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Upon testing a within a standalone network with just a DHCPv6 server on it and several client computers with different operating systems, OS X 10.7.4 fails to automatically obtain an IPv6 address from the DHCPv6 server.

Settings are set as the following for IPv6 System Preferences > Network > Ethernet > Advanced... >

Configure IPv6: "Automatically"

Is there a way to make OS X Lion work as a DHCPv6 client for a full IPv6 network with a DHCPv6 server?

Or a way to add a 3rd party DHCPv6 client?

As of now each Macs has to be manually set to a static IPv6 address to get them on the network, which is not ideal.

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Can't reply this. DHCPv6 working fine here since SL. – Max Ried Aug 17 '12 at 14:10
Yes. I haven't tested this thoroughly but I know IPv6 is fully supported. If it's not working for you, there's a problem somewhere. – Harv Aug 17 '12 at 16:18

1 Answer

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Currently OS X does not have a DHCPv6 client built in. Note that in OS X the IPv4 configuration gives you a choice of manual, DHCP, DHCP with manual DNS, BOOTP, or off. The IPv6 choices are manual, automatic, link-local, and off. The "Automatic" is not DHCP, it's autoconfig from a router.

With IPv6, there are multiple ways to get an address. OS X doesn't use DHCPv6, it uses Autoconfiguration (routers provide the information). Windows Vista & Windows 7 both use DHCPv6. But typically routers doing autoconfiguration and DHCPv6 servers don't talk to each other, so collisions and confusion are possible.

This is one of the ugly parts of IPv6 that isn't widely communicated. See http://arstechnica.com/business/2010/09/there-is-no-plan-b-why-the-ipv4-to-ipv6-transition-will-be-ugly/2/ for more info on this.

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is that a fancy way of saying no? – MrDaniel Sep 16 '12 at 21:38
Yes, it is, sadly. Note that in OS/X the IPv4 configuration gives you a choice of manual, DHCP, DHCP with manual DNS, BOOTP, or off. The IPv6 choices are manual, automatic, link-local, and off. The "Automatic" is not DHCP, it's autoconfig from a router. – Geek Zero Sep 17 '12 at 0:16
Now I'm confused: "Mac OS X Lion has DHCPv6" / mailman.nanog.org/pipermail/nanog/2011-July/038502.html But I also didn't get any DHCPv6 working when trying recently... – ShiDoiSi yesterday

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