Set up mixed IPv4 and IPv6 traffic?
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They work exactly as they do with IPv4. You're confusing layers. Ethernet is layer 2 and IP, both 4 & 6 (and IPX) are layer 3. VLANs are an extension of Ethernet and so belong at layer 2 (some say 2.5). In every Ethernet frame, the first significant bytes are the 2 in the Ethertype/Length field. This is what determines what the frame contains. If it is 1500 or below, it is an 802.3 frame and the value refers to the payload size. Otherwise, it's a DIX II frame and the number refers to the data type, including IPv4, IPv6 and much more. So, normally a frame would have the Ethertype for IPv4 or IPv6. But if it's for a VLAN, it would have the Ethertype for VLANs, followed by 2 bytes for the VLAN ID and then followed by the original IP Ethertype, etc. So, for a VLAN, there are 4 bytes added, which the switch uses to sort according to VLAN.
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@jknott
Thank you for the extremely detailed explanation. I am going to read and re-read that a few times until I grasp all the concepts you outlined. I think what you are saying though is that if pfSense passes IPv6 traffic on to a vlan, it will stay on that vlan throughout my networking equipment (switches, APs) even if that equipment does not explicitly have settings for IPv6? -
@pfguy2018 said in Set up mixed IPv4 and IPv6 traffic?:
I think what you are saying though is that if pfSense passes IPv6 traffic on to a vlan, it will stay on that vlan throughout my networking equipment (switches, APs) even if that equipment does not explicitly have settings for IPv6?
Yep. As mentioned above, the only equipment where that would be a factor is routers. Switches and APs are transparent to the layer 3 packet type.
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@jknott
So as long as pfSense is set up to accept and process IPV6, I don't need to change anything in my switches or APs or vlans? Whichever vlan the cable boxes get added to (either by ethernet connection to an untagged port belonging to the desired vlan on a switch or by joining a wireless network associated with that vlan), things will just work? -
Think of VLANs as though they were physically separate. If you can do something with plain switches and APs, you can do it with a VLAN. What VLANs allow you to do is run those logically separate networks over one physical network and then separate the traffic. For example, in offices, VoIP phones and computers often share the same connection, with the phone on a VLAN. This allows the phones to have priority over the computer data, as VLANs enable priority through switches, etc.. Another example is guest WiFi, so you can use the same APs, but keep then separate from the main LAN traffic. I have that here.
Bear in mind the VLANs must be configured on pfsense, switches and APs and the VLAN ID must match on each device.
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@jknott
Right. I already have the vlans configured and running on all equipment. I am just confirming that nothing will need to be adjusted to accommodate IPV6 traffic on those vlans (except for at the pfSense end of things). -
Yep.
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@jknott
So much easier than I would have thought. Thanks! -
One thing to bear in mind is that each interface has to use a different prefix ID. With a /56 from Rogers, your choices are 0 to ff. You also have to specify you want a /56, though you could get a smaller one if you want.
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@jknott Good to know. I appreciate all your help so far. Once (if) I decide to proceed with this, I might have to come back to get more assistance...
