Operation Manual

IPv6: The New Internet Protocol

dress, even though multiple devices are operated in the

home network. This restriction is no longer required with

IPv6. In the IPv6 range the provider assigns not just a

single address, but an entire subnet containing at least

addresses. This means that every station in the

home network can also receive a globally valid IP ad-

dress. It also simplifies many of the configuration issues

raised with NAT. The address of the subnetwork as-

signed by the provider is called a prefix. The provider as-

signs the prefix via DHCPv6 prefix delegation.

• IPv4 addresses generally have to be configured manual-

ly or via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).

IPv6 provides for a simpler and more automated configu-

ration of network devices.

IPv6 Addresses

This means that IPv6 makes approximately 340 sextillion

(around 3.4 x 10

) IPv6 addresses available. By compari-

son, the IPv4 address space has just over four billion IP ad-

dresses.

The Structure and Notation of IPv6 Addresses

• Length of an IPv6 address: 128 bits

• Structure of IPv6 addresses: division into eight blocks of

16 bits each

• Notation of IPv6 addresses: hexadecimal format, with

the individual blocks separated from each other by co-

lons

• Example of an IPv6 address:

fedc:ba98:7654:3210:fedc:ba98:7654:3210

• Leading zeros within a block can be left out.

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