Re: URL parsing and IPv6 addresses

The square brackets around an IP address are from RFC822:

  o   Square brackets ("[" and "]") are used to indicate the
      presence  of  a  domain-literal, which the appropriate
      name-domain  is  to  use  directly,  bypassing  normal
      name-resolution mechanisms

This would seem to be an appropriate URL extension -- put the IPv6 address
inside square brackets, and leave the :port outside.  For example: 

      http://[1:2:3:4:5:6]:8000

This extension should be generalized, e.g. programs should also be
prepared to accept IPv4 dotted-decimal addresses inside square brackets. 
e.g. 

      http://[1.2.3.4]:8000

Determination of the address type (IPv4 vs IPv6) should be left to the
host's network services (based on the presence of colons or periods).  

David Nessl -- Coordinator, Computer Systems (systems programmer)
E-mail:  david@ufl.edu          | Northeast Regional Data Center
Voice:   352-392-2061           | 112 SSRB, University of Florida
FAX:     352-392-9440           | Gainesville, FL 32611    USA

Received on Tuesday, 6 August 1996 13:39:27 UTC