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IPv6 & Linux - HowTo - Part 1

Version: 3.26 from 2008-05-11

(P) & (C) 1997-2008 by Peter Bieringer <pb@bieringer.de>, see copyright notice for more details
Original site of publishing: http://www.bieringer.de/linux/IPv6/ ; suggestions, comments and improvements are welcome!

See now also Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [LDP] | Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [DS6]

Overview

What software is needed and available?
Where to get all the needed software?
Installation decissions - Quick IPv6-enabling HowTo
Notifications
List of links to IPv6 & Linux related information

What software is needed and available?

See the IPv6 status page for details.

Where to get all the needed software?

Packages/applications, which are not described in this HowTo, see IPv6 status page in details.

Distribution

Current Linux distributions are all IPv6 enabled, either by default or at least by config option - you can buy one on CDs or download one from the Internet.

Installation decissions - Quick IPv6-enabling HowTo

Current Linux distributions are IPv6 enabled, therefore no longer this fat HowTo is needed to be read...here is a decission matrix:

Type of host

General

To do:

Apply all available updates on your installation to make your host more secure
Disable all not used network services to prevent future possible attacks

Client on a LAN which has already IPv6 support (means a box sends router advertisements out)

To read:

Normally nothing

To do:

Add following line in /etc/sysconfig/network: NETWORKING_IPV6="yes"
Restart networking (or reboot)
Interface should be automagically configured with an IPv6 address regarding to the received router advertisement

Client on a LAN, no local IPv6 support available

To do:

Ask your network administrator whether it is allowed and possible to get an IPv6-in-IPv4-tunnel to your client

To read:

Network configuration, especially tunnel parts (normal or 6to4)

To do:

Dedicated tunnel configuration (not so easy)

Server on a LAN which has already IPv6 support

To be:

Server administrator

To do:

Ask your network administrator about a fixed IPv6 address and a DNS entry for it

To read:

Network configuration, especially how to configure fixed addresses
Depending on services which should be offered over IPv6: the apps pages
IPv6-Firewalling

To do:

Dedicated interface configuration (easy)

Server on a LAN, no local IPv6 support available

To be:

Server administrator

To do:

Look for reasons, why installing a server without any clients on a not IPv6 enabled LAN

Tunnel endpoint

To be:

Network administrator

To do:

Ask the CSO about your wishes and wait for the OK (perhaps extend the security policy)
Discuss with CSO and firewall administrators about where to place the tunnel endpoint and how to protect the tunnel endpoint itselfand the internal network
Look for a tunnel provider

To read:

Network configuration, especially tunnel parts
IPv6-Firewalling

To do:

Dedicated tunnel configuration (not so easy)
If tunnel should used by clients: setup of router advertisement daemon

Notifications:

{option1 | option2} means that you have to use one of this given options
<option3> means that you can use this option or not
fixcharname means most of the time programs (with options) or files on your LINUX system

Hint:

If you have problems to get all the errors and warnings displayed on the small computer screen, then try piping stderr to a file:
Example: make zImage 2>err.txt
Now after end of the compilation you can look at this created file for errors and warnings.

List of links to IPv6 & Linux related information

First, a good starting point for other information: http://www.tldp.org/FAQ/
And second now the new created Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [LDP] | Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [DS6]

World Wide Web

Join IPv6 backbone / How to get IPv6 addresses / Where to get a tunnel

See here for more Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [LDP] | Linux+IPv6-HOWTO [DS6]

URL Organisation/
Company Location Type IPv6 subnet
delegation IPv6 address Reverse delegation How to use with
current setup
scripts

www.freenet6.net Freenet6 Canada IPv6-in-IPv4 point-to-point only (anonymous) no depends on current
local IPv4 address
Freenet6-example

IPv6-in-IPv4 point-to-point only
(authentication required using special client software) no static assigned
Freenet6-example

normal IPv6-in-IPv4
(authentication required using special client software) yes (/48) static assigned in progress Freenet6-example

http://tunnelbroker.net Hurricane Electric US backbone normal IPv6-in-IPv4 possible (/64)

HurricaneElectric-example

6to4 relay tunnel routers

A list is available here: http://www.kfu.com/~nsayer/6to4/

Example for configuration is shown here: 6to4-example

URL	Organisation/ Company	Location	Type	IPv6 subnet delegation	IPv6 address	How to use with current setup scripts
www.freenet6.net	Freenet6	Canada	IPv6-in-IPv4 point-to-point only (anonymous)	no	depends on current local IPv4 address	Freenet6-example
IPv6-in-IPv4 point-to-point only (authentication required using special client software)	no	static assigned		Freenet6-example
normal IPv6-in-IPv4 (authentication required using special client software)	yes (/48)	static assigned	in progress	Freenet6-example
http://tunnelbroker.net	Hurricane Electric	US backbone	normal IPv6-in-IPv4	possible (/64)		HurricaneElectric-example