IPv6 Autoconfiguration in Windows Vista

IPv6 is about more than extending the address space from 32 bits in IPv4 to 128 bits. IPv6 hosts can also automatically configure themselves, even without the use of an address configuration protocol such as DHCP for IPv6 (DHCPv6).

Based on RFC 2462, all IPv6 nodes automatically configure a link-local address for each interface. An IPv6 host also uses router discovery—an exchange of Router Solicitation and Router Advertisement messages—to determine additional addresses and configuration settings.

Included in the Router Advertisement message sent by the router are the Managed Address Configuration (M) and Other Stateful Configuration (O) flags, which indicate whether the host should use DHCPv6 for additional addresses or configuration settings.