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IPv6 Addressing

Internet Protocol Version 6 Addressing (IPv6 Addressing) is a numerical label that identifies a network interface of a computer or other network node participating in an IPv6 addressing-enabled computer network.

IPv6 is the most recent version of the standard Internet Protocol addressing system (IPv4), which assigns a unique identifier to the individual network interface(s) of a host, locates it on the network, and thus permits the routing of IP packets between hosts. In contrast to IPv4, which defined an IP address as a 32-bit number, IPv6 addressing has a size of 128 bits, vastly expanding its addressing capability.

IPv6 addressing is classified by the following primary addressing and routing methodologies:

  • A unicast address identifies a single network interface
  • An anycast address is assigned to a group of interfaces
  • A multicast address is also used by multiple hosts