane Electric Upgrades IPv6 Tunnel Broker Tunnel Broker Endpoint Autoupdate, Perl Script
DHIS Dynamic Tunnel, Dynamic Host Information System, University of Bradford
Note: These services are only available with a valid IPv6 connection!
Experimental Live IPv6 Stream!, University of Leipzig, Germany
Lists of maillists are available at:
Major Mailinglists are listed in following table:
.
Focus | Request e-mail address | What to subscribe | Maillist e-mail address | Language | Access through WWW |
Linux kernel networking including IPv6 | majordomo (at) oss.sgi.com | netdev | netdev (at) oss.sgi.com | English | |
Linux and IPv6 in general (1) | majordomo (at) list.f00f.org | linux-ipv6 | linux-ipv6 (at) list.f00f.org (moderated) | English | |
Linux implementation of the IPv6 protocol | Web-based, see URL | project6 (at) ferrara.linux.it | English | ||
Mobile IP(v6) for Linux | majordomo (at) list.mipl.mediapoli.com | mipl | mipl (at) list.mipl.mediapoli.com | English | |
Linux IPv6 users using USAGI extension | usagi-users-ctl (at) linux-ipv6.org | usagi-users (at) linux-ipv6.org | English | ||
IPv6 on Debian Linux | Web-based, see URL | debian-ipv6 (at) lists.debian.org | English | ||
IPv6/6bone in Germany | majordomo (at) atlan.uni-muenster.de | ipv6 | ipv6 (at) uni-muenster.de | German/English | |
6bone | majordomo (at) isi.edu | 6bone | 6bone (at) isi.edu | English | |
IPv6 discussions | majordomo (at) sunroof.eng.sun.com | ipng | ipng (at) sunroof.eng.sun.com | English | |
IPv6 users in general | majordomo (at) ipv6.org | users | users (at) ipv6.org | English | |
Bugtracking of Internet applications (2) | bugtraq-subscribe (at) securityfocus.com | bugtraq (at) securityfocus.com (moderated) | English | ||
IPv6 in general | Web-based, see URL | ipv6 (at) ipng.nl | English | ||
majordomo (at) mfa.eti.br | majordomo (at) mfa.eti.br | ipv6 | ipv6 (at) mfa.eti.br | Portuguese |
(1) recommended for common Linux & IPv6 issues.
(2) very recommended if you provide server applications.
Something missing? Suggestions are welcome!
Following other maillinglists & newsgroups are available via web:
ipv6 (France) Description: ipv6 Cette liste existe pour discuter en francais de IP version 6. Elle s'adresse aux personnes desirant demarer des aujourd'hui des tests IPv6. Ce n'est en aucun cas un substitut des listes de l'IETF. Pour de plus amples informations: http://www.urec.fr/IPng
ipv6 (Hungary) Description: ipv6 Az IPv6 protokoll listaja Konfiguracios es adminisztracios kerdesek az IPv6-al kapcsolatban. (Archivum)
student-ipv6 (India) Description: This is the group for the Student Awareness group of IPv6 in India
IPV6-CNR@LISTSERV.CNR.IT (Italy) Description: Gruppo di interesse IPv6 del CNR
IPV6@LISTS.UTWENTE.NL (Netherlands) Description: IPv6 overleg
IPV6@NIC.SURFNET.NL (Netherlands) Description: AMS-IX list for IPv6 related matters
sun-ipv6-users Description: Please report problems/suggestions regarding SUN Microsystems IPng implementation
IPv6-BITS Description: This List will co-ordinate the working of Project Vertebrae.
IPv6 Description: This mailing list is for technical discussion of the possibilities of ipv6/ipsec WRT OpenBSD.
linux-bangalore-ipv6 Description: The IPv6 deployment list of the Bangalore Linux User Group
gab Description: The intent is to discuss geographic addressing plans for IPv6.
ipv6-bsd-user Description: This mailing list is about the INRIA/IMAG IPv6 implementation. Cette liste de discussion est au sujet de l'implementation INRIA/IMAG IPv6. Elle est bilingue Francais/Anglais. The mailing list is biligual, French & English. If you wish to contact the implementors, try ipv6-bsd-core@imag.fr Si vous voulez contacter les implementeurs, essayez ipv6-bsd-core@imag.fr
packet-switching Description: This mailing list provides a forum for discussion of packet switching theory, technology, implementation and application in any relevant aspect including without limitation LAPB, X.25, SDLC, P802.1d, LLC, IP, IPv6, IPX, DECNET, APPLETALK, FR, PPP, IP Telephony, LAN PBX systems, management protocols like SNMP, e-mail, network transparent window systems, protocol implementation, protocol verification, conformance testing and tools used in maintaining or developing packet switching systems.
mumbaiinternetgroup Description: This Forum will discuss current issues & developments in the field of Internet In Asia Pacific region.. This will cover discussion on..IPv4, IPv6, Multilingual DNS, Autonomous System Numbers, Internet Governence & Much more....
de.comm.protocols.tcp-ip Description: Umstellung auf IPv6 Source: Chartas der Newsgruppen in de.*
Google Group: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Google Group: linux.debian.maint.ipv6
Google Group: microsoft.public.platformsdk.networking.ipv6
Google Group: fa.openbsd.ipv6
More to be filled later...suggestions are welcome!
finger, nslookup, ping, traceroute, whois: UK IPv6 Resource Centre / The test page
ping, traceroute, tracepath, 6bone registry, DNS: JOIN / Testtools (German language only, but should be no problem for non German speakers)
traceroute6, whois: IPng.nl
List of worldwide all IPv6-aggregated IP-Blocks (daily update) same service from Ripe
IPv6 Training and Workshop, AERAsec, Germany (German language only at this time)
Migrating to IPv6, Learning Tree International
Training Pages, U.K. - Search for IPv6 (13 Courses, 22.12.2002)
Something missing? Suggestions are welcome!
IPv6: Addressing The Needs Of the Future [DOWNLOAD: PDF] by Yankee Group (Author) List Price: $595.00 Edition: e-book (Acrobat Reader) Pages: 3 (three) Publisher: MarketResearch.com; ISBN B00006334Y; (November 1, 2001)
;-) The number of copies would be interesting...
Versions x.y are published on the Internet.
Versions x.y.z are work-in-progress and only published as LyX file on CVS.
2003-06-05/PB: add some notes about configuration in SuSE Linux, add URL of French translation
2003-05-09/PB: minor fixes, announce French translation
2003-05-02/PB: Remove a broken URL, update some others.
2003-04-23/PB: Minor fixes, remove a broken URL, fix URL to Taiwanese translation
2003-04-13/PB: Fix some typos, add a note about a French translation is in progress
2003-03-31/PB: Remove a broken URL, fix another
2003-03-22/PB: Add URLof German translation
2003-02-27/PB: Fix a misaddressed URL
2003-02-12/PB: Add Debian-Linux-Configuration, add a minor note on translations
2003-02-10/PB: Announcing available German version
2003-02-10/GK: Minor syntax and spelling fixes
2003-01-09/PB: fix an URL (draft adopted to an RFC)
2003-01-13/PB: fix a bug (forgotten 'link" on "ip link set" (credits to Yaniv Kaul)
2003-01-09/PB: a minor fix
2003-01-06/PB: minor fixes
2003-01-05/PB: minor updates
2002-12-31/GK: 270 new links added (searched in 1232 SearchEngines) in existing and 53 new (sub)sections
2002-12-20/PB: Minor fixes
2002-12-16/PB: Check of and fix broken links (credits to Georg Käfer), some spelling fixes
2002-12-11/PB: Some fixes and extensions
2002-11-25/PB: Some fixes (e.g. broken linuxdoc URLs)
2002-11-19/PB: Add information about German translation (work in progress), some fixes, create a small shortcut explanation list, extend "used terms" and add two German books
2002-11-18/PB: Fix broken RFC-URLs, add parameter ttl on 6to4 tunnel setup example
2002-11-03/PB: Add information about Taiwanese translation
2002-10-06/PB: Add another maillist
2002-09-29/PB: Extend information in proc-filesystem entries
2002-09-27/PB: Add some maillists
2002-09-18/PB: Update statement about nmap (triggered by Fyodor)
2002-09-16/PB: Add note about ping6 to multicast addresses, add some labels
2002-08-17/PB: Fix broken LDP/CVS links, add info about Polish translation, add URL of the IPv6 Address Oracle
2002-08-10/PB: Some minor updates
2002-07-15/PB: Add information neighbor discovery, split of firewalling (got some updates) and security into extra chapters
2002-07-13/PB: Update nmap/IPv6 information
2002-07-13/PB: Fill /proc-filesystem chapter, update DNS information about depricated A6/DNAME, change P-t-P tunnel setup to use of "ip" only
2002-07-11/PB: Minor spelling fixes
2002-06-23/PB: Minor spelling and other fixes
2002-05-16/PB: Cosmetic fix for 2\^{ }128, thanks to José Abílio Oliveira Matos for help with LyX
2002-05-02/PB: Add entries in URL list, minor spelling fixes
2002-03-27/PB: Add entries in URL list and at maillists, add a label and minor information about IPv6 on RHL
2002-03-04/PB: Add info about 6to4 support in kernel series 2.2.x and add an entry in URL list and at maillists
2002-02-26/PB: Migrate next grammar checks submitted by John Ronan
2002-02-21/PB: Migrate more grammar checks submitted by John Ronan, add some additional hints at DNS section
2002-02-12/PB: Migrate a minor grammar check patch submitted by John Ronan
2002-02-05/PB: Add mipl to maillist table
2002-01-31/PB: Add a hint how to generate 6to4 addresses
2002-01-30/PB: Add a hint about default route problem, some minor updates
2002-01-29/PB: Add many new URLs
2002-01-27/PB: Add some forgotten URLs
2002-01-25/PB: Add two German books, fix quote entinities in exported SGML code
2002-01-23/PB: Add a FAQ on the program chapter
2002-01-23/PB: Move "the end" to the end, add USAGI to maillists
2002-01-22/PB: Fix bugs in explanation of multicast address types
2002-01-22/PB: Cosmetic fix double existing text in history (at 0.16), move all credits to the end of the document
2002-01-20/PB: Add a reference, fix URL text in online-test-tools
2002-01-19/PB: Add some forgotten information and URLs about global IPv6 addresses
2002-01-19/PB: Minor fixes, remove "bold" and "emphasize" formats on code lines, fix "too long unwrapped code lines" using selfmade utility, extend list of URLs.
2002-01-15/PB: Fix bug in addresstype/anycast, move content related credits to end of document
2002-01-14/PB: Minor review at all, new chapter "debugging", review "addresses", spell checking, grammar checking (from beginning to 3.4.1) by Martin Krafft, add tcpdump examples, copy firewalling/netfilter6 from IPv6+Linux-HowTo, minor enhancements
2002-01-05/PB: Add example BIND9/host, move revision history to end of document, minor extensions
2002-01-03/PB: Merge review of David Ranch
2002-01-02/PB: Spell checking and merge review of Pekka Savola
2002-01-02/PB: First public release of chapter 1
The quickest way to be added to this nice list is to send bug fixes, corrections, and/or updates to me ;-).
If you want to do a major review, you can use the native LyX file (see original source) and send diffs against it, because diffs against SGML don't help too much.
David Ranch <dranch at trinnet dot net>: For encouraging me to write this HOWTO, his editorial comments on the first few revisions, and his contributions to various IPv6 testing results on my IPv6 web site. Also for his major reviews and suggestions.
Pekka Savola <pekkas at netcore dot fi>: For major reviews, input and suggestions.
Martin F. Krafft <madduck at madduck dot net>: For grammar checks and general reviewing of the document.
John Ronan <j0n at tssg dot wit dot ie>: For grammar checks.
Georg Käfer <gkaefer at gmx dot at>: For detection of no proper PDF creation (fixed now by LDP maintainer Greg Ferguson), input for German books, big list of URLs, checking all URLs, many more suggestions, corrections and contributions
Writing a LDP HOWTO as a newbie (in LyX and exporting this to DocBook to conform to SGML) isn't as easy as some people say. There are some strange pitfalls... Nevertheless, thanks to:
Authors of the LDP Author Guide
B. Guillon: For his DocBook with LyX HOWTO
Credits for fixes and hints are listed here, will grow sure in the future
S .P. Meenakshi <meena at cs dot iitm dot ernet dot in>: For a hint using a "send mail" shell program on tcp_wrapper/hosts.deny
Frank Dinies <FrankDinies at web dot de>: For a bugfix on IPv6 address explanation
John Freed <jfreed at linux-mag dot com>: For finding a bug in in IPv6 multicast address explanation
Craig Rodrigues <crodrigu at bbn dot com>: For suggestion about RHL IPv6 setup
Fyodor <fyodor at insecure dot org>: Note me about outdated nmap information
Mauro Tortonesi <mauro at deepspace6 dot net>: For some suggestions
Tom Goodale <goodale at aei-potsdam dot mpg dot de>: For some suggestions
Martin Luemkemann <mluemkem at techfak dot uni-bielefeld dot de>: For a suggestion
Jean-Marc V. Liotier <jim at jipo dot com>: Finding a bug
Yaniv Kaul <ykaul at checkpoint dot com>: Finding a bug
Arnout Engelen <arnouten at bzzt dot net>: For sending note about a draft was adopted to RFC now
Stephane Bortzmeyer <bortzmeyer at nic dot fr>: Contributing persistent configuration on Debian
lithis von saturnsys <lithis at saturnsys dot com>: Reporting a misaddressed URL
Guy Hulbert <gwhulbert at rogers dot com>: Send a note that RFC1924 is probably an April fool's joke
Michel Boucey <mboucey at free dot fr>: Finding typos
Tero Pelander <tpeland at tkukoulu dot fi>: Reporting a broken URL
Walter Jontofsohn <wjontof at gmx dot de>: Hints for SuSE Linux 8.0/8.1
Thanks for reading. Hope it helps!
If you have any questions, subscribe to proper maillist and describe your problem providing as much as information as possible.