# Does IPv6 require hardware support?

## midnite

my Gentoo box uses this VIA board which bundle with the CPU [ http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/empowered/pc2500_mainboard/index.jsp ]

when i compile my kernel with IPv6 support, my system halt when boot   :Sad: 

i have tested that with all the rest settings the same, things go right if i uncheck IPv6 in the kernel.

according to my knowledge, IPv6 is network layer stuff. It is only a kind of protocol. Only software stuff. So if i include IPv6 in the kernel option, it should be included, without any problem. Is it true?

Could somebody please answer yes or no, and jot a few lines of explanation. BIG THANKS   :Very Happy: 

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## midnite

in the gentoo installation manual [ http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=6 ], there says *Quote:*   

> Warning: Do not select any IPv6 mirrors. Our stages currently do not support IPv6.

 

Does this account for the phenomenon mentioned?

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## Captain Newbie

 *midnite wrote:*   

> in the gentoo installation manual [ http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=6 ], there says *Quote:*   Warning: Do not select any IPv6 mirrors. Our stages currently do not support IPv6. 
> 
> Does this account for the phenomenon mentioned?

 

No; that instruction means don't choose any IPv6 mirrors when using mirrorselect...at least, as far as I understand it.

When you say 'halt', do you mean 'locks up with nothing meaningful' on the screen?

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## midnite

 *Captain Newbie wrote:*   

>  *midnite wrote:*   in the gentoo installation manual [ http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=6 ], there says *Quote:*   Warning: Do not select any IPv6 mirrors. Our stages currently do not support IPv6. 
> 
> Does this account for the phenomenon mentioned? 
> 
> No; that instruction means don't choose any IPv6 mirrors when using mirrorselect...at least, as far as I understand it.
> ...

 

hoho... go to Networking support  ---> then Networking options  ---> then check this <*>   The IPv6 protocol  --->

with the default settings of IPv6:

```
--- The IPv6 protocol

[ ]   IPv6: Privacy Extensions support (NEW)

[ ]   IPv6: Router Preference (RFC 4191) support (NEW)

[ ]   IPv6: Enable RFC 4429 Optimistic DAD (EXPERIMENTAL) (NEW)

< >   IPv6: AH transformation (NEW)

< >   IPv6: ESP transformation (NEW)

< >   IPv6: IPComp transformation (NEW)

< >   IPv6: Mobility (EXPERIMENTAL) (NEW)

<*>   IPv6: IPsec transport mode (NEW)

<*>   IPv6: IPsec tunnel mode (NEW)

<*>   IPv6: IPsec BEET mode (NEW)

< >   IPv6: MIPv6 route optimization mode (EXPERIMENTAL) (NEW)

<*>   IPv6: IPv6-in-IPv4 tunnel (SIT driver) (NEW)

< >   IPv6: IP-in-IPv6 tunnel (RFC2473) (NEW)

[ ]   IPv6: Multiple Routing Tables (NEW)

[ ]   IPv6: multicast routing (EXPERIMENTAL) (NEW)
```

exit, save, make && make modules_install, copy kernel and reboot

Here it is the monster output, when halt:

http://x67.xanga.com/dabf53eb57332245538280/w194674584.jpg

* with the cursor blinking on the bottom left, but not responding to keyboard including the caps lock LED.

When i run find /lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/ -type f -iname '*.o' -or -iname '*.ko', there are a few modules:

```
# find /lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/ -type f -iname '*.o' -or -iname '*.ko'

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6table_filter.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/nf_conntrack_ipv6.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_REJECT.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6table_mangle.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_ipv6header.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6_tables.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_LOG.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/net/netfilter/xt_policy.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/test_nx.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-dummy.ko

/lib/modules/2.6.28-hardened-r9/kernel/drivers/scsi/scsi_wait_scan.ko
```

then i try to include them in /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6

```
# cat /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6

# /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6:  kernel modules to load when system boots.

#

# Note that this file is for 2.6 kernels.

#

# Add the names of modules that you'd like to load when the system

# starts into this file, one per line.  Comments begin with # and

# are ignored.  Read man modules.autoload for additional details.

# For example:

# aic7xxx

test_nx

#hid-dummy

scsi_wait_scan

ip6table_filter

nf_conntrack_ipv6

ip6t_REJECT

ip6table_mangle

ip6t_ipv6header

ip6_tables

ip6t_LOG

xt_policy
```

reboot.

It halts with the same error   :Confused: 

* i noticed it halts after entering runlevel 3, when starting eth0, then halted.

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## monsm

Very strange. I didn't think was possible.

Only possiblity might be some bug between the actual LAN device and the protocol.  Are you sure you have the correct network device driver selected?

I tried this search on google: "VT6103 ipv6".  A few pages, but nothing too concrete I think (didn't look too hard though).

Mons

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## midnite

 *monsm wrote:*   

> Very strange. I didn't think was possible.
> 
> Only possiblity might be some bug between the actual LAN device and the protocol.  Are you sure you have the correct network device driver selected?
> 
> I tried this search on google: "VT6103 ipv6".  A few pages, but nothing too concrete I think (didn't look too hard though).
> ...

 i guess yes. i have checked everything having the VIA keyword in the kernel. Now i have double checked: In Device Drivers  --->, then Network device support  --->, then Ethernet (10 or 100Mbit)  --->, i have said yes to both 

```
<*>   VIA Rhine support

[*]     Use MMIO instead of PIO
```

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## davidgurvich

Try changing the via driver from builtin to a module.  Build the module with & without ipv6 and see if that pinpoints the problem.

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## midnite

 *davidgurvich wrote:*   

> Try changing the via driver from builtin to a module.  Build the module with & without ipv6 and see if that pinpoints the problem.

 Both

```
<M>   VIA Rhine support

[*]     Use MMIO instead of PIO
```

and

```
<M>   VIA Rhine support

[ ]     Use MMIO instead of PIO
```

with IPv6, (and i have included via-rhine in /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6), result in the the same error - halt at that dump while boot, when enter runlevel 3, loading eth0.

* Noted that i have removed net.eth0 in rc-update.

Disable IPv6, with 

```
<M>   VIA Rhine support

[*]     Use MMIO instead of PIO
```

and

```
<M>   VIA Rhine support

[ ]     Use MMIO instead of PIO
```

, both boot smoothly. But it is very strange that even if i removed net.eth0 in rc-update, eth0 is loaded too!

And for you information, it dies when i emerge anything: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-769514.html

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