RFC 2462 (rfc2462) - Page 4 of 25

IPv6 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration

RFC 2462        IPv6 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration   December 1998


   The autoconfiguration process specified in this document applies only
   to hosts and not routers. Since host autoconfiguration uses
   information advertised by routers, routers will need to be configured
   by some other means. However, it is expected that routers will
   generate link-local addresses using the mechanism described in this
   document. In addition, routers are expected to successfully pass the
   Duplicate Address Detection procedure described in this document on
   all addresses prior to assigning them to an interface.

   Section 2 provides definitions for terminology used throughout this
   document. Section 3 describes the design goals that lead to the
   current autoconfiguration procedure. Section 4 provides an overview
   of the protocol, while Section 5 describes the protocol in detail.

2.  TERMINOLOGY

   IP - Internet Protocol Version 6.  The terms IPv4 and are used
        only in contexts where necessary to avoid ambiguity.

   node - a device that implements IP.

   router - a node that forwards IP packets not explicitly addressed to
        itself.

   host - any node that is not a router.

   upper layer - a protocol layer immediately above IP.  Examples are
        transport protocols such as TCP and UDP, control protocols such
        as ICMP, routing protocols such as OSPF, and internet or lower-
        layer protocols being "tunneled" over (i.e., encapsulated in) IP
        such as IPX, AppleTalk, or IP itself.

   link - a communication facility or medium over which nodes can
        communicate at the link layer, i.e., the layer immediately below
        IP.  Examples are Ethernets (simple or bridged); PPP links;
        X.25, Frame Relay, or ATM networks; and internet (or higher)
        layer "tunnels", such as tunnels over IPv4 or IPv6 itself.

   interface - a node's attachment to a link.

   packet - an IP header plus payload.

   address - an IP-layer identifier for an interface or a set of
        interfaces.

   unicast address - an identifier for a single interface. A packet sent
        to a unicast address is delivered to the interface identified by
        that address.



Thomson & Narten            Standards Track