An IPv6 host can configure itself with an IPv6 address to be used on the network. Address configuration can be performed in a stateful or a stateless manner. An IPv6 host may use both stateless and stateful address configuration completely independently from one another. The precise method to be used can be signalled with the setting of various flags in router advertisement messages.

Of course, a host may also be configured by manual means. However, most sane network operatorswould not allow or even wish for its users to manually configure addresses. However, it is possible that state other than IPv6 addresses may be left to the user to configure manually.