RFC 2461 (rfc2461) - Page 1 of 93

Neighbor Discovery for IP Version 6 (IPv6)

Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Next >
Network Working Group                                        T. Narten
Request for Comments: 2461                                         IBM
Obsoletes: 1970                                            E. Nordmark
Category: Standards Track                             Sun Microsystems
                                                            W. Simpson
                                                            Daydreamer
                                                         December 1998


               Neighbor Discovery for IP Version 6 (IPv6)

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document specifies the Neighbor Discovery protocol for IP
   Version 6.  IPv6 nodes on the same link use Neighbor Discovery to
   discover each other's presence, to determine each other's link-layer
   addresses, to find routers and to maintain reachability information
   about the paths to active neighbors.

   Table of Contents

   1.  INTRODUCTION.............................................    3
   2.  TERMINOLOGY..............................................    4
      2.1.  General.............................................    4
      2.2.  Link Types..........................................    7
      2.3.  Addresses...........................................    8
      2.4.  Requirements........................................    9
   3.  PROTOCOL OVERVIEW........................................    9
      3.1.  Comparison with IPv4................................   13
      3.2.  Supported Link Types................................   15
   4.  MESSAGE FORMATS..........................................   17
      4.1.  Router Solicitation Message Format..................   17
      4.2.  Router Advertisement Message Format.................   18
      4.3.  Neighbor Solicitation Message Format................   21
      4.4.  Neighbor Advertisement Message Format...............   23
      4.5.  Redirect Message Format.............................   26



Narten, et. al.             Standards Track
Next >