Quiz 2 - Identifying IPv6 Addresses
Quiz 2 - Identifying IPv6 Addresses
Quiz 2 - Identifying IPv6 Addresses
Topology
Objectives
Part 1: Identify the Different Types of IPv6 Addresses
Part 2: Examine a Host IPv6 Network Interface and Address
Part 3: Practice IPv6 Address Abbreviation
Background / Scenario
With the depletion of the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) network address space and the adoption and
transition to IPv6, networking professionals must understand how both IPv4 and IPv6 networks function.
Many devices and applications already support IPv6. This includes extensive Cisco device Internetwork
Operating System (IOS) support and workstation/server operating system support, such as that found in
Windows and Linux.
This lab focuses on IPv6 addresses and the components of the address. In Part 1, you will identify the IPv6
address types, and in Part 2, you will view the IPv6 settings on a PC. In Part 3, you will practice IPv6 address
abbreviation.
Required Resources
● 1 PC (Windows 7 or 8 with Internet access)
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
In an IPv4 address, each individual octet is 8 binary digits (bits). Four octets equals one 32-bit IPv4 address.
11111111 = 255
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111111 = 255.255.255.255
In an IPv6 address, each individual hextet is 16 bits long. Eight hextets equals one 128-bit IPv6 address.
1111111111111111 = FFFF
1111111111111111.1111111111111111.1111111111111111.1111111111111111.
1111111111111111.1111111111111111.1111111111111111.1111111111111111 =
FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF
If we read an IPv6 address starting from the left, the first (or far left) hextet identifies the IPv6 address type.
For example, if the IPv6 address has all zeros in the far left hextet, then the address is possibly a loopback
address.
0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001 = loopback address
::1 = loopback address abbreviated
As another example, if the IPv6 address has FE80 in the first hextet, then the address is a link-local address.
FE80:0000:0000:0000:C5B7:CB51:3C00:D6CE = link-local address
FE80::C5B7:CB51:3C00:D6CE = link-local address abbreviated
Study the chart below to help you identify the different types of IPv6 address based on the numbers in the first
hextet.
There are other IPv6 address types that are either not yet widely implemented, or have already become
deprecated, and are no longer supported. For instance, an anycast address is new to IPv6 and can be used
by routers to facilitate load sharing and provide alternate path flexibility if a router becomes unavailable. Only
routers should respond to an anycast address. Alternatively, site-local addresses have been deprecated and
replaced by unique-local addresses. Site-local addresses were identified by the numbers FEC0 in the initial
hextet.
In IPv6 networks, there are no network (wire) addresses or broadcast addresses as there are in IPv4
networks.
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
e. You should now see your Network Connection Properties window. Scroll through the list of items to
determine whether IPv6 is present, which indicates that it is installed, and if it is also check marked, which
indicates that it is active.
f. Select the item Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and click Properties. You should see the IPv6
settings for your network interface. Your IPv6 properties window is likely set to Obtain an IPv6 address
automatically. This does not mean that IPv6 relies on the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
Instead of using DHCP, IPv6 looks to the local router for IPv6 network information and then auto-
configures its own IPv6 addresses. To manually configure IPv6, you must provide the IPv6 address, the
subnet prefix length, and the default gateway.
Note: The local router can refer host requests for IPv6 information, especially Domain Name System
(DNS) information, to a DHCPv6 server on the network.
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
g. After you have verified that IPv6 is installed and active on your PC, you should check your IPv6 address
information. To do this, click the Start button, type cmd in the Search programs and files form box, and
press Enter. This opens a Windows command prompt window.
h. Type ipconfig /all and press Enter. Your output should look similar to this:
C:\Users\user> ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
<output omitted>
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
<output omitted>
i. You can see from the output that the client PC has an IPv6 link-local address with a randomly generated
interface ID. What does it indicate about the network regarding IPv6 global unicast address, IPv6 unique-
local address, or IPv6 gateway address?
From the output of ipconfig, we can deduce that the connection between the router and the PC is
configured for IPv6 as both the Unique ID and Local link address for IPv6 are present and
configured however the gateway for the traffic is an IPv4 address suggesting that not all aspects
of the network support IPv6.
j. What kind of IPv6 addresses did you find when using ipconfig /all?
Link-local address will be found by using the ‘ipconfig /all’ command
Step 1: Study and review the rules for IPv6 address abbreviation.
Rule 1: In an IPv6 address, a string of four zeros (0s) in a hextet can be abbreviated as a single zero.
2001:0404:0001:1000:0000:0000:0EF0:BC00
2001:0404:0001:1000:0:0:0EF0:BC00 (abbreviated with single zeros)
Rule 2: In an IPv6 address, the leading zeros in each hextet can be omitted, trailing zeros cannot be omitted.
2001:0404:0001:1000:0000:0000:0EF0:BC00
2001:404:1:1000:0:0:EF0:BC00 (abbreviated with leading zeros omitted)
Rule 3: In an IPv6 address, a single continuous string of four or more zeros can be abbreviated as a double
colon (::). The double colon abbreviation can only be used one time in an IP address.
2001:0404:0001:1000:0000:0000:0EF0:BC00
2001:404:1:1000::EF0:BC00 (abbreviated with leading zeroes omitted and continuous zeros
replaced with a double colon)
The image below illustrates these rules of IPv6 address abbreviation:
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
Reflection
1. How do you think you must support IPv6 in the future?
Ultimately IPv6 will have to be implemented due to the limitations in the number of devices an IPv4
network configuration can support but apart from the point of necessity, IPv6 must still be
implemented due to better management of traffic and it being a much secure protocol as compared to
IPv4
2. Do you think IPv4 networks continue on, or will everyone eventually switch over to IPv6? How long do you
think it will take?
While a lot of infrastructure present today already has a robust configuration of IPv4, it may or may
not support IPv6 natively. Going forward with the latter case, it makes sense to setup new
infrastructure with IPv6 while the pre-existing setup gets upgraded from IPv4 to IPv6 in a systematic
order so as to not break the compatibility with preexisting old generation hardware already present.
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Lab – Identifying IPv6 Addresses
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