becarpenter-book6/2. IPv6 Basic Technology/2. IPv6 Basic Technology.md

# IPv6 Basic Technology

The main standard for IPv6 is
[STD86](https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/std86), currently defined by
[RFC 8200](https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8200). Many other relevant
RFCs are cited in
[IPv6 node requirements (BCP 220)](https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/bcp220),
although this is always slightly behind the latest RFCs. Quotes from
relevant RFCs are included in this chapter.

Some generic terms that should be used precisely are given in Section 2
of STD 86. In particular:

- Node: a device that implements IPv6

- Router: a node that forwards IPv6 packets not explicitly addressed to
  itself

- Host: any node that is not a router

To avoid confusion, note that a router may receive and send its own
packets, and run IPv6 applications, just as a host does.

The rest of this chapter covers various basic aspects of IPv6. Some
topics are very closely linked, especially address resolution and
auto-configuration, so the reader is advised to read in sequence.

## [Packet Format](Packet%20Format.md)

## [Addresses](Addresses.md)

## [Layer 2 functions](Layer%202%20functions.md)

## [Address resolution](Address%20resolution.md)

## [Auto-configuration](Auto-configuration.md)

## [Managed configuration](Managed%20configuration.md)

## [DNS](DNS.md)

## [Routing](Routing.md)

## [Transport protocols](Transport%20protocols.md)

## [Extension headers and options](Extension%20headers%20and%20options.md)

## [Traffic class and flow label](Traffic%20class%20and%20flow%20label.md)

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## [Source and Destination Address Selection](Source%20and%20Destination%20Address%20Selection.md)

### [<ins>Back to main Contents</ins>](../Contents.md)