2: Comparing IPv4 and IPv6

Rick Graziani
Cabrillo College

Rick.Graziani@cabrillo.edu
For more information please check out my Cisco Press book and video series:

IPv6 Fundamentals: A Straightforward IPv6 Fundamentals LiveLessons: A

Approach to Understanding IPv6 Straightforward Approach to Understanding IPv6
By Rick Graziani By Rick Graziani
ISBN-10: 1-58714-313-5 ISBN-10: 1-58720-457-6

2.1: Comparing the IPv4 and IPv6 Headers
 Similar fields
Lets Begin with the IPv6 Header
Understanding IPv6 begins with the IPv4
IPv6 header.
IPv6 takes advantage of 64-bit
CPUs.
Several differences between IPv4
and IPv6IPv6
Simpler headers. 64-bit memory word

header. IPv6
Fixed 40 byte
IPv6 header.
Lets look at
the
differences

 IPv6 Version
IPv4
IPv4 Version contains 4.
IPv6 Version contains 6.
Version 5?
Internet Stream Protocol (ST2)

IPv6

IPv4 Internet Header Length
IPv4
IPv4 Internet Header Length (IHL) 1
Length of IPv4 header in 32-bit 2
words including any Options or
3
Padding.
4
IPv6
IHL for IPv6 is not needed. 5
IPv6 header is fixed at 40 bytes. ?
IPv6
8 bytes
8 bytes

40 bytes = 8 bytes
8 bytes
8 bytes

 IPv6 Traffic Class
IPv4 Type of Service IPv4
IPv6 Traffic Class
Not mandated by any IPv6 RFCs.
Same functionality as IPv4.
Uses same Differentiated Services
technique (RFC 2474) as IPv4.

IPv6

7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
IP Precedence Unsused
DiffServ Code Point (DSCP) IP ECN

 IPv6 Flow Label
New field in IPv6 not part of IPv4. IPv4
Flow label is used to identify the packets in a common stream or flow.
Traffic from source to destination share a common flow label.
RFC 6437 IPv6 Flow Label Specification
11001011000101100

10110010111000111

IPv6

 IPv6 Payload Length IPv4 Header Data (Payload)

IPv4 Total Length Number of bytes of IPv4

the IPv4 header (options) + data.
IPv6 Payload Length Number of bytes
of the payload.
Does not include the main IPv6
header.
Includes extension headers + data
IPv6

Payload
IPv6 Extension
IPv6 Header Header (Optional) Data

 IPv4 Fragmentation
IPv4 fields used for fragmentation and IPv4
reassembly.
Intermediate devices such as IPv6
routers do not perform fragmentation.
Any fragmentation needed will be
handled by the source using an
extension header.
IPv6

 IPv6 Next Header
IPv4 Protocol IPv4
IPv6 Next Header
For both protocols, the field indicates
the type of header following the IP
header.
Common values:
6 = TCP IPv6
17 = UDP
58 = ICMPv6
88 = EIGRP IPv6 Next Data
Header Header (Protocol: TCP, UDP, ICMPv6, etc.)
89 = OSPF

 IPv6 Hop Limit
IPv4 TTL (Time to Live) IPv4
IPv6 Hop Limit
Renamed to more accurately reflect
process.
Set by source, every router in path
decrements hop limit by 1.
When 0,
IPv6
drop packet.

 IPv6 Source and Destination Addresses
IPv6 Source and Destination IPv4
addresses have the same basic
functionality as IPv4.
IPv4 32-bit addresses.
IPv6 128-bit addresses.
Some significant changes in IPv6.
IPv6

 IPv4 Header Checksum
IPv4 Header Checksum IPv4
Not used in IPv6.
Upper-layer protocols generally have
a checksum (UDP and TCP).
So, in IPv4 the UDP checksum is
optional.
Because its
not in IPv6, IPv6
the UDP
checksum is
now
mandatory.

 IPv4 Options and Padding
IPv4 Options and Padding IPv4
Not used in IPv6.
Variable length, optional.
IPv4 Options are handled using
extension headers in IPv6.
Padding makes
sure IPv4 options
fall on a 32-bit
IPv6
boundary.
IPv6 header is
fixed at 40 bytes.
40 bytes =

IPv6 Extension Header
Next Header identifies:
The protocol carried in the
data portion of the packet.
The presence of an extension header.
Extension headers are optional and follow the main IPv6 header.
Provide flexibility and features to the main IPv6 header for future
enhancements without having to redesign the entire protocol.
Allows the main IPv6 header to have a fixed size for more
efficient processing.

IPv6 Main Next Extension Next Data

Header Header Header Header (Protocol: TCP, UDP, ICMPv6, etc.)

 IPv6 Extension Header
Next Header Value Extension Header Extension Header Description
(Decimal) Name
0 Hop-by-Hop Options Used to carry optional information, which must be examined by every
router along the path of the packet.
43 Routing Allows the source of the packet to specify the path to the destination.

44 Fragment Used to fragment IPv6 packets.

50 Encapsulating Used to provide authentication, integrity, and encryption.

Security Payload
(ESP)
51 Authentication Header Used to provide authentication and integrity.
(AH)
60 Destination Options Used to carry optional information that only needs to be examined by a
packets destination node(s).

Next Hop-by-Hop Next Next

IPv6 Main Header Header AH Extension Header TCP
Extension
Header Data
Header 0 Header 51 6 Header

2.2: A Brief Look at IPv6 Address Types
More details in IPv6 Address Types
Lessons 3, 4, 5 & 6
IPv6 Addresses

Unicast Multicast Anycast

Assigned Solicited Node

FF00::/8 FF02::1:FF00:0000/104

Global Unique Embedded

Link-Local Loopback Unspecified
Unicast Local IPv4
2000::/3 FE80::/10 ::1/128 ::/128 FC00::/7 ::/80

2.3: A Brief Look at ICMPv6
Neighbor Discovery
 ICMPv6
Internet Control Message Protocol for IPv6
ICMPv6 is defined in RFC 4443.
Similar to ICMPv4, describes two types of
messages:
Informational
Error
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery is described in RFC
4861.
Much more robust than ICMP for IPv4.
Contains new functionality and improvements.
More than just messaging but how IPv6
conducts business. IPv6 Main
Next
ICMPv6
All ICMPv6 Header Data
messages Header 58 Header

 ICMPv6 Neighbor Discover Protocol
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery defines 5 different packet types:
Router Solicitation Message
Router Advertisement Message Router-Device
Router-Device
Messaging
Messaging
Used with dynamic address allocation

Neighbor Solicitation Message

Neighbor Advertisement Message Device-Device
Device-Device
Used with address resolution (IPv4 ARP) Messaging
Messaging

Redirect Message
Similar to ICMPv4 redirect message
Router-to-Device messaging

 Router Solicitation & Router Advertisement Messages
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery defines 5 different packet types:
Router Solicitation Message
Router Advertisement Message Router-Device
Router-Device
Messaging
Messaging
Used with dynamic address allocation

Neighbor Solicitation Message

Neighbor Advertisement Message Device-Device
Device-Device
Used with address resolution (IPv4 ARP) Messaging
Messaging

Redirect Message
Similar to ICMPv4 redirect message
Router-to-Device messaging

Dynamic Address Allocation in IPv4
DHCPv4 Server

II need
need IPv4
IPv4
addressing
addressing
information.
information.

Here
Here is
is everything
everything
you
you need.
need.

 Dynamic Address Allocation in IPv6
To
To all
all IPv6
IPv6 routers:
routers: II might
might not
not be
be
II need
need IPv6
IPv6 address
address needed.
needed.
information.
information.

ICMPv6
ICMPv6 Router
Router Solicitation
Solicitation

DHCPv6 Server
To
To all
all IPv6
IPv6 devices:
devices: ICMPv6
ICMPv6 Router
Router Advertisement
Advertisement
Let
Let me
me tell
tell you
you how
how
to
to do
do this
this
1. SLAAC
SLAAC
2. SLAAC with (Stateless Address Autoconfiguration)
Router Solicitations
Stateless DHCPv6 Router Advertisements
3. Stateful DHCPv6

Neighbor Solicitation & Neighbor Advertisement Messages
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery defines 5 different packet types:
Router Solicitation Message
Router Advertisement Message Router-Device
Router-Device
Messaging
Messaging
Used with dynamic address allocation

Neighbor Solicitation Message

Neighbor Advertisement Message Device-Device
Device-Device
Used with address resolution (IPv4 ARP) Messaging
Messaging

Redirect Message
Similar to ICMPv4 redirect message
Router-to-Device messaging

 Address Resolution: IPv4 and IPv6
ARP Request: Broadcast
IPv4: ARP over Ethernet Ethernet ARP Request/Reply
ARP
Cache Know
Know
IPv4,
IPv4, what
what
My
My IPv4!
IPv4! 2
2 1
1
PCB PCA is the
is the
Here
Here is
is the
the ARP
MAC? ARP Reply
Reply ARP
ARP Request
Request MAC?
MAC?
MAC?

2 1
1 Know
Know
My
My IPv6!
IPv6! 2 Neighbor
Here Neighbor
Neighbor Neighbor
Neighbor Cache IPv6,
IPv6, what
what
Here is
is the
the is the
MAC? Advertisement
Advertisement Solicitation
Solicitation is the
MAC? MAC?
MAC?

IPv6: ICMPv6 over IPv6 over Ethernet

Neighbor Solicitations
NS: Multicast NS: Solicited Node Multicast Neighbor Advertisements
Ethernet IPv6 Header ICMPv6: Neighbor Solicitation/Advertisement

 Redirect Message
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery defines 5 different packet types:
Router Solicitation Message
Router Advertisement Message Router-Device
Router-Device
Messaging
Messaging
Used with dynamic address allocation

Neighbor Solicitation Message

Neighbor Advertisement Message Device-Device
Device-Device
Used with address resolution (IPv4 ARP) Messaging
Messaging

Redirect Message
Similar to ICMPv4 redirect message
Router-to-Device messaging

 ICMPv6 Redirect
Network X
R1 R2

Destination:
Network
PCB X Host

IPv6
Network A PCA PCB IPv6
Network B

Similar functionality as ICMPv4.

Like IPv4, a router informs an originating host of the IP address of a router that
is on the local link and is closer to the destination.
Unlike IPv4, a router informs an originating host that the destination host (on a
different prefix/network) is on the same link as itself.

 ICMPv6 Neighbor Discover Protocol
ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery defines 5 different packet types:
Router Solicitation Message
Router Advertisement Message Router-Device
Router-Device
Messaging
Messaging
Used with dynamic address allocation

Neighbor Solicitation Message

Neighbor Advertisement Message Device-Device
Device-Device
Used with address resolution (IPv4 ARP) Messaging
Messaging

Redirect Message
Similar to ICMPv4 redirect message
Router-to-Device messaging
More details in Lessons 7, 8 & 10

For more information please check out my Cisco Press book and video series:

IPv6 Fundamentals: A Straightforward IPv6 Fundamentals LiveLessons: A

Approach to Understanding IPv6 Straightforward Approach to Understanding IPv6
By Rick Graziani By Rick Graziani
ISBN-10: 1-58714-313-5 ISBN-10: 1-58720-457-6

2: Comparing IPv4 and IPv6
Rick Graziani
Cabrillo College

Rick.Graziani@cabrillo.edu