firebird/doc/README.IPv6

IPv6 support in Firebird 3.0
----------------------------

Starting with version 3.0, Firebird can use IPv6 connections, both on client
and server side.


Client
------

As standard text form of an IPv6 address uses colons which Firebird uses to
separate host and database in connection strings, IPv6 address needs to be
enclosed in brackets. Examples:

  connect '[2014:1234::5]:test';
  connect '[2014:1234::5]/3049:/srv/firebird/test.fdb';

For consistency, (optional) square brackets can be also used around an IPv4
address or a domain name.

If a domain name is used in connection string, all addresses (IPv4 and IPv6)
are tried in the order returned by resolver until a connection is established.
Only if all attempts fail, the client fails to connect.

New URL-style connection string format (see README.connection_strings) allows
to restrict name lookup to only IPv4 or IPv6 addresses:

  connect 'inet://server.example.org/test';
  connect 'inet4://server.example.org/test';
  connect 'inet6://server.example.org/test';

First example tries all addresses, second only IPv4 ones, third only IPv6
ones. This can be used to avoid connection delays on systems where name lookup
returns IPv6 addresses for some host names but attempts to connect to them
time out rather than failing immediatelly (as reported, this can happen even
for name "localhost" on some systems).


Server
------

By default, Firebird server listens on zero IPv6 address (::) and accepts all
incoming connections, IPv4 and IPv6. This behaviour can be changed by config
directive IPv6V6Only. If it is set to true, server listening on zero IPv6
address (implicitely or explicitely) will accept only IPv6 connections.

Different listening address (IPv4 or IPv6) can be set using RemoteBindAddress
directive. If an IPv4 address or non-zero IPv6 address is used, IPv6V6Only
directive has no effect.

Note: on POSIX platforms, server started in Classic mode via (x)inetd ignores
the RemoteBindAddress, RemoteServicePort and RemoteServiceName directives as
the listening socket is set up by (x)inetd. Listening address and/or port need
to be set in (x)inetd configuration in this mode.