What is the scope of IPv6 link-local addresses such as fe80::/64?

• A. Global scope across the Internet.
• B. Site-local scope.
• C. Link-local scope limited to the local link.
• D. Multicast scope.

Answer: (C)

Link-local addresses are scoped to the local link, meaning they are only valid on the same network segment and are not routed beyond it. The fe80::/64 range is reserved for unicast link-local addresses, and every IPv6-enabled interface automatically assigns one for on-link use. These addresses enable essential on-link functions like neighbor discovery and basic configuration without needing global Internet reachability. Because they stay on the local link, packets using these addresses won’t be forwarded by routers to other networks. This is why the scope is limited to the local link, not global Internet reach, site-wide use, or multicast space (multicast uses different address ranges, such as FF02::/16 for on-link multicast).