ipaddress_link_local 0.8.3

data/lib/ipaddress/ipv6.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,909 @@
+require 'ipaddress/prefix'
+
+module IPAddress; 
+  # 
+  # =Name
+  # 
+  # IPAddress::IPv6 - IP version 6 address manipulation library
+  #
+  # =Synopsis
+  #
+  #    require 'ipaddress'
+  #
+  # =Description
+  # 
+  # Class IPAddress::IPv6 is used to handle IPv6 type addresses. 
+  #
+  # == IPv6 addresses
+  #
+  # IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long, in contrast with IPv4 addresses
+  # which are only 32 bits long. An IPv6 address is generally written as
+  # eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, each group representing 16
+  # bits or two octect. For example, the following is a valid IPv6
+  # address:
+  #
+  #   2001:0db8:0000:0000:0008:0800:200c:417a
+  #
+  # Letters in an IPv6 address are usually written downcase, as per
+  # RFC. You can create a new IPv6 object using uppercase letters, but
+  # they will be converted.
+  #
+  # === Compression
+  #
+  # Since IPv6 addresses are very long to write, there are some
+  # semplifications and compressions that you can use to shorten them.
+  #
+  # * Leading zeroes: all the leading zeroes within a group can be
+  #   omitted: "0008" would become "8"
+  #
+  # * A string of consecutive zeroes can be replaced by the string
+  #   "::". This can be only applied once.
+  #
+  # Using compression, the IPv6 address written above can be shorten into
+  # the following, equivalent, address
+  #
+  #   2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a
+  #
+  # This short version is often used in human representation.
+  #
+  # === Network Mask
+  #
+  # As we used to do with IPv4 addresses, an IPv6 address can be written
+  # using the prefix notation to specify the subnet mask:
+  #
+  #   2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64
+  #
+  # The /64 part means that the first 64 bits of the address are
+  # representing the network portion, and the last 64 bits are the host
+  # portion.
+  #
+  #
+  class IPv6 
+    
+    include IPAddress
+    include Enumerable  
+    include Comparable                  
+
+    
+    #
+    # Format string to pretty print IPv6 addresses
+    #
+    IN6FORMAT = ("%.4x:"*8).chop
+    
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 address object.
+    #
+    # An IPv6 address can be expressed in any of the following forms:
+    # 
+    # * "2001:0db8:0000:0000:0008:0800:200C:417A": IPv6 address with no compression
+    # * "2001:db8:0:0:8:800:200C:417A": IPv6 address with leading zeros compression 
+    # * "2001:db8::8:800:200C:417A": IPv6 address with full compression
+    #
+    # In all these 3 cases, a new IPv6 address object will be created, using the default
+    # subnet mask /128
+    #
+    # You can also specify the subnet mask as with IPv4 addresses:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def initialize(str)
+      ip, netmask = str.split("/")
+
+      if str =~ /:.+\./
+        raise ArgumentError, "Please use #{self.class}::Mapped for IPv4 mapped addresses"
+      end
+      
+      if IPAddress.valid_ipv6?(ip)
+        @groups = self.class.groups(ip)
+        @address = IN6FORMAT % @groups
+        @compressed = compress_address
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError, "Invalid IP #{ip.inspect}"
+      end
+
+      @prefix = Prefix128.new(netmask ? netmask : 128)
+
+    end # def initialize
+
+    #
+    # Returns the IPv6 address in uncompressed form:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.address
+    #     #=> "2001:0db8:0000:0000:0008:0800:200c:417a"
+    #
+    def address
+      @address
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns an array with the 16 bits groups in decimal 
+    # format:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.groups
+    #     #=> [8193, 3512, 0, 0, 8, 2048, 8204, 16762]
+    #
+    def groups
+      @groups
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Returns an instance of the prefix object
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.prefix
+    #     #=> 64
+    #
+    def prefix
+      @prefix
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Set a new prefix number for the object
+    #
+    # This is useful if you want to change the prefix
+    # to an object created with IPv6::parse_u128 or
+    # if the object was created using the default prefix
+    # of 128 bits.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress("2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a")
+    #
+    #   puts ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/128"
+    #
+    #   ip6.prefix = 64
+    #   puts ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def prefix=(num)
+      @prefix = Prefix128.new(num)
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Unlike its counterpart IPv6#to_string method, IPv6#to_string_uncompressed 
+    # returns the whole IPv6 address and prefix in an uncompressed form
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string_uncompressed
+    #     #=> "2001:0db8:0000:0000:0008:0800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def to_string_uncompressed
+      "#@address/#@prefix"
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the IPv6 address in a human readable form,
+    # using the compressed address.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:0db8:0000:0000:0008:0800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def to_string
+      "#@compressed/#@prefix"
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the IPv6 address in a human readable form,
+    # using the compressed address.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_s
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a"
+    #
+    def to_s
+      @compressed
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns a decimal format (unsigned 128 bit) of the
+    # IPv6 address
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_i
+    #     #=> 42540766411282592856906245548098208122
+    #
+    def to_i
+      to_hex.hex
+    end
+    alias_method :to_u128, :to_i
+
+    #
+    # True if the IPv6 address is a network
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.network?
+    #     #=> false
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8:8:800::/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.network?
+    #     #=> true
+    #
+    def network?
+      to_u128 | @prefix.to_u128 == @prefix.to_u128
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the 16-bits value specified by index
+    #
+    #   ip = IPAddress("2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64")
+    #
+    #   ip[0]
+    #     #=> 8193
+    #   ip[1]
+    #     #=> 3512
+    #   ip[2]
+    #     #=> 0
+    #   ip[3]
+    #     #=> 0
+    #
+    def [](index)
+      @groups[index]
+    end
+    alias_method :group, :[]
+
+    #
+    # Updated the octet specified at index
+    #
+    def []=(index, value)
+      @groups[index] = value
+      initialize("#{IN6FORMAT % @groups}/#{prefix}")
+    end
+    alias_method :group=, :[]=
+
+    # 
+    # Returns a Base16 number representing the IPv6 
+    # address
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_hex
+    #     #=> "20010db80000000000080800200c417a"
+    #
+    def to_hex
+      hexs.join("")
+    end
+
+    # Returns the address portion of an IPv6 object
+    # in a network byte order format.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.data
+    #     #=> " \001\r\270\000\000\000\000\000\b\b\000 \fAz"
+    #
+    # It is usually used to include an IP address
+    # in a data packet to be sent over a socket
+    #
+    #   a = Socket.open(params) # socket details here
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #   binary_data = ["Address: "].pack("a*") + ip.data
+    #
+    #   # Send binary data
+    #   a.puts binary_data
+    #
+    def data
+      @groups.pack("n8")
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns an array of the 16 bits groups in hexdecimal 
+    # format:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.hexs
+    #     #=> ["2001", "0db8", "0000", "0000", "0008", "0800", "200c", "417a"]
+    #
+    # Not to be confused with the similar IPv6#to_hex method.
+    #
+    def hexs
+      @address.split(":")
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the IPv6 address in a DNS reverse lookup
+    # string, as per RFC3172 and RFC2874.
+    #   
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "3ffe:505:2::f"
+    #   
+    #   ip6.reverse
+    #     #=> "f.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.2.0.0.0.5.0.5.0.e.f.f.3.ip6.arpa"
+    #
+    def reverse
+      to_hex.reverse.gsub(/./){|c| c+"."} + "ip6.arpa"
+    end
+    alias_method :arpa, :reverse
+
+    #
+    # Returns the network number in Unsigned 128bits format
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.network_u128
+    #     #=> 42540766411282592856903984951653826560
+    #
+    def network_u128
+      to_u128 & @prefix.to_u128
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the broadcast address in Unsigned 128bits format
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.broadcast_u128
+    #     #=> 42540766411282592875350729025363378175
+    #
+    # Please note that there is no Broadcast concept in IPv6
+    # addresses as in IPv4 addresses, and this method is just 
+    # an helper to other functions.
+    #
+    def broadcast_u128
+      network_u128 + size - 1
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the number of IP addresses included
+    # in the network. It also counts the network
+    # address and the broadcast address.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress("2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64")
+    #
+    #   ip6.size
+    #     #=> 18446744073709551616
+    #
+    def size
+      2 ** @prefix.host_prefix
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Checks whether a subnet includes the given IP address.
+    #
+    # Example:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #   addr = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:1/128"
+    #
+    #   ip6.include? addr
+    #     #=> true
+    #
+    #   ip6.include? IPAddress("2001:db8:1::8:800:200c:417a/76")
+    #     #=> false
+    #
+    def include?(oth)
+      @prefix <= oth.prefix and network_u128 == self.class.new(oth.address+"/#@prefix").network_u128
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Compressed form of the IPv6 address
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.compressed
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a"
+    #
+    def compressed
+      @compressed
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Returns true if the address is an unspecified address
+    # 
+    # See IPAddress::IPv6::Unspecified for more information
+    #
+    def unspecified?
+      @prefix == 128 and @compressed == "::"
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Returns true if the address is a loopback address
+    # 
+    # See IPAddress::IPv6::Loopback for more information
+    #
+    def loopback?
+      @prefix == 128 and @compressed == "::1"
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Checks if an IPv4 address objects belongs
+    # to a link-local network RFC4291
+    #
+    # Example:
+    #
+    #   ip = IPAddress "fe80::1"
+    #   ip.link_local?
+    #     #=> true
+    #
+    def link_local?
+      [self.class.new("fe80::/64")].any? {|i| i.include? self}
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Returns true if the address is a mapped address
+    # 
+    # See IPAddress::IPv6::Mapped for more information
+    #
+    def mapped?
+      to_u128 >> 32 == 0xffff
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Iterates over all the IP addresses for the given
+    # network (or IP address).
+    #
+    # The object yielded is a new IPv6 object created
+    # from the iteration.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress("2001:db8::4/125")
+    #
+    #   ip6.each do |i|
+    #     p i.compressed
+    #   end
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::1"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::2"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::3"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::4"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::5"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::6"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::7"
+    #
+    # WARNING: if the host portion is very large, this method 
+    # can be very slow and possibly hang your system!
+    #
+    def each
+      (network_u128..broadcast_u128).each do |i|
+        yield self.class.parse_u128(i, @prefix)
+      end
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Spaceship operator to compare IPv6 objects
+    #
+    # Comparing IPv6 addresses is useful to ordinate
+    # them into lists that match our intuitive 
+    # perception of ordered IP addresses.
+    # 
+    # The first comparison criteria is the u128 value.
+    # For example, 2001:db8:1::1 will be considered 
+    # to be less than 2001:db8:2::1, because, in a ordered list,
+    # we expect 2001:db8:1::1 to come before 2001:db8:2::1.
+    #
+    # The second criteria, in case two IPv6 objects 
+    # have identical addresses, is the prefix. An higher
+    # prefix will be considered greater than a lower
+    # prefix. This is because we expect to see
+    # 2001:db8:1::1/64 come before 2001:db8:1::1/65
+    #
+    # Example:
+    #
+    #   ip1 = IPAddress "2001:db8:1::1/64"
+    #   ip2 = IPAddress "2001:db8:2::1/64"
+    #   ip3 = IPAddress "2001:db8:1::1/65"
+    #
+    #   ip1 < ip2
+    #     #=> true
+    #   ip1 < ip3
+    #     #=> false
+    #
+    #   [ip1,ip2,ip3].sort.map{|i| i.to_string}
+    #     #=> ["2001:db8:1::1/64","2001:db8:1::1/65","2001:db8:2::1/64"]
+    #
+    def <=>(oth)
+      return prefix <=> oth.prefix if to_u128 == oth.to_u128  
+      to_u128 <=> oth.to_u128
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns the address portion of an IP in binary format,
+    # as a string containing a sequence of 0 and 1
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress("2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a")
+    #
+    #   ip6.bits 
+    #     #=> "0010000000000001000011011011100000 [...] "
+    #
+    def bits
+      data.unpack("B*").first
+    end
+    
+    #
+    # Expands an IPv6 address in the canocical form
+    #
+    #   IPAddress::IPv6.expand "2001:0DB8:0:CD30::"
+    #     #=> "2001:0DB8:0000:CD30:0000:0000:0000:0000"
+    #
+    def self.expand(str)
+      self.new(str).address
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Compress an IPv6 address in its compressed form
+    #
+    #   IPAddress::IPv6.compress "2001:0DB8:0000:CD30:0000:0000:0000:0000"
+    #     #=> "2001:db8:0:cd30::"
+    #
+    def self.compress(str)
+      self.new(str).compressed
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Literal version of the IPv6 address
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    #   ip6.literal
+    #     #=> "2001-0db8-0000-0000-0008-0800-200c-417a.ipv6-literal.net"
+    # 
+    def literal
+      @address.gsub(":","-") + ".ipv6-literal.net"
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Returns a new IPv6 object with the network number 
+    # for the given IP.
+    #
+    #   ip = IPAddress "2001:db8:1:1:1:1:1:1/32" 
+    #
+    #   ip.network.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::/32"
+    #
+    def network
+      self.class.parse_u128(network_u128, @prefix)
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Extract 16 bits groups from a string
+    #
+    def self.groups(str)
+      l, r = if str =~ /^(.*)::(.*)$/
+               [$1,$2].map {|i| i.split ":"}
+             else
+               [str.split(":"),[]]
+             end
+      (l + Array.new(8-l.size-r.size, '0') + r).map {|i| i.hex}
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 object from binary data,
+    # like the one you get from a network stream.
+    # 
+    # For example, on a network stream the IP 
+    # 
+    #  "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a"
+    #
+    # is represented with the binary data
+    #
+    #   " \001\r\270\000\000\000\000\000\b\b\000 \fAz"
+    #
+    # With that data you can create a new IPv6 object:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::parse_data " \001\r\270\000\000\000\000\000\b\b\000 \fAz"
+    #   ip6.prefix = 64
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_s
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def self.parse_data(str)
+      self.new(IN6FORMAT % str.unpack("n8"))
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 object from an
+    # unsigned 128 bits integer.
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::parse_u128(42540766411282592856906245548098208122)
+    #   ip6.prefix = 64
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    # The +prefix+ parameter is optional:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::parse_u128(42540766411282592856906245548098208122, 64)
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def self.parse_u128(u128, prefix=128)
+      str = IN6FORMAT % (0..7).map{|i| (u128>>(112-16*i))&0xffff}
+      self.new(str + "/#{prefix}")
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 object from a number expressed in
+    # hexdecimal format:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::parse_hex("20010db80000000000080800200c417a")
+    #   ip6.prefix = 64
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    # The +prefix+ parameter is optional:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::parse_hex("20010db80000000000080800200c417a", 64)
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "2001:db8::8:800:200c:417a/64"
+    #
+    def self.parse_hex(hex, prefix=128)
+      self.parse_u128(hex.hex, prefix)
+    end
+    
+    private
+
+    def compress_address
+      str = @groups.map{|i| i.to_s 16}.join ":"
+      loop do
+        break if str.sub!(/\A0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0\Z/, '::')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0:0:0:0:0:0\b/, ':')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0:0:0:0:0\b/, ':')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0:0:0:0\b/, ':')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0:0:0\b/, ':')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0:0\b/, ':')
+        break if str.sub!(/\b0:0\b/, ':')
+        break
+      end
+      str.sub(/:{3,}/, '::')
+    end
+    
+  end # class IPv6
+
+  #
+  # The address with all zero bits is called the +unspecified+ address
+  # (corresponding to 0.0.0.0 in IPv4). It should be something like this:
+  #
+  #   0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000
+  #
+  # but, with the use of compression, it is usually written as just two
+  # colons:
+  #
+  #   ::
+  #
+  # or, specifying the netmask:
+  #
+  #   ::/128
+  #
+  # With IPAddress, create a new unspecified IPv6 address using its own
+  # subclass:
+  #
+  #   ip = IPAddress::IPv6::Unspecified.new
+  #
+  #   ip.to_s
+  #     #=> => "::/128"
+  #
+  # You can easily check if an IPv6 object is an unspecified address by
+  # using the IPv6#unspecified? method
+  #
+  #   ip.unspecified?
+  #     #=> true
+  #
+  # An unspecified IPv6 address can also be created with the wrapper
+  # method, like we've seen before
+  #
+  #   ip = IPAddress "::"
+  #
+  #   ip.unspecified?
+  #     #=> true
+  #
+  # This address must never be assigned to an interface and is to be used
+  # only in software before the application has learned its host's source
+  # address appropriate for a pending connection. Routers must not forward
+  # packets with the unspecified address.
+  #
+  class IPAddress::IPv6::Unspecified < IPAddress::IPv6
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 unspecified address
+    #
+    #   ip = IPAddress::IPv6::Unspecified.new
+    #
+    #   ip.to_s
+    #      #=> => "::/128"
+    #
+    def initialize
+      @address = ("0000:"*8).chop
+      @groups = Array.new(8,0)
+      @prefix = Prefix128.new(128)
+      @compressed = compress_address
+    end 
+  end # class IPv6::Unspecified
+
+  #
+  #   The loopback  address is a unicast localhost address. If an
+  # application in a host sends packets to this address, the IPv6 stack
+  # will loop these packets back on the same virtual interface.
+  #
+  # Loopback addresses are expressed in the following form:
+  #
+  #   ::1
+  #
+  # or, with their appropriate prefix,
+  #
+  #   ::1/128
+  #
+  # As for the unspecified addresses, IPv6 loopbacks can be created with
+  # IPAddress calling their own class:
+  #
+  #   ip = IPAddress::IPv6::Loopback.new
+  #
+  #   ip.to_string
+  #     #=> "::1/128"
+  #
+  # or by using the wrapper:
+  #
+  #   ip = IPAddress "::1"
+  #
+  #   ip.to_string
+  #     #=> "::1/128"
+  #
+  # Checking if an address is loopback is easy with the IPv6#loopback?
+  # method:
+  #
+  #   ip.loopback?
+  #     #=> true
+  #
+  # The IPv6 loopback address corresponds to 127.0.0.1 in IPv4.
+  #
+  class IPAddress::IPv6::Loopback < IPAddress::IPv6
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 unspecified address
+    #
+    #   ip = IPAddress::IPv6::Loopback.new
+    #
+    #   ip.to_string
+    #     #=> "::1/128"
+    #
+    def initialize
+      @address = ("0000:"*7)+"0001"
+      @groups = Array.new(7,0).push(1) 
+      @prefix = Prefix128.new(128)
+      @compressed = compress_address
+    end
+  end # class IPv6::Loopback
+
+  #
+  # It is usually identified as a IPv4 mapped IPv6 address, a particular
+  # IPv6 address which aids the transition from IPv4 to IPv6. The
+  # structure of the address is
+  #
+  #   ::ffff:w.y.x.z
+  #
+  # where w.x.y.z is a normal IPv4 address. For example, the following is
+  # a mapped IPv6 address:
+  #
+  #   ::ffff:192.168.100.1
+  #
+  # IPAddress is very powerful in handling mapped IPv6 addresses, as the
+  # IPv4 portion is stored internally as a normal IPv4 object. Let's have
+  # a look at some examples. To create a new mapped address, just use the
+  # class builder itself
+  #
+  #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::Mapped.new "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+  #
+  # or just use the wrapper method
+  #
+  #   ip6 = IPAddress "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+  #
+  # Let's check it's really a mapped address:
+  #
+  #   ip6.mapped?
+  #     #=> true
+  #
+  #   ip6.to_string
+  #     #=> "::FFFF:172.16.10.1/128"
+  #
+  # Now with the +ipv4+ attribute, we can easily access the IPv4 portion
+  # of the mapped IPv6 address:
+  #
+  #   ip6.ipv4.address
+  #     #=> "172.16.10.1"
+  #
+  # Internally, the IPv4 address is stored as two 16 bits
+  # groups. Therefore all the usual methods for an IPv6 address are
+  # working perfectly fine:
+  #
+  #   ip6.to_hex
+  #     #=> "00000000000000000000ffffac100a01"
+  #
+  #   ip6.address
+  #     #=> "0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:ffff:ac10:0a01"
+  #
+  # A mapped IPv6 can also be created just by specify the address in the
+  # following format:
+  #
+  #   ip6 = IPAddress "::172.16.10.1"
+  #
+  # That is, two colons and the IPv4 address. However, as by RFC, the ffff
+  # group will be automatically added at the beginning
+  #
+  #   ip6.to_string
+  #     => "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+  #
+  # making it a mapped IPv6 compatible address.
+  #
+  class IPAddress::IPv6::Mapped < IPAddress::IPv6
+
+    # Access the internal IPv4 address
+    attr_reader :ipv4
+
+    #
+    # Creates a new IPv6 IPv4-mapped address
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::Mapped.new "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+    #
+    #   ipv6.ipv4.class
+    #     #=> IPAddress::IPv4
+    #
+    # An IPv6 IPv4-mapped address can also be created using the 
+    # IPv6 only format of the address:
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress::IPv6::Mapped.new "::0d01:4403"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "::ffff:13.1.68.3"
+    #
+    def initialize(str)
+      string, netmask = str.split("/")
+      if string =~ /\./ # IPv4 in dotted decimal form
+        @ipv4 = IPAddress::IPv4.extract(string)
+      else # IPv4 in hex form
+        groups = IPAddress::IPv6.groups(string)
+        @ipv4 = IPAddress::IPv4.parse_u32((groups[-2]<< 16)+groups[-1])
+      end
+      super("::ffff:#{@ipv4.to_ipv6}/#{netmask}")
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Similar to IPv6#to_s, but prints out the IPv4 address 
+    # in dotted decimal format
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_s
+    #     #=> "::ffff:172.16.10.1"
+    #
+    def to_s
+      "::ffff:#{@ipv4.address}"
+    end
+
+    # 
+    # Similar to IPv6#to_string, but prints out the IPv4 address 
+    # in dotted decimal format
+    #
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+    #
+    #   ip6.to_string
+    #     #=> "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+    #
+    def to_string
+      "::ffff:#{@ipv4.address}/#@prefix"
+    end
+
+    #
+    # Checks if the IPv6 address is IPv4 mapped
+    #
+    #   ip6 = IPAddress "::ffff:172.16.10.1/128"
+    #
+    #   ip6.mapped?
+    #     #=> true
+    #
+    def mapped?
+      true
+    end
+  end # class IPv6::Mapped
+
+end # module IPAddress
+