The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods IPB192: IPv6 Lab Update
Jan 22, 2026
Explore the exciting world of building IPv6 labs with a focus on the innovative IPv6-mostly architecture. Discover how DHCP Option 108 plays a vital role in client support and preferences for IPv6. The hosts discuss client behavior, the necessity of NAT64/DNS64, and the importance of CLAT for various use cases. Test recommendations for IoT devices and hardware integrating virtual labs with physical setups make lab testing efficient. Stay tuned for insights on OS support and upcoming trends in IPv6 technology!
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Prepare DHCP108, SLAAC, And CLAT
- Set up an IPv4 DHCP server that can serve DHCP option 108 to enable IPv6-mostly clients.
- Ensure clients support CLAT and that SLAAC is enabled so the CLAT can obtain a separate IPv6 address.
Include NAT64 And Test Both Translation Paths
- Include a NAT64 in your lab to translate v4 traffic from IPv6-only clients; DNS64/NAT64 alone won't handle CLAT-sourced flows.
- Test both native OS translation (CLAT) and network-side NAT64/DNS64 because behaviors can differ.
CLAT Best Suited For Human-Facing Clients
- CLAT mainly targets client devices with human users rather than IoT or OT scenarios.
- For IoT/OT, consider proxies, load balancers, or other gateway translations instead of CLAT.