Link Local Addressing

The RFC 3927 states that - "IPv4 Link-Local addresses are not suitable for communication with devices not directly connected to the same physical (or logical) link, and are only used where stable, routable addresses are not available."

What is meant by "routable addresses" - does it means that no IP configuration is available?


Solution 1:

Link-local IP addresses are a special type of IP addresses that are not intended to cross network borders. The link within link-local is referring to a network segment or broadcast domain.

To get across a network border (leaving the broadcast domain / network segment) it needs a router transferring from one network to another network. IP addresses that are capable of being routed are called routable addresses.