RFC 8200 - Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6) Specification
- Status: Internet Standard
- Published: July 2017
- Stream: IETF
- Obsoletes: RFC2460
- Errata: No Errata
Abstract
This document specifies version 6 of the Internet Protocol (IPv6). It obsoletes RFC 2460.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Terminology
- 3. IPv6 Header Format
- 4. IPv6 Extension Headers
- 4.1 Extension Header Order
- 4.2 Options
- 4.3 Hop-by-Hop Options Header
- 4.4 Routing Header
- 4.5 Fragment Header
- 4.6 Destination Options Header
- 4.7 No Next Header
- 4.8 Defining New Extension Headers and Options
- 5. Packet Size Issues
- 6. Flow Labels
- 7. Traffic Classes
- 8. Upper-Layer Protocol Issues
- 8.1 Upper-Layer Checksums
- 8.2 Maximum Packet Lifetime
- 8.3 Maximum Upper-Layer Payload Size
- 8.4 Responding to Packets Carrying Routing Headers
- 9. IANA Considerations
- 10. Security Considerations
- 11. References
- 11.1 Normative References
- 11.2 Informative References
Appendices
Related Resources
- Official Text: RFC 8200
- Official Page: RFC 8200 DataTracker
- Errata: RFC Editor Errata
- STD 86: This document is part of Internet Standard 86
Quick Reference
What is IPv6?
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the sixth version of the Internet Protocol, designed to succeed IPv4.
Key Improvements
Major changes from IPv4:
- ✅ Expanded Address Space - From 32-bit to 128-bit addresses
- ✅ Simplified Header - More efficient routing processing
- ✅ Improved Extensibility - Flexible extension header mechanism
- ✅ Flow Labels - Better QoS support
- ✅ Autoconfiguration - Simplified network configuration
IPv6 vs IPv4
| Feature | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Address Length | 32 bits | 128 bits |
| Address Space | ~4.3 billion | ~340 undecillion |
| Header Size | 20-60 bytes | 40 bytes fixed |
| Fragmentation | Routers can fragment | Source-only fragmentation |
| Checksum | Header checksum | No header checksum |
| Configuration | Manual or DHCP | Auto or DHCPv6 |
| Broadcast | Supported | Not supported (multicast) |
Use Cases
- 🌐 Internet Backbone - Global IPv6 deployment
- 📱 Mobile Networks - 4G/5G networks
- 🏠 Internet of Things - Massive device connectivity
- 🏢 Enterprise Networks - Future network infrastructure