System Management Guide: Communications and Networks

Upgrade to IPv6 with IPv4 not configured in AIX 5.2

This scenario shows how to set up hosts and a router for IPv6 without IPv4 settings configured. The network used in this example consists of a router and two subnets. There are two hosts on each subnet: the router, and another host. By the end of the scenario, the router will advertise prefix fec0:0:0:aaaa::/64 on network interface en0 and prefix fec0:0:0:bbbb::/64 on network interface en1. You will first configure the machines to temporarily support IPv6 so that you can test them. You will then configure the machines so they will be IPv6-ready at boot time.

This scenario assumes that the bos.net.tcp.client fileset is installed.

To upgrade to IPv6 with IPv4 already configured, see Upgrade to IPv6 with IPv4 Configured.

Step 1: Set up the hosts for IPv6

1. With root authority, type the following command on each host on the subnet:

   autoconf6 -A

   This will bring up all IPv6-capable interfaces on the system.
   Note
   To bring up a subset of interfaces, use the -i flag. For example, autoconf6 -i en0 en1 will bring up interfaces en0 and en1.
2. Type the following command to view your interfaces:

   netstat -ni

   Your results should look similar to the following:

   Name  Mtu   Network     Address            Ipkts Ierrs    Opkts Oerrs  Coll
   en0   1500  link#3      0.4.ac.17.b4.11          7     0       17     0     0
   en0   1500  fe80::204:acff:fe17:b411             7     0       17     0     0
   lo0   16896 link#1                             436     0      481     0     0
   lo0   16896 127         127.0.0.1              436     0      481     0     0
   lo0   16896 ::1                                436     0      481     0     0
   

3. Start the ndpd-host daemon by typing the following command:

   startsrc -s ndpd-host

Step 2: Set up the router for IPv6

1. With root authority, type the following command on the router host:

   autoconf6 -A

   This will bring up all IPv6-capable interfaces on the system.
   Note
   To bring up a subset of interfaces, use the -i flag. For example, autoconf6 -i en0 en1 will bring up interfaces en0 and en1.

   Your results should look similar to the following:

   Name  Mtu   Network     Address            Ipkts Ierrs    Opkts Oerrs  Coll
   en1   1500  link#2      0.6.29.dc.15.45          0     0        7     0     0
   en1   1500  fe80::206:29ff:fedc:1545             0     0        7     0     0
   en0   1500  link#3      0.4.ac.17.b4.11          7     0       17     0     0
   en0   1500  fe80::204:acff:fe17:b411             7     0       17     0     0
   lo0   16896 link#1                             436     0      481     0     0
   lo0   16896 127         127.0.0.1              436     0      481     0     0
   lo0   16896 ::1                                436     0      481     0     0
   

2. Manually configure site-local addresses on the router's interfaces belonging to each of the two subnets by typing the following commands:

   # ifconfig en0 inet6 fec0:0:0:aaaa::/64 eui64 alias
   # ifconfig en1 inet6 fec0:0:0:bbbb::/64 eui64 alias

   Note
   You will need to do this for every subnet that your router is sending packets to.
3. To activate IPv6 forwarding, type the following:

   no -o ip6forwarding=1

4. To start the ndpd-router daemon, type the following:

   startsrc -s ndpd-router

   The ndpd-router daemon will advertise prefixes corresponding to the site-local addresses that you configured on the router. In this case, the ndpd-router will advertise prefix ec0:0:0:aaaa::/64 on en0 and prefix fec0:0:0:bbbb::/64 on en1.

Step 3. Set up IPv6 to be configured on the hosts at boot time

After completins Step 1 for each host, IPv6 will be deleted when you reboot the machine. To enable IPv6 host functionality every time you reboot, do the following:

1. Open the /etc/rc.tcpip file using your favorite text editor.
2. Uncomment the following lines in that file:

   # Start up autoconf6 process
   start /usr/sbin/autoconf6 ""

   # Start up ndpd-host daemon
   start /usr/sbin/ndpd-host "$src_running"

3. Add the -A flag to start /usr/sbin/autoconf6 ""::

   start /usr/sbin/autoconf6 "" -A

4. Repeat this process for each host.

When you reboot, IPv6 will be automatically started.

Step 4: Set up IPv6 to be configured on the router at boot time

After completing Step 2 for your router, IPv6 will be deleted when you reboot. To enable IPv6 router functionality every time you reboot, do the following:

1. Open the /etc/rc.tcpip file in your favorite text editor.
2. Uncomment the following line in that file:

   # Start up autoconf6 process
   start /usr/sbin/autoconf6 ""

3. Add the -A flag to that line:

   start /usr/sbin/autoconf6 "" -A

4. Add the following lines immediately after the line that you just uncommented in the previous step:

   # Configure site-local addresses for router
   ifconfig en0 inet6 fec0:0:0:aaaa::/ eui64 alias
   ifconfig en1 inet6 fec0:0:0:bbbb::/ eui64 alias

   In this scenario, our network has only two subnets, en0 and en1. You will need to add a line to this file for every subnet that your router is sending packets to.
5. Uncomment the following line in the file:

   # Start up ndpd-router daemon
   start /usr/sbin/ndpd-router "$src_running"

6. Run the following command to enable IP forwarding at boot time:

   no -r -o ip6forwarding=1

When you reboot, IPv6 will be automatically started.