Understanding TCP/IP

8.3. IP Addresses

IP addresses in IP version 6 protocols have 16 bytes (128 bits). We recognize three types of addresses:

• Unicast: A unique address of a network interface (an analogy to IP version 4 interface address).
• Anycast: New type of address, an address referring to a group of network interfaces. An IP datagram containing the anycast type of address will be delivered to one of the interfaces listed (the closest one within the network topology). These addresses are assigned from unicasts address space.
• Multicast: A group address (an analogy to IP version 4 multicasts).

There are no broadcasts!

8.3.1 Types of Address Inscription

Three principal types of address inscription are used:

• hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh where h is one hexadecimal ...