The IPv6 protocol supports address autoconfiguration for stateless addresses as defined in RFC 2462. IPv6 nodes (hosts and routers) automatically create unique link-local addresses for all LAN interfaces that appear to be Ethernet interfaces. IPv6 hosts use received Router Advertisement messages to automatically configure:

• A default router.
  
  
• The default setting for the Hop Limit field in the IPv6 header.
  
  
• The timers used in Neighbor Discovery processes.
  
  
• The maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the local link.
  
  
• The list of network prefixes that are defined for the link. Each network prefix contains both the IPv6 network prefix and its valid and preferred lifetimes. If indicated, a network prefix is combined with the interface identifier to create a stateless IPv6 address for the receiving interface. A network prefix also defines the range of addresses for nodes on the local link.
  
  

For more information, see IPv6 Address Autoconfiguration.

Additionally, the IPv6 protocol for Windows CE .NET 4.1 and later automatically configures:

• 6to4 addresses on a 6to4 tunneling interface for all public IPv4 addresses that are assigned to the computer.
  
  
• Intrasite Automatic Tunnel Addressing Protocol (ISATAP) addresses on an automatic interface for all IPv4 addresses that are assigned to the computer.
  
  
• The stack to query for IPv6 ISATAP routers in an IPv4 environment.
  
  
• Routes to off-link prefixes, if the off-link address prefix is advertised by a router.
  
  

You do not need to configure IPv6 addresses manually. Unlike in IPv4, DHCP is not used in IPv6 to configure an IP address and subnet mask automatically. Instead, the link-local scope of an IPv6 addresses is always configured automatically. Addresses with other scopes, such as global, are configured by router advertisements.