IPv6 DNS and service discovery

[spectre240sx]

I’m working on getting IPv6 deployed on a home network. I was planning on using DHCPv6 with stateless auto-configuration, but I’ve read that OS X doesn’t have a DHCPv6 client yet and may not get one. DHCP being off the table, I’m wondering how OS X is going to discover my DNS server. I’m also concerned about how to get dynamic DNS updates functioning.

I want to get some information on Apple’s recommendations, because Apple has done a pretty good job of adhering to standards while coming up with good and innovative ways to do things since the inception of OS X. Also, most of my client machines are running OS X.

If it makes a difference, I’m running a Cisco 2621xm for a router. My DNS server is a Xen VM running Ubuntu Linux 8.04.

I found an RFC on the subject: [url]http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc4339.txt[/url], but I’m not sure how any what’s documented relates to OS X’s default configuration.

Any input would be appreciated.

[blake]

You want to avoid DHCPv6 in my opinion. The stateless auto-configuration is done by the client and router discovering each other using neighbor discovery. You router will provide your prefix and the computer will generate the last part of your IPv6 address. This works well and doesn’t require DHCP or any other parts besides the router and the host.

You should go get as current of firmware as you can get your hands on for the cisco router and see what options it provides. As for DNS over IPv6, you need to make sure you DNS server can actually deliver dns requests via IPv6. Don’t assume things automatically work with IPv6. I recommend you focus on getting basic IPv6 routing up and running then start looking at the DNS parts.

I would look at the “Well-know anycast address approach” listed in the RFC. Ideally OS X will attempt to use these addresses for DNS automatically. I haven’t tested this yet myself tho. Otherwise you may need to manually enter the IPv6 address of your DNS server into the control panel. I’m just letting all my DNS queries go over IPv4 while the rest of the traffic uses IPv6 when it can.

Blake

[Author]

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