RADVD(8) RADVD(8)

radvd - router advertisement daemon for IPv6

radvd [ -hsvc ] [ -d debuglevel ] [ -C configfile ] [ -p pidfile ] [ -m logmethod ] [ -l logfile ] [ -n nodaemon ] [ -f facility ] [ -t chrootdir ] [ -u username ]

radvd is the router advertisement daemon for IPv6. It listens to router solicitations and sends router advertisements as described in "Neighbor Discovery for IP Version 6 (IPv6)" (RFC 4861). With these advertisements hosts can automatically configure their addresses and some other parameters. It also defines "Neighbor Discovery Optimization for IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs)" (RFC6775). They also can choose a default router based on these advertisements.

The configuration file must not be writable by others, and if non-root operation is requested, not even by self/own group.

For every one character option there is also a long option, which is listed right next to the "short" option name:

Displays the version of radvd and then aborts.
Displays a short usage description and then aborts.
Test configuration and do startup tests and then exit.
Prevent the daemonizing.
With this option you turn on debugging information. The debugging level is an integer in the range from 1 to 5, from quiet to very verbose. A debugging level of 0 completely turns off debugging. If a debugging level greater than 0 is used, radvd doesn't background itself on start. The default debugging level is 0.
Specifies an alternate config file. Normally the compiled in default /etc/radvd.conf is used.
Specifies an alternate pidfile. Normally the compiled in default /run/radvd.pid is used.
Specifies the logging method to use. Possibly values are:
Completely disables any logging.
Logs to the logfile which is specified by the -l option. If no logfile is specified on the command line, then a compiled in default is used (see next option).
Logs to standard error.
Logs only the high messages (of at least LOG_ERR priority) to standard error, and everything to syslog (default method).
Logs to syslog.
Specifies the logfile to use when using the logging method logfile. The default logfile is /var/log/radvd.log.
Specifies the facility (as an integer) when using syslog logging. Default is LOG_DAEMON.
If specified, switches to chrootdir before doing anything else. This directory and its subdirectories must have been populated first. For security reasons, -u must always be used when using chrootdir.

Note that on Linux radvd requires access to the /proc filesystem, so it is more challenging to set up the chroot environment.

If specified, drops root privileges and changes user ID to username and group ID to the primary group of username. This is recommended for security reasons. You might also need to use -p to point to a file in a username -writable directory (e.g. /var/run/radvd/radvd.pid).

/usr/sbin/radvd
/etc/radvd.conf
/run/radvd.pid
/var/log/radvd.log

There certainly are some bugs. If you find them or have other suggestions please contact Reuben Hawkins <reubenhwk@gmail.com>.

radvd.conf(5), radvdump(8)

Pedro Roque	<roque@di.fc.ul.pt>	- wrote first version for Linux
Lars Fenneberg	<lf@elemental.net>	- previous maintainer
Nathan Lutchansky	<lutchann@litech.org>	- previous maintainer
Pekka Savola   <pekkas@netcore.fi>     - previous maintainer
Craig Metz	<cmetz@inner.net>	- port to NRL's IPv6 code for BSD4.4
Marko Myllynen	<myllynen@lut.fi>	- RFC 2461 update, Mobile IPv6 support
Jim Paris	<jim@jtan.com>		- Privilege separation support
Reuben Hawkins  <reubenhwk@gmail.com>   - previous maintainer
Pierre Ossman   <pierre@ossman.eu>      - RFC6106 (DNSSL) support
Varka Bhadram 	<varkabhadram@gmail.com> - 6LoWPAN-ND (RFC6775) support
Robin H. Johnson	<robbat2@gentoo.org>	- current maintainer, RA splitting per RFC 6980 & RFC4861#6.2.3
Radek Zajic	<radek@zajic.v.pytli.cz>	- NAT64 pref64 support (RFC8781)
Geert Stappers <stappers@stappers.it>   - contributor
30 Dec 2024 radvd 2.20