8.3. IP Addresses
IP addresses in IP version 6 protocols have 16 bytes (128 bits). We recognize three types of addresses:
- Unicast: A unique address of a network interface (an analogy to IP version 4 interface address).
- Anycast: New type of address, an address referring to a group of network interfaces. An IP datagram containing the anycast type of address will be delivered to one of the interfaces listed (the closest one within the network topology). These addresses are assigned from unicasts address space.
- Multicast: A group address (an analogy to IP version 4 multicasts).
There are no broadcasts!
8.3.1 Types of Address Inscription
Three principal types of address inscription are used:
- hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh where h is one hexadecimal digit (0 to F) representing 4 address bits.
Example: ABCE:3:89AD:134:FEDC:E4D1:34:4321(the initial 0s do not need to be indicated).
- An abbreviated type using a double colon. The double colon can appear only once in an address. The double colon replaces...
