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C++ program to set network settings for IPv6 Network in Linux Devices

Learn: How to set network settings for IPv6 based Network in Linux Devices? Here, we will learn to set IP address, prefix and Gateway for IPv6 based Network.
[Last updated : February 26, 2023]

If you are not aware with the series of IPv6 based network, I would suggest to read: What is IPv6 protocol?

Here, we are going to learn how to configure/set IPv6 based network settings like IP address, prefix value and Gateway using a C++ program in Linux based devices. This program is compiled and executed under G++ compiler.

Setting the network settings for IPv6 Network in Linux Devices

Using given program, we will set following information:

1. IP Address
2. Prefix
3. Gateway

All above settings will be applied on network interface like : Here at my system, network interface is: eth0.

Points to remember:

1. We are executing Linux terminal commands in C++ program using system() function
2. To set IPv6 based settings, we need to flush network interface
3. Execute command for link down
4. Execute command to set IP address
5. Execute command to set IP address and Prefix
6. Execute command to set Gateway
7. Execute command for link up

C++ code to set the network settings for IPv6 Network in Linux Devices

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

#include <stdio.h>
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <arpa/inet.h>
#include <netinet/in.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

//function to set IPv6 and Gateway
void setIPv6(char * ip,unsigned int prefix,char * gateway)
{
	char cmd[128]={0};
	char nwkInf[5]="eth0";
	
	sprintf(cmd,"ip addr flush dev %s",nwkInf);
	system(cmd); 
	
	memset(cmd,0x00,128);
	sprintf(cmd,"ip link set %s down",nwkInf);
	system(cmd); 
	
	memset(cmd,0x00,128);
	sprintf(cmd,"/sbin/ip -6 addr add %s/%d dev %s",ip,prefix,nwkInf);
	system(cmd); 

	memset(cmd,0x00,128);
	sprintf(cmd,"/sbin/route -A inet6 add default gw %s",gateway);
	system(cmd); 

	memset(cmd,0x00,128);
	sprintf(cmd,"ip link set %s up",nwkInf);
	system(cmd); 	
}

//main program
int main()
{
	//passing IPv6,prefix and Gateway
	setIPv6("fd18:6dc5:3dbc:ce24::5",64,"fd18:6dc5:3dbc:ce24::1");

	return 0;
}

Here, "fd18:6dc5:3dbc:ce24::5" is IP Address, 64 is prefix value and "fd18:6dc5:3dbc:ce24::1" Gateway.