Network Working Group                             S. Deering, Xerox PARC
Request for Comments: 1883                  R.  Hinden, Ipsilon Networks
Category: Standards Track                                  December 1995




                  Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6)
                             Specification





Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.


Abstract


   This document specifies version 6 of the Internet Protocol (IPv6),
   also sometimes referred to as IP Next Generation or IPng.
























 
RFC 1883                   IPv6 Specification              December 1995


Table of Contents

   1. Introduction..................................................3

   2. Terminology...................................................4

   3. IPv6 Header Format............................................5

   4. IPv6 Extension Headers........................................6
       4.1 Extension Header Order...................................8
       4.2 Options..................................................9
       4.3 Hop-by-Hop Options Header...............................11
       4.4 Routing Header..........................................13
       4.5 Fragment Header.........................................19
       4.6 Destination Options Header..............................24
       4.7 No Next Header..........................................25

   5. Packet Size Issues...........................................26

   6. Flow Labels..................................................28

   7. Priority.....................................................30

   8. Upper-Layer Protocol Issues..................................31
       8.1 Upper-Layer Checksums...................................31
       8.2 Maximum Packet Lifetime.................................32
       8.3 Maximum Upper-Layer Payload Size........................32

   Appendix A. Formatting Guidelines for Options...................33

   Security Considerations.........................................36

   Acknowledgments.................................................36

   Authors' Addresses..............................................36

   References......................................................37