whois with IPV6 support

networking server ipv6 whois

5,788

Ubuntu whois works fine with IPv6 addresses, as you can see here (this is a query for a temporary address of my office machine):

$ whois 2a00:8640:1::2d57:a8c5:c2e3:a708
% This is the RIPE Database query service.
% The objects are in RPSL format.
%
% The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions.
% See http://www.ripe.net/db/support/db-terms-conditions.pdf

% Note: this output has been filtered.
%       To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag.

% Information related to '2a00:8640::/29'

% Abuse contact for '2a00:8640::/29' is '[email protected]'

inet6num:       2a00:8640::/29
netname:        NL-STEFFANN-20120130
descr:          S.J.M. Steffann
country:        NL
...etc...

There are two things that cause your command not to work:

You are asking who the holder of a link-local address (fe80:...) is
The DST=... parameter is not valid

Link-local addresses are always present on every link. Every LAN uses them, every point-to-point link etc. They are used for example for reaching your default gateway, by Apple AirPlay to find other streaming devices on the LAN, by Windows Home Group etc. In many places where a system just has to talk on the local LAN without needing to talk to anything beyond that. They don't 'belong' to anyone, so whois can't tell you anything.

The DST parameter is not a valid parameter for the common whois services. And besides that it points to an IPv6 multicast address, which also doesn't belong to anyone in specific.

So, whois works just fine, if you ask the right questions :)

5,788

j0h

been using Linux since 2005. Ubuntu since whenever edgy eft was new. Lucid Lynx Ubuntu was the best Ubuntu I have ever used.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

j0h almost 2 years
I just tried a whois on an incoming IPV6 address. The whois program recommends an upgrade. But to what? I already have the latest version in the repo. Is there a different program for IPV4/6 client discovery?
```
$whois fe80:0000:0000:0000:cabc:c8ff:fe93:6fad DST=ff02:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:00fb
Unknown AS number or IP network. Please upgrade this program.
```
Michael Hampton over 10 years

Did RIPE give you any trouble for asking for a /29? That seems like quite a large block for an individual :)
j0h over 10 years

I think I must have been blind this morning. Thanks for the explanation.
Sander Steffann over 10 years

@MichaelHampton: I have my own small ISP, which is a RIPE NCC member. And according to RIPE 2011-04 every LIR can get a /29. So no, no trouble at all :)