4.2. IPv6-ready network configuration tools

4.2.1. net-tools package

The net-tool package includes some tools like ifconfig and route, which helps you to configure IPv6 on an interface. Look at the output of ifconfig -? or route -?, if something is shown like IPv6 or inet6, then the tool is IPv6-ready.

Auto-magically check:

# /sbin/ifconfig -? 2>& 1|grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'ifconfig' is
¬ IPv6-ready"
   

Same check can be done for route:

# /sbin/route -? 2>& 1|grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'route' is IPv6-ready"
   

4.2.2. iproute package

Alexey N. Kuznetsov (current a maintainer of the Linux networking code) created a tool-set which configures networks through the netlink device. Using this tool-set you have more functionality than net-tools provides, but its not very well documented and isn't for the faint of heart.

# /sbin/ip 2>&1 |grep -qw 'inet6' && echo "utility 'ip' is IPv6-ready"
   

If the program /sbin/ip isn't found, then I strongly recommend you install the iproute package.

• You can get it from your Linux distribution (if contained)

• You can download the tar-ball and recompile it: Original FTP source and mirror (missing)

• You're able to look for a proper RPM package at RPMfind/iproute (sometimes rebuilding of a SRPMS package is recommended)