Lab Identifying IPv6 Addresses

Topology

Objectives

Part 1: Identify the Different Types of IPv6 Addresses

Review the different types of IPv6 addresses.

Match the IPv6 address with the correct type.

Part 2: Examine a Host IPv6 Network Interface and Address

Check PC IPv6 network address settings.

Part 3: Practice IPv6 Address Abbreviation

Study and review the rules for IPv6 address abbreviation.

Practice compressing and decompressing IPv6 addresses.

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 Vista with Internet access)

Note: The IPv6 protocol is enabled in Windows 7 and Vista by default. The Windows XP
operating system does not enable IPv6 by default and is not recommended for use with
this lab. This lab uses Windows 7 PC hosts.

Identify the Different Types of IPv6 Addresses

In Part 1, you will review the characteristics of IPv6 addresses to identify the different types of
IPv6 addresses.

Review the different types of IPv6 addresses.

An IPv6 address is 128 bits long. It is most often presented as 32 hexadecimal

characters. Each hexadecimal character is the equivalent of 4 bits (4 x 32 = 128). A nonabbreviated IPv6 host address is shown here:
2001:0DB8:0001:0000:0000:0000:0000:0001
A hextet is the hexadecimal, IPv6 version of an IPv4 octet. An IPv4 address is 4 octets
long, separated by dots. An IPv6 address is 8 hextets long, separated by colons.
An IPv4 address is 4 octets and is commonly written or displayed in decimal notation.

255.255.255.255
An IPv6 address is 8 hextets and is commonly written or displayed in hexadecimal
notation.

FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF
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 128bit 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.

First Hextet (Far Left)

Type of IPv6 Address

0000 to 00FF

Loopback address, any address, unspecified address, or IPv4compatible

2000 to 3FFF

Global unicast address (a routable address in a range of

addresses that is currently being handed out by the Internet
Assigned Numbers Authority [IANA])

FE80 to FEBF

Link-local (a unicast address which identifies the host computer

on the local network)

FC00 to FCFF

Unique-local (a unicast address which can be assigned to a host

to identify it as being part of a specific subnet on the local
network)

FF00 to FFFF

Multicast address

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.

Match the IPv6 address to its type.

Match the IPv6 addresses to their corresponding address type. Notice that the addresses
have been compressed to their abbreviated notation and that the slash network prefix number
is not shown. Some answer choices must be used more than once.
IPv6 Address

Answer

Answer Choices

2001:0DB8:1:ACAD::FE55:6789:B210

1. b____

a. Loopback address

::1

2. a____

b. Global unicast address

FC00:22:A:2::CD4:23E4:76FA

3. d____

c. Link-local address

2033:DB8:1:1:22:A33D:259A:21FE

4. _b___

d. Unique-local address

FE80::3201:CC01:65B1

5. c____

e. Multicast address

FF00::

6. _e___

FF00::DB7:4322:A231:67C

7. _e___

FF02::2

8. e____

Examine a Host IPv6 Network Interface and Address

In Part 2, you will check the IPv6 network settings of your PC to identify your network
interface IPv6 address.

Check your PC IPv6 network address settings.

Verify that the IPv6 protocol is installed and active on your PC-A (check your Local Area
Connection settings).

Click the Windows Start button and then Control Panel and change View by: Category
to View by: Small icons.

Click the Network and Sharing Center icon.

On the left side of the window, click Change adapter settings. You should now see icons
representing your installed network adapters. Right-click your active network interface (it
may be a Local Area Connection or a Wireless Network Connection), and then click
Properties.

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.

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.

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.

Type ipconfig /all and press Enter. Your output should look similar to this:
C:\Users\user> ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

<output omitted>

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix

. :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N

6200 AGN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-37-10-41-FB-48
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
fe80::8d4f:4f4d:3237:95e2%14(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.106(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, January 06, 2013 9:47:36
AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 07, 2013 9:47:38
AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 335554320
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-57-84-B1-1C-C1-DE91-C3-5D

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

8.8.4.4
<output omitted>

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? IPv6
unique local address

What kind of IPv6 addresses did you find when using ipconfig /all? IPv6 unique local
address and IPv6 Global unicast address

Practice IPv6 Address Abbreviation

In Part 3, you will study and review rules for IPv6 address abbreviation to correctly compress
and decompress IPv6 addresses.

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:

Practice compressing and decompressing IPv6 addresses.

Using the rules of IPv6 address abbreviation, either compress or decompress the following
addresses:

2002:0EC0:0200:0001:0000:04EB:44CE:08A2
2002:EC0:200:1::4EB:44CE:8A2

2002:EC0:200:1:0:4EB:44CE:8A2

FE80:0000:0000:0001:0000:60BB:008E:7402
FE80::1:0:60BB:8E:7402

FE80:0:0:1:0:60BB:8E:7402

FE80::7042:B3D7:3DEC:84B8 FE80:0:0:0:7042:B3D7:3DEC:84B8
FE80:0000:0000:0000:7042:B3D7:3DEC:84B8

FF00:: FF00:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

2001:0030:0001:ACAD:0000:330E:10C2:32BF 2001:30:1:ACAD:0:330E:10C2:32BF
2001:30:1:ACAD::330E:10C2:32BF

Reflection

How do you think you must support IPv6 in the future? I think utilizing multiple mac
addresses on one device will become the norm. A computer having a mac address to
support its wireless capabilities and also LAN lines

Do you think IPv4 networks continue on, or will everyone eventually switch over to IPv6?
How long do you think it will take? I think IPV6 will take over, and thus, render IPV4
obsolete. I think the craving for technology by our society will drive us to implementing
IPV6 sooner rather than later.

FF00:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000