from_bigint

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'from_bigint';
    print from_bigint ('12345678901234567890')->to_string_compressed ();

produces output

    ::ab54:a98c:eb1f:ad2

(This example is included as from-bigint.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/from-bigint.pl> in the distribution.)

Given a string or a Math::BigInt object containing a number, this converts it into a Net::IPv6Addr object.

Parameters

A string or a Math::BigInt object. If the input is a scalar, it's converted into a Math::BigInt object.

Returns

A Net::IPv6Addr object

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

This function was added in "0.95".

in_network

    use Net::IPv6Addr;
    my $obj = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead:beef:cafe:babe:dead:beef:cafe:babe');
    if ($obj->in_network ('dead:beef:ca0::/21')) {
        print $obj->to_string_compressed, " is in network.\n";
    }

produces output

    dead:beef:cafe:babe:dead:beef:cafe:babe is in network.

(This example is included as inet.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/inet.pl> in the distribution.)

Parameters

If used as an object method, a network and its size in bits

    my $ok = $x->in_network ("aa:bb:cc:dd::", 64);

If used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format, followed by a network address string and its size in bits.

    my $addr = 'fd00::54:20c:29fe:fe14:ab4b';
    my $ok = Net::IPv6Addr::in_network ($addr, "aa:bb:cc:dd::", 64);

The network size may also be given with the / notation after the network address string:

    my $ok = $x->in_network("aa:bb:cc:dd::/64");

Returns

A true value if the address $x is a member of the network given as the argument, or false otherwise.

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

Prior to version "0.9", this did not work correctly unless the net size was a multiple of sixteen.

in_network_of_size

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'in_network_of_size';
    my $obj = in_network_of_size ('dead:beef:cafe:babe:dead:beef:cafe:babe', 42);
    print $obj->to_string_compressed ();

produces output

    dead:beef:cac0::

(This example is included as inos.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/inos.pl> in the distribution.)

Given an input IPv6 address $x, this returns the $n most-significant bits of $x as a new Net::IPv6Addr object.

Parameters

If used as an object method, network size in bits:

    my $obj = $x->in_network_of_size (64);

If used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format and a network size in bits:

    my $obj = in_network_of_size ($addr, 64);

Network size may also be given with "/" notation:

    my $obj = in_network_of_size ("$addr/64");

Returns

The $n most-significant bits of $x as a new Net::IPv6Addr object.

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

Prior to version "0.9", this did not work correctly unless the net size was a multiple of sixteen.

ipv6_chkip

    my $niok = ipv6_chkip ('dead:beef:cafe:babe::f0ad');

Parameters

An IPv6 address string, without a prefix.

Returns

A true value (a code reference for the parser for this IP) if it's a valid address; a false value ("undef") if not.

ipv6_parse

    my ($ni, $pl) = ipv6_parse ('dead:beef:cafe:babe::f0ad');

Parameters

Either a string containing an IPv6 address string, which may also include a "/" character and a numeric prefix length,

    my ($x, $y) = ipv6_parse ("a::/24");

or an IPv6 address string, with an optional second argument consisting of a numeric prefix length:

    my ($x, $y) = ipv6_parse('a::', '24');

Returns

Called in array context, the return value is a list consisting of the address string and the prefix, if it parses correctly. Called in scalar context, the address and prefix are concatenated with "/".

Notes

Throws an exception on malformed input.

is_ipv6

    my $niok = is_ipv6 ('dead:beef:cafe:babe::f0ad');

Parameters

Identical to "ipv6_parse".

Returns

This returns the return value of "ipv6_parse", called in scalar context, if it does parse out correctly, otherwise it returns "undef". Unlike "ipv6_parse", "is_ipv6" does not throw exceptions.

new

    my $ni = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead:beef:cafe:babe::f0ad');

Create a new Net::IPv6Addr object from a string. Internally, the object is a blessed array reference containing the eight parts of the address as integers.

Parameters

A string to be interpreted as an IPv6 address.

Returns

A "Net::IPv6Addr" object if successful.

Notes

Throws an exception if the string isn't a valid address.

to_array

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_array';
    my @int = to_array ('dead::beef');
    my $ipobj = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead::beef');
    my @int2 = $ipobj->to_array ();
    print "@int\n@int2\n";

produces output

    dead 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 beef
    dead 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 beef

(This example is included as array.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/array.pl> in the distribution.)

Convert an IPv6 address into an array of eight hexadecimal numbers.

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

An array [0..7] of 16-bit hexadecimal numbers (strings).

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

See also "to_intarray" and "to_bigint".

to_bigint

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_bigint';
    my $int = to_bigint ('dead::beef');
    my $ipobj = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead::beef');
    my $int2 = $ipobj->to_bigint ();
    print "$int\n$int2\n";

produces output

    295986882420777848964380943247191621359
    295986882420777848964380943247191621359

(This example is included as bigint.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/bigint.pl> in the distribution.)

Convert an IPv6 address into a Math::BigInt object containing the IP address as a single number.

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The BigInt representation of the given IPv6 address.

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

See also "from_bigint", "to_intarray" and "to_array".

to_intarray

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_array';
    my @int = to_array ('dead::beef');
    my $ipobj = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead::beef');
    my @int2 = $ipobj->to_array ();
    print "@int\n@int2\n";

produces output

    dead 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 beef
    dead 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 beef

(This example is included as array.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/array.pl> in the distribution.)

Convert an IPv6 address into an array of eight integer numbers.

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

An array [0..7] of numbers.

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

See also "to_array" and "to_bigint".

to_string_base85

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The IPv6 address in the style detailed by "RFC1924".

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

The base 85 encoding described in "RFC1924" was an April Fool's joke.

to_string_compressed

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_string_compressed';
    print to_string_compressed ('dead:beef:0000:0000:0000:0000:cafe:babe');

produces output

    dead:beef::cafe:babe

(This example is included as compressed.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/compressed.pl> in the distribution.)

This provides the "canonical text representation format" of "RFC5952".

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The IPv6 address in the "compressed" ("RFC1884" et al.) or "canonical" ("RFC5952") format. Hexadecimal numbers are reduced to lower case, consecutive zero elements are reduced to double colons, and leading zeros are removed from strings of hexadecimal digits. All treatment of ambiguities is as per RFC5952. (See t/rfc5952.t <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/t/rfc5952.t> for tests.)

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

to_string_ip6_int

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_string_ip6_int';
    my $s = to_string_ip6_int ('dead::beef');
    my $ipobj = Net::IPv6Addr->new ('dead::beef');
    my $s2 = $ipobj->to_string_ip6_int ();
    print "$s\n$s2\n";

produces output

    f.e.e.b.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.d.a.e.d.IP6.INT.
    f.e.e.b.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.d.a.e.d.IP6.INT.

(This example is included as string-ip6-int.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/string-ip6-int.pl> in the distribution.)

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The reverse-address pointer as defined by "RFC1886".

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

The reverse process of converting these into Net::IPv6Addr objects is not supported.

to_string_ipv4

    use Net::IPv6Addr ':all';
    print to_string_ipv4_compressed ('dead:beef:0:3:2:1:cafe:babe');

produces output

    dead:beef::3:2:1:202.254.186.190

(This example is included as to-string-ipv4.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/to-string-ipv4.pl> in the distribution.)

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The IPv6 address in the IPv4 format detailed by "RFC1884" et al.

Notes

When used as a subroutine, invalid input will generate an exception.

From version "0.95", this allows any IPv6 address to be produced, not just the restricted forms allowed previously.

to_string_ipv4_compressed

    use Net::IPv6Addr ':all';
    print to_string_ipv4_compressed ('dead:beef:0:3:2:1:cafe:babe');

produces output

    dead:beef::3:2:1:202.254.186.190

(This example is included as to-string-ipv4-comp.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/to-string-ipv4-comp.pl> in the distribution.)

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The IPv6 address in the compressed IPv4 format detailed by "RFC1884" et al.

Notes

When used as a subroutine, invalid input will generate an exception.

From version "0.95", this allows any IPv6 address to be produced, not just the restricted forms allowed previously.

to_string_preferred

    use Net::IPv6Addr 'to_string_preferred';
    print to_string_preferred ('dead:beef:cafe:babe::f0ad');

produces output

    dead:beef:cafe:babe:0:0:0:f0ad

(This example is included as preferred.pl <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/examples/preferred.pl> in the distribution.)

Parameters

If used as an object method, none; if used as a subroutine, an IPv6 address string in any format.

Returns

The IPv6 address, formatted in the "preferred" way (as detailed by "RFC1884" et al).

Notes

Invalid input will generate an exception.

Reverse dependencies

RFCs

Addressing Architecture series

These are all the same standard, with updates. The most recent one is the active one.

RFC1884 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1884.txt>

IPv6 Addressing Architecture - December 1995

RFC2373 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2373.txt>

IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture - July 1998

RFC3513 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3513.txt>

Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Addressing Architecture - April 2003

RFC4291 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4291.txt>

IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture - February 2006

Other

RFC1886 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1886.txt>

DNS Extensions to support IP version 6 - December 1995

RFC1924 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1924.txt>

A Compact Representation of IPv6 Addresses - 1 April 1996

This was an April Fool's joke.

RFC5952 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5952.txt>

A Recommendation for IPv6 Address Text Representation - August 2010

This contains a "recommendation for a canonical text representation format of IPv6 addresses" which corresponds to the output of "to_string_compressed" in this module.

The links go to the plain text online versions of the RFCs.

Other CPAN modules

Data::Validate::IP

This module uses Socket to validate IP addresses. It offers a number of facilities for special-purpose sub networks, like "is_discard_ipv6", which are not offered in Net::IPv6Addr.

IPv6::Address

Its description says "A pure Perl IPv6 address manipulation library. Emphasis on manipulation of prefixes and addresses."

It insists on having a prefix with the IP address, so

    my $ipv6 = IPv6::Address->new ('2001:0:0:1:0:0:0:1');
    

actually fails, you have to use

    my $ipv6 = IPv6::Address->new ('2001:0:0:1:0:0:0:1/64');
    

Net::IP

Features binary IPs (strings like '101001'), etc.

Net::IP::Minimal

It's a simplified version of "Net::IP".

Net::IPAddress::Util

It's a "Version-agnostic representation of an IP address". I have not tried this module.

Net::IPv6Address

This module is broken and strongly not recommended.

NetAddr::IP

NetAddr::IP::Lite

These are two things in the same distribution. The documentation is quite offputting, but there are a lot of users of the module and stars on metacpan.

Regexp::IPv6

This module consists of a regex for validating IPv6s. Because this module had a lot more and better tests than Net::IPv6Addr, I included the tests and one regex from "Regexp::IPv6" in this module. (See t/Regexp-IPv6.t <https://fastapi.metacpan.org/source/BKB/Net-IPv6Addr-1.02/t/Regexp-IPv6.t>) Unlike "Net::IPv6Addr", "Regexp::IPv6" disallows "::", "the unspecified addresses". See the module's documentation for details.

Other

Online validator

<https://www.helpsystems.com/intermapper/ipv6-test-address-validation>