IP Addressing Model in Ad Hoc Networks
RFC 5889

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                  E. Baccelli, Ed.
Request for Comments: 5889                                         INRIA
Category: Informational                                 M. Townsley, Ed.
ISSN: 2070-1721                                            Cisco Systems
                                                          September 2010

                 IP Addressing Model in Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

   This document describes a model for configuring IP addresses and
   subnet prefixes on the interfaces of routers which connect to links
   with undetermined connectivity properties.

Status of This Memo

   This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
   published for informational purposes.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Not all documents
   approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet
   Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5889.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2010 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

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RFC 5889                  Ad Hoc IP Addressing            September 2010

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   3.  Applicability Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   4.  IP Subnet Prefix Configuration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   5.  IP Address Configuration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
   6.  Addressing Model  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
     6.1.  IPv6 Model  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
     6.2.  IPv4 Model  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   7.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   8.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     8.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     8.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
   Appendix A.  Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.  Introduction

   The appropriate configuration of IP addresses and subnet masks for
   router network interfaces is generally a prerequisite to the correct
   functioning of routing protocols.  Consideration of various items,
   including underlying link capabilities and connectivity, geographical
   topology, available address blocks, assumed traffic patterns etc.,
   are used when determining the appropriate network topology and the
   associated IP interface configuration.

   When the capabilities and connectivity of the links that connect
   routers are well-known and stable, logical network topology design
   and corresponding IP interface configuration are straightforward.
   Absent any assumption about link-level connectivity, however, there
   is no canonical method for determining a given IP interface
   configuration.

   Link-level connectivity is generally qualified as undetermined when
   it is unplanned and/or time-varying in character.  Ad hoc networks
   are typical examples of networks with undetermined link-level
   connectivity.  Routing protocols for ad hoc networks are purposely
   designed to detect and maintain paths across the network, even when
   faced with links with undetermined connectivity, assuming that
   routers' interfaces are configured with IP addresses.  This document
   thus proposes a model for configuration of IP addresses and subnet
   prefixes on router interfaces to links with undetermined connectivity
   properties, to allow routing protocols and data packet forwarding to
   function.

   Note that routers may ultimately need additional IP prefixes for the
   diverse applications that could run directly on the routers
   themselves, or for assignment to attached hosts or networks.  For

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RFC 5889                  Ad Hoc IP Addressing            September 2010