Check out these additional IPv6 Resources: |
| Our IPv6 overview course at Udemy |
| Our IPv6 Custom Profiles for Wireshark |
| Our IPv6 classes at the Online School |
Is there a simple way to display all the IPv6 settings on a Linux machine?
Absolutely! I have done the following on Debian/Ubuntu Linux.
For the newbies most system settings in Linux are in the SYSCTL’s. Wikipedia describes SYSCTL as “sysctl is a software utility of some Unix-like operating systems that reads and modifies the attributes of the system kernel such as its version number, maximum limits, and security settings. It is available both as a system call for compiled programs, and an administrator command for interactive use and scripting. Linux additionally exposes sysctl as a virtual file system.”
Clear as mud water.
So let’s look at it quickly. In a terminal window, issue the following command:
$ sysctl
You will get the help:
OK. You can display all with the ‘sysctl -a’ command – but be prepared with a ton of information.
What you will notice is that there is a hierarchical model for the sysctl settings. For example network settings are ‘net’, and further, ipv6 settings are ‘net.ipv6’.
If you were to enter:
$ sysctl net.ipv6
You would get all the IPv6 settings on the Linux machine. You may get some errors, so try it as sudo:
$ sudo sysctl net.ipv6
Here is my output:
net.ipv6.anycast_src_echo_reply = 0
net.ipv6.auto_flowlabels = 1
net.ipv6.bindv6only = 0
net.ipv6.calipso_cache_bucket_size = 10
net.ipv6.calipso_cache_enable = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_dad = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_defrtr = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_from_local = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_min_hop_limit = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_mtu = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_pinfo = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_rt_info_max_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_rt_info_min_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra_rtr_pref = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.addr_gen_mode = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.autoconf = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.dad_transmits = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_policy = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.drop_unicast_in_l2_multicast = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.drop_unsolicited_na = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.enhanced_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.force_mld_version = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.force_tllao = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.hop_limit = 64
net.ipv6.conf.all.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.keep_addr_on_down = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.max_addresses = 16
net.ipv6.conf.all.max_desync_factor = 600
net.ipv6.conf.all.mc_forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.mldv1_unsolicited_report_interval = 10000
net.ipv6.conf.all.mldv2_unsolicited_report_interval = 1000
net.ipv6.conf.all.mtu = 1280
net.ipv6.conf.all.ndisc_notify = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.ndisc_tclass = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.proxy_ndp = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.regen_max_retry = 3
net.ipv6.conf.all.router_probe_interval = 60
net.ipv6.conf.all.router_solicitation_delay = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.router_solicitation_interval = 4
net.ipv6.conf.all.router_solicitation_max_interval = 3600
net.ipv6.conf.all.router_solicitations = -1
net.ipv6.conf.all.seg6_enabled = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.seg6_require_hmac = 0
sysctl: reading key “net.ipv6.conf.all.stable_secret”
net.ipv6.conf.all.suppress_frag_ndisc = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.temp_prefered_lft = 86400
net.ipv6.conf.all.temp_valid_lft = 604800
net.ipv6.conf.all.use_oif_addrs_only = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.use_tempaddr = 2
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_defrtr = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_from_local = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_min_hop_limit = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_mtu = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_pinfo = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_rt_info_max_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_rt_info_min_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra_rtr_pref = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.addr_gen_mode = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.autoconf = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.dad_transmits = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_policy = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.drop_unicast_in_l2_multicast = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.drop_unsolicited_na = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.enhanced_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.force_mld_version = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.force_tllao = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.hop_limit = 64
net.ipv6.conf.default.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.keep_addr_on_down = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.max_addresses = 16
net.ipv6.conf.default.max_desync_factor = 600
net.ipv6.conf.default.mc_forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.mldv1_unsolicited_report_interval = 10000
net.ipv6.conf.default.mldv2_unsolicited_report_interval = 1000
net.ipv6.conf.default.mtu = 1280
net.ipv6.conf.default.ndisc_notify = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.ndisc_tclass = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.proxy_ndp = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.regen_max_retry = 3
net.ipv6.conf.default.router_probe_interval = 60
net.ipv6.conf.default.router_solicitation_delay = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.router_solicitation_interval = 4
net.ipv6.conf.default.router_solicitation_max_interval = 3600
net.ipv6.conf.default.router_solicitations = -1
net.ipv6.conf.default.seg6_enabled = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.seg6_require_hmac = 0
sysctl: reading key “net.ipv6.conf.default.stable_secret”
net.ipv6.conf.default.suppress_frag_ndisc = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.temp_prefered_lft = 86400
net.ipv6.conf.default.temp_valid_lft = 604800
net.ipv6.conf.default.use_oif_addrs_only = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.use_tempaddr = 2
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_defrtr = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_from_local = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_min_hop_limit = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_mtu = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_pinfo = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_rt_info_max_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_rt_info_min_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_ra_rtr_pref = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.addr_gen_mode = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.autoconf = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.dad_transmits = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.disable_ipv6 = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.disable_policy = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.drop_unicast_in_l2_multicast = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.drop_unsolicited_na = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.enhanced_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.force_mld_version = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.force_tllao = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.hop_limit = 64
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.keep_addr_on_down = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.max_addresses = 16
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.max_desync_factor = 600
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.mc_forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.mldv1_unsolicited_report_interval = 10000
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.mldv2_unsolicited_report_interval = 1000
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.mtu = 1500
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.ndisc_notify = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.ndisc_tclass = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.proxy_ndp = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.regen_max_retry = 3
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.router_probe_interval = 60
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.router_solicitation_delay = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.router_solicitation_interval = 4
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.router_solicitation_max_interval = 3600
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.router_solicitations = -1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.seg6_enabled = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.seg6_require_hmac = 0
sysctl: reading key “net.ipv6.conf.ens33.stable_secret”
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.suppress_frag_ndisc = 1
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.temp_prefered_lft = 86400
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.temp_valid_lft = 604800
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.use_oif_addrs_only = 0
net.ipv6.conf.ens33.use_tempaddr = 2
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_dad = -1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_defrtr = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_from_local = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_min_hop_limit = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_mtu = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_pinfo = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_rt_info_max_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_rt_info_min_plen = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_ra_rtr_pref = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.addr_gen_mode = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.autoconf = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.dad_transmits = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6 = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_policy = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.drop_unicast_in_l2_multicast = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.drop_unsolicited_na = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.enhanced_dad = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.force_mld_version = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.force_tllao = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.hop_limit = 64
net.ipv6.conf.lo.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.keep_addr_on_down = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.max_addresses = 16
net.ipv6.conf.lo.max_desync_factor = 600
net.ipv6.conf.lo.mc_forwarding = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.mldv1_unsolicited_report_interval = 10000
net.ipv6.conf.lo.mldv2_unsolicited_report_interval = 1000
net.ipv6.conf.lo.mtu = 65536
net.ipv6.conf.lo.ndisc_notify = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.ndisc_tclass = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.proxy_ndp = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.regen_max_retry = 3
net.ipv6.conf.lo.router_probe_interval = 60
net.ipv6.conf.lo.router_solicitation_delay = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.router_solicitation_interval = 4
net.ipv6.conf.lo.router_solicitation_max_interval = 3600
net.ipv6.conf.lo.router_solicitations = -1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.seg6_enabled = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.seg6_require_hmac = 0
sysctl: reading key “net.ipv6.conf.lo.stable_secret”
net.ipv6.conf.lo.suppress_frag_ndisc = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.temp_prefered_lft = 86400
net.ipv6.conf.lo.temp_valid_lft = 604800
net.ipv6.conf.lo.use_oif_addrs_only = 0
net.ipv6.conf.lo.use_tempaddr = -1
net.ipv6.flowlabel_consistency = 1
net.ipv6.flowlabel_reflect = 0
net.ipv6.flowlabel_state_ranges = 0
net.ipv6.fwmark_reflect = 0
net.ipv6.icmp.ratelimit = 1000
net.ipv6.idgen_delay = 1
net.ipv6.idgen_retries = 3
net.ipv6.ip6frag_high_thresh = 262144
net.ipv6.ip6frag_low_thresh = 196608
net.ipv6.ip6frag_secret_interval = 0
net.ipv6.ip6frag_time = 60
net.ipv6.ip_nonlocal_bind = 0
net.ipv6.max_dst_opts_length = 2147483647
net.ipv6.max_dst_opts_number = 8
net.ipv6.max_hbh_length = 2147483647
net.ipv6.max_hbh_opts_number = 8
net.ipv6.mld_max_msf = 64
net.ipv6.mld_qrv = 2
net.ipv6.neigh.default.anycast_delay = 100
net.ipv6.neigh.default.app_solicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.default.base_reachable_time_ms = 30000
net.ipv6.neigh.default.delay_first_probe_time = 5
net.ipv6.neigh.default.gc_interval = 30
net.ipv6.neigh.default.gc_stale_time = 60
net.ipv6.neigh.default.gc_thresh1 = 128
net.ipv6.neigh.default.gc_thresh2 = 512
net.ipv6.neigh.default.gc_thresh3 = 1024
net.ipv6.neigh.default.locktime = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.default.mcast_resolicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.default.mcast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.default.proxy_delay = 80
net.ipv6.neigh.default.proxy_qlen = 64
net.ipv6.neigh.default.retrans_time_ms = 1000
net.ipv6.neigh.default.ucast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.default.unres_qlen = 101
net.ipv6.neigh.default.unres_qlen_bytes = 212992
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.anycast_delay = 100
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.app_solicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.base_reachable_time_ms = 30000
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.delay_first_probe_time = 5
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.gc_stale_time = 60
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.locktime = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.mcast_resolicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.mcast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.proxy_delay = 80
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.proxy_qlen = 64
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.retrans_time_ms = 1000
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.ucast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.unres_qlen = 101
net.ipv6.neigh.ens33.unres_qlen_bytes = 212992
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.anycast_delay = 100
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.app_solicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.base_reachable_time_ms = 30000
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.delay_first_probe_time = 5
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.gc_stale_time = 60
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.locktime = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.mcast_resolicit = 0
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.mcast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.proxy_delay = 80
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.proxy_qlen = 64
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.retrans_time_ms = 1000
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.ucast_solicit = 3
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.unres_qlen = 101
net.ipv6.neigh.lo.unres_qlen_bytes = 212992
net.ipv6.route.gc_elasticity = 9
net.ipv6.route.gc_interval = 30
net.ipv6.route.gc_min_interval = 0
net.ipv6.route.gc_min_interval_ms = 500
net.ipv6.route.gc_thresh = 1024
net.ipv6.route.gc_timeout = 60
net.ipv6.route.max_size = 4096
net.ipv6.route.min_adv_mss = 1220
net.ipv6.route.mtu_expires = 600
net.ipv6.xfrm6_gc_thresh = 32768
How cool is that.
You can change sysctl settings with the ‘-w’ switch to write a new value. You usually have to then restart interfaces and the like.
Why do this type of investigation? Simple (and we go deep into this in our Advanced IPv6 Security Course), we want to know if things like whether temporary addresses are being used, what thresholds are set, and much more!
We hope this helps you dig deeper on IPv6 on your local Linux machine.
I hope you find this article and its content helpful. Comments are welcomed below. If you would like to see more articles like this, please support us by clicking the patron link where you will receive free bonus access to courses and more, or simply buying us a cup of coffee!, and all comments are welcome!