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4/8/2010

Typically, an IPv6 host has multiple IPv6 addresses. This is true even with a single interface. This is in contrast to an IPv4 host with a single network adapter that typically has a single IPv4 address assigned to that adapter.

The following table shows IPv6 host and router address usage.

Device Address usage

Host

Typical IPv6 hosts are logically multihomed because they have at least two addresses with which they can receive packets. Each host is assigned the following unicast addresses:

  • A link-local address for each interface. This address is used for local traffic.

  • The loopback address (::1) for the loopback interface.

Additionally, each host is listening for traffic on the following multicast addresses:

  • The node-local scope all-nodes address (FF01::1)

  • The link-local scope all-nodes address (FF02::1)

  • The solicited-node address for each unicast address on each interface

  • The multicast addresses of joined groups on each interface

Router

An IPv6 router is assigned the following unicast addresses:

  • A link-local address for each interface. This address is used for local traffic.

  • An address for each interface. This could be one or more global addresses.

  • The loopback address (::1) for the loopback interface

An IPv6 router is assigned the following anycast addresses:

  • A subnet-router anycast address for each subnet

  • Additional anycast addresses (optional)

Each router is listening for traffic on the following multicast addresses:

  • The node-local scope all-nodes address (FF01::1)

  • The node-local scope all-routers address (FF01::2)

  • The link-local scope all-nodes address (FF02::1)

  • The link-local scope all-routers address (FF02::2)

  • The solicited-node address for each unicast address on each interface

  • The addresses of joined groups on each interface

See Also