Since IPv6 hype was launch several years ago, many people (incl. me) were struggling how to split IPv6 subnet correctly. Honestly, I wasn’t network engineer, but learning network fundamental is not a big deal (especially IPv6, nowadays, it’s a new protocol!). Since it was launch at 1990 (former IPNG), based on APNIC Labs Survey, the adoption of native IPv6 still low.
The fundamental of TCP/IP is how to correctly split the subnet and know the routing works. At July 25th, I was attend the Advance IPv6 Routing Workshop by APNIC and learn with many senior engineers right there. The most interesting part is, I know how to split IPv6 subnet correctly without using any IPv6 calculator. I’ll write down how to do it for self notes, and I hope it is usefull for you too.
Subnetting
Prefix IPv6: 2404:6800::/32 (Google IPv6 Block Asia Pacific)
We must know that IPv6 have 128-bit address, separated by colon (:) and have 8 (eight) groups, then IPv4 only have 32-bit address, separated by dots (.) and only have 4 (four) groups.
So, if the rest IPv6 have 128-bit address, then each group should have 16-bit.
Shortest IPv6 Prefix: 2404:6800::/32 128-bit addresses
Longest IPv6 Prefix: 2404:6800:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 128-bit addresses
Then if I want split it into small subnets (eg. /48), how? And which first prefix should be?
For the example, we will split IPv6 Prefix 2404:6800::/32 into /48, then found the 48-bit.
2404:6800:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 -> 128-bit total
16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 -> 128-bit total (from 16-bit x 8 block)
Please keep in mind, IPv6 is a hexadecimal. So it will start counting from
0tofThen, in every member in a group(s) have 4-bit address [
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,c,d,e,f]
How we found that 48-bit address from 2404:6800::/32 ?
So we must find the 48th bit from 2404:6800::/32, then we need 16-bit left.
Diagram
[4]
0 0 0 0 -> each number represent 1-bit operation(s)
| | | |
| | | +---- 0 1 2 3 etc (2^0)
| | +------ 0 2 4 6 etc (2^1)
| +-------- 0 4 8 c etc (2^2)
+---------- 0 8 0 8 etc (2^3)
2404 on first group, have first 16-bit address.
6800 on second group, have second 16-bit address, so total bit are 32-bit right now.
0000 on third group, have third 16-bit address, so total bit are 48-bit right now.
Voila! We’ve found the 48th bit. The 48th bit are on third group, and first IPv6 is 2404:6800:0::/48 on /48 prefix.
Then another case, how we found /33 prefix? You can use the referrence diagram above and let’s find out.
IPv6 on /32 Subnet: 2404:6800:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000
IPv6 on /33 Subnet: 2404:6800:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000
See the marked zero 0 on /33 subnet, it’s the hint to find the subnet, and crosscheck with the diagram. So the /33 prefix should be 2404:6800:0::/33 and 2404:6800:8::/33.
Hope it helps!
