---
name: "radvd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "radvd"
version: "2.21-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/radvd"
---

# radvd(8)

router advertisement daemon for IPv6

## NAME

radvd - router advertisement daemon for IPv6

## SYNOPSIS

**radvd** **\[ -hsvc \]** **\[ -d** *debuglevel* **\]** **\[ -C** *configfile* **\]** **\[ -p** *pidfile* **\]** **\[ -m** *logmethod* **\]** **\[ -l** *logfile* **\]** **\[ -n** *nodaemon* **\]** **\[ -f** *facility* **\]** **\[ -t** *chrootdir* **\]** **\[ -u** *username* **\]**

## DESCRIPTION

**radvd** is the router advertisement daemon for IPv6. It listens to router solicitations and sends router advertisements as described in "Neighbor Discovery for IP Version 6 (IPv6)" (RFC 4861). With these advertisements hosts can automatically configure their addresses and some other parameters. It also defines "Neighbor Discovery Optimization for IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs)" (RFC6775). They also can choose a default router based on these advertisements.

The configuration file must not be writable by others, and if non-root operation is requested, not even by self/own group.

## OPTIONS

For every one character option there is also a long option, which is listed right next to the "short" option name:

- **-v**, **--version**

  Displays the version of *radvd* and then aborts.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Displays a short usage description and then aborts.

- **-c**, **--configtest**

  Test configuration and do startup tests and then exit.

- **-n**, **--nodaemon**

  Prevent the daemonizing.

- **-d** debuglevel, **--debug** debuglevel

  With this option you turn on debugging information. The debugging level is an integer in the range from 1 to 5, from  quiet to very verbose. A debugging level of 0 completely turns off debugging. If a debugging level greater than 0 is used, *radvd* doesn't background itself on start. The default debugging level is 0.

- **-C** configfile, **--config** configfile

  Specifies an alternate config file. Normally the compiled in default */etc/radvd.conf* is used.

- **-p** pidfile, **--pidfile** pidfile

  Specifies an alternate pidfile. Normally the compiled in default */run/radvd.pid* is used.

- **-m** method, **--logmethod** method

  Specifies the logging method to use. Possibly values are:

  - **none**

    Completely disables any logging.

  - **logfile**

    Logs to the logfile which is specified by the *-l* option. If no logfile is specified on the command line, then a compiled in default is used (see next option).

  - **stderr**

    Logs to standard error.

  - **stderr\_syslog**

    Logs only the high messages (of at least LOG\_ERR priority) to standard error, and everything to syslog (default method).

  - **syslog**

    Logs to syslog.

- **-l** logfile, **--logfile** logfile

  Specifies the logfile to use when using the logging method *logfile*. The default logfile is */var/log/radvd.log*.

- **-f** facility, **--facility** facility

  Specifies the facility (as an integer) when using syslog logging. Default is LOG\_DAEMON.

- **-t** chrootdir, **--chrootdir** chrootdir

  If specified, switches to *chrootdir* before doing anything else.  This directory and its subdirectories must have been populated first. For security reasons, *-u* must always be used when using *chrootdir*.

  Note that on Linux *radvd* requires access to the */proc* filesystem, so it is more challenging to set up the chroot environment.

- **-u** username, **--username** username

  If specified, drops root privileges and changes user ID to *username* and group ID to the primary group of *username*. This is recommended for security reasons. You might also need to use *-p* to point to a file in a *username* -writable directory (e.g. /var/run/radvd/radvd.pid).

## FILES

```
/usr/bin/radvd
/etc/radvd.conf
/run/radvd.pid
/var/log/radvd.log
```

## BUGS

There certainly are some bugs. If you find them or have other suggestions please send to https://github.com/radvd-project/radvd/issues

## SEE ALSO

[**radvd.conf**(5)](/radvd.conf/5.md), [**radvdump**(8)](/radvdump/8.md)

## AUTHORS

```
Pedro Roque	<roque@di.fc.ul.pt>	- wrote first version for Linux
Lars Fenneberg	<lf@elemental.net>	- previous maintainer
Nathan Lutchansky	<lutchann@litech.org>	- previous maintainer
Pekka Savola   <pekkas@netcore.fi>     - previous maintainer
Craig Metz	<cmetz@inner.net>	- port to NRL's IPv6 code for BSD4.4
Marko Myllynen	<myllynen@lut.fi>	- RFC 2461 update, Mobile IPv6 support
Jim Paris	<jim@jtan.com>		- Privilege separation support
Reuben Hawkins  <reubenhwk@gmail.com>   - previous maintainer
Pierre Ossman   <pierre@ossman.eu>      - RFC6106 (DNSSL) support
Varka Bhadram 	<varkabhadram@gmail.com> - 6LoWPAN-ND (RFC6775) support
Robin H. Johnson	<robbat2@gentoo.org>	- current maintainer, RA splitting per RFC 6980 & RFC4861#6.2.3
Radek Zajic	<radek@zajic.v.pytli.cz>	- NAT64 pref64 support (RFC8781)
Geert Stappers <stappers@stappers.it>   - contributor
```