IPv6 Multicast Address Reference

Searchable reference of IPv6 multicast scopes and well-known addresses in the ff00::/8 range.

Address	Scope	Name	Description	RFC

Figure 1 — IPv6 Multicast Address Reference

Understanding IPv6 Multicast

IPv6 multicast (ff00::/8) replaces IPv4 broadcast — there is no broadcast in IPv6. Multicast delivers packets to a group of interested receivers simultaneously, which is more efficient than broadcasting to all devices. Every IPv6 node must support multicast for basic operations like neighbor discovery and DHCPv6.

Multicast Scope Values

Scope	Value	Range	Description
Node-Local	1	Single device	Loopback only, never leaves the node
Link-Local	2	Single link	Most common — same as IPv4 subnet broadcast
Site-Local	5	Organization site	Campus or building-wide
Organization	8	Multi-site org	Across organization boundaries
Global	e	Internet	Internet-wide multicast

Pro Tip: The most important multicast address to know is ff02::1 (all nodes on link) — it's the IPv6 equivalent of an IPv4 broadcast. Use ping6 ff02::1%eth0 to discover all IPv6 devices on your local network, similar to an ARP scan. This is incredibly useful for troubleshooting and device discovery.

Note: Solicited-node multicast addresses (ff02::1:ff00:0/104) are generated from the last 24 bits of a device's unicast address. They are used in Neighbor Discovery to efficiently resolve IPv6 addresses to MAC addresses — much more efficient than IPv4's broadcast-based ARP. Understand address types with our IPv6 Address Validator.

Multicast in Routing Protocols

IPv6 routing protocols use link-local multicast for neighbor discovery and route exchange, replacing IPv4 broadcast-based approaches:

Protocol	Multicast Address	Purpose
OSPFv3	ff02::5, ff02::6	Router and DR communication
RIPng	ff02::9	Route updates
EIGRP	ff02::a	Neighbor discovery and updates
NDP	ff02::1, ff02::2	Node and router discovery

Key Takeaways

IPv6 has no broadcast — multicast (ff00::/8) replaces all broadcast functionality.
Link-local scope (ff02::) is the most common — equivalent to subnet-level communication.
ff02::1 reaches all nodes; ff02::2 reaches all routers on the local link.
Solicited-node multicast enables efficient address resolution without broadcast floods.
Use IPv6 Address Validator to identify multicast addresses and Subnet Calculator for prefix math.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is IPv6 multicast?

Multicast delivers packets to a group of interested receivers. IPv6 uses multicast (ff00::/8) instead of broadcast for group communication.

Is there broadcast in IPv6?

No. IPv6 eliminated broadcast entirely. All broadcast functionality is replaced by multicast, which is more efficient.

What is ff02::1?

It is the all-nodes multicast address at link-local scope — the IPv6 equivalent of an IPv4 subnet broadcast.

What are solicited-node multicast addresses?

They are generated from the last 24 bits of a unicast address and used for efficient neighbor discovery, replacing ARP broadcast.

Do I need to configure multicast?

No, basic multicast is handled automatically by IPv6. Network switches need multicast snooping enabled for efficiency on larger networks.

About Tommy N.

Tommy is the founder of RouterHax and a network engineer with 10+ years of experience in home and enterprise networking. He specializes in router configuration, WiFi optimization, and network security. When not writing guides, he's testing the latest mesh WiFi systems and helping readers troubleshoot their home networks.