20. IPv6 Interface Concepts

• An IPv6 address identifies an interface, not a node.

• Two types of IPv6 interfaces:

  • physical attachment (such as a network adapter)

  • logical attachment (such as a tunneling interface)

• The last 64 bits (last 4 blocks) of an IPv6 address identify the interface:

  • For a physical interface, Vista and XP use the MAC address to generate last 64 bits

  • Windows 7 uses random generation.

• These last 64 bits are called the interface ID.