Autoconfiguring IPv6 Addresses

In most cases, you will use autoconfiguration to

provide IPv6 hosts with an IPv6 address. Unlike
IPv4 which uses primarily DHCP servers to provide
addressing information, IPv6 also uses routers as
part of the autoconfiguration process. The routers
can provide the network address and a default
gateway to clients in Router Advertisement
messages.
Types of Autoconfiguration
Types of autoconfiguration include:
� Stateless. With stateless autoconfiguration,
address configuration is based on the receipt of Router Advertisement messages
only. Stateless
autoconfiguration includes a router prefix, but does not include additional
configuration options such
as DNS servers.
� Stateful. With stateful autoconfiguration, address configuration is based on the
use of a stateful
address configuration protocol such as DHCPv6 to obtain addresses and other
configuration options.
A host uses stateful address configuration when:
o It receives instructions to do so in router advertisement messages.
o There are no routers present on the local link.
� Both. With both, configuration is based on both receipt of router advertisement
messages, and on
DHCPv6.
Stateful Configuration
With stateful configuration, organizations can control how IPv6 addresses are
assigned using DHCPv6. If
there are any specific scope options that you need to configure�such as the IPv6
addresses of DNS
servers�then a DHCPv6 server is necessary.
When IPv6 attempts to communicate with a DHCPv6 server, it uses multicast IPv6
addresses. T