Duplicate Address detection in Ipv4 ?

[mgautam]

Hi,
Linux has duplicate address detection mechanism for IPv6 and nothing for IPv4 in kernel. At boot time, initscripts take care to check for the duplicate address but when an IP address is assigned using ifconfig or ip utility, no error is generated.

I am a bit surprised at this behaviour. Can any one throw some light on the reason.

Thanks.

[robertdaleweir]

Hi mgautam
Can you provide a bit more detail about what exactly are some of the values of eth0, IP address(es) involved. Maybe post the ifconfig output after you have used ifconfig or whatever. Cheers...
Robert

[mgautam]

Hi robertdaleweir,
ifconfig assigns the IP address to the interface even if it is duplicate and is assigned to the m/c at the other end of the link.
I did check the kernel code and there is no check for the duplicate IP. arp.c does reply to the probes correctly but the onus of checking of the duplicate IP lies totally on the user (have to use arping -D).

Thanks