IPv6 Link Local addresses are often confusing when it comes to understanding IPv6. This is mainly because there is no equivalent address in IPv4. So, what are the benefits of using Link Local addresses?

Link-Local addresses are used on the links between routers in an IPv6 network. These links are known as Infrastructure Links according to RFC 7404. The purpose of Link Local addresses is to facilitate communication and connectivity within these links. It's important to note that Link Local addresses are not advertised by routing protocols and are not included in the routing table.

In IPv6, routing protocols use Link Local addresses to exchange routing information and determine the next hop for each route in the routing table.

The new routing behavior in IPv6 allows us to route using only Link-Local addresses, eliminating the need for Global Unicast addresses on each link between routers. This helps reduce the size of the routing tables.

RFC 7404 highlights several advantages of using only Link-Local addresses in an IPv6 network:

1. Less routing table entries: Since routing protocols do not advertise Link-Local addresses, infrastructure links are not included in the routing table. This helps reduce memory usage and improves the routing protocol's convergence speed.

2. Better address management: With IPv6, only one Global Unicast Address (GUA) loopback address is required for each router to enable all IPv6 services. This simplifies and streamlines address management compared to IPv4.

3. More secure links: Every Global Unicast address on a router can potentially be targeted in DDoS and other attacks. By using only Link-Local addresses on infrastructure links, these links are not reachable remotely and do not require protection from external threats.

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