Computer networks are widespread throughout the world. The Internet protocol (IP) is one of the most widely accepted network protocols. The version most commonly used today is IP version 4 (IPv4). This version supports 32-bit IP addresses. When IPv4 was introduced many years ago, its designers did not anticipate that the IP address space could be exhausted. Now, for all practical purposes, the IPv4 address space has been used up almost entirely, so it is necessary to consider alternatives. IPv6 is the last version of IP, developed to eventually replace IPv4. This book is a guide for configuring IPv6 for operating systems such as Windows XP, FreeBSD, and Red Hat Linux. A hardcover first edition of this book was published in 2005. The contents of this 2012 paperback version are identical to the version published earlier.

An introduction to IPv6 begins the book. The key differences between IPv6 and other protocols such as IPv4 are explained. IPv6 supports 128-bit addresses, so the addressing mechanisms in IPv6 are more complicated than those in IPv4. The book looks at ways of enabling IPv6 in Windows, FreeBSD, Linux, and Mac OS. Because large parts of the Internet are still based on IPv4, the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 will necessarily be gradual, so mechanisms such as tunneling have been provided to make the changeover smooth. Tunneling enables IPv4 and IPv6 to work together. The book discusses mechanisms for tunneling. A packet is a fundamental unit for routing information. Mechanisms for routing packets in IPv6 are explored in the book. Computers understand binary numbers, whereas humans prefer symbolic names. The domain name system (DNS), which associates numeric addresses with symbolic names, is discussed in the context of IPv6. The need to configure applications to work with IPv6 is examined. Transitioning from IPv4 networks to IPv6 networks is no easy task. The book dedicates one chapter to this difficult topic. The author also includes chapters on the internals and security mechanisms of IPv6, differences between IPv4 and IPv6 with regard to security, and aspects of troubleshooting IPv6 networks, including the tcpdump utility. The last chapter of the book focuses on the provision of transit services for IPv6, which works differently than IPv4 due to the feature of stateless auto-configuration in IPv6.

The book has two appendices, one on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and its request for comments (RFCs), and one on start-up scripts for Red Hat Linux, FreeBSD, and Mac OS. There is a postscript that discusses the attitude of the IETF toward IPv6. The index and numerous illustrations in the book are helpful.

Networking professionals will find the book useful since the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is inevitable. However, the 2005 and 2012 editions of the book are identical and unchanged. The author could have updated the book with information about developments in the past seven years. Operating systems such as Windows XP have become obsolete. Users of Windows Vista and Windows 7 will need help if they want to use this book. Likewise, some of the software mentioned in the book is no longer current. For example, dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) software will have to be transitioned to accommodate IPv6.

There are numerous books on IPv6, but this book is a good introduction to the subject, despite the shortcomings mentioned. I recommend it to novices, students, researchers, and practitioners who need an introduction to IPv6.