Windows 10 now runs in SLAAC networks

windows-10-logoMicrosoft released the Creator Update last month (11 April 2017) with lots of interesting stuff. But the most interesting for IPv6 is support for the RDNSS field in the RA (Router Advertisement). The RDNSS field is the one that carries DNS server information in the RA.

In order to run an IPv6-only SLAAC-based network the host must need 2 things: an address, and the address of a DNS server. Without DNS, IPv4 or IPv6 is pretty useless.

The fact that MS is now supporting SLAAC-only networks is a huge shift from their previous DHCPv6 only stance. Why is this important? Because there are use-cases for SLAAC-only networks, and now not only can you use your Android devices (which don’t do DHCPv6) but also your Windows 10 machines as well.

Windows continues to dominate the PC market with about 85%. Now with Windows 10 Creator Update, there is no excuse to not deploy IPv6 in your network now.

Author: Craig Miller

IPv6 Advocate since 1998