Transform IPv6 Addresses into Memorable Phrases

Convert hard-to-remember IPv6 addresses into easy-to-communicate word sequences. Perfect for verbal communication and human-friendly network references.

Clone the source code:

# Get the repository
git clone https://github.com/xythian/ipv6poetry.git

# Python implementation
cd ipv6poetry/poetry-tools/python
pip install -e .

# JavaScript/TypeScript implementation
cd ipv6poetry/poetry-tools/js
bun install

IPv6 Poetry Converter

Loading wordlist... 0%

IPv6 Poetry: A Human-Friendly Way to Communicate IPv6 Addresses

What is IPv6 Poetry?

IPv6 Poetry is a system that transforms complex IPv6 addresses into memorable sequences of words. While computers work well with hexadecimal notation, humans find words more intuitive and easier to remember.

Why Do We Need This?

IPv6 addresses present significant usability challenges:

Length and Complexity: Standard IPv6 addresses (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334) contain 32 hexadecimal digits
Difficult Communication: Try reading an IPv6 address over the phone or remembering it after hearing it once
Error-Prone: Even abbreviated forms (like 2001:db8:85a3::8a2e:370:7334) remain difficult to transcribe without errors

How IPv6 Poetry Works

The IPv6 Poetry system:

Converts the 128-bit IPv6 address to a single large integer
Appends an 8-bit checksum to create a 136-bit number
Splits this number into chunks sized according to the wordlist
Maps each chunk to a word from the wordlist (EFF Diceware words)
Creates a sequence of words that uniquely represents the address

For example, instead of remembering:

2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334

You can use the poetic phrase:

condense directory caring bubbling alienate zero zero flaccid eliminate angling one two

The checksum is integrated into the first word, allowing detection of transcription errors.

Real-World Applications

IPv6 Poetry is useful in scenarios where:

Verbal Communication: Phone calls, in-person meetings, or radio communication
Temporary DNS Outages: When domain names aren’t resolving
Network Troubleshooting: Easily communicate network endpoints
IoT Device Setup: Simplify device configuration in the field

Technical Implementation

IPv6 Poetry is inspired by systems like Diceware passwords, which use word sequences to represent high-entropy values. The full specification is available in our draft RFC.

Contributing

This is an open-source project in active development. We welcome contributions, feedback, and ideas!

GitHub Repository: github.com/xythian/ipv6poetry
Report Issues: If you find a bug or have a suggestion, please open an issue
Improvements: Pull requests are welcome for both the code and the wordlist

AI-Assisted Development

🤖 This project was developed with assistance from Claude Code, Anthropic’s AI coding assistant. It serves as both a useful tool and an exploration of how AI can collaborate with humans in software development. See our README for more details on this aspect of the project.

References

RFC 5952 - A Recommendation for IPv6 Address Text Representation
RFC 3986 - Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax