Why doesn't IPv6 have broadcast?

IPv6 dropped broadcast because it forces every host to process packets it may not care about; instead it uses multicast (for groups, including all-nodes/all-routers) and anycast.

* IPv6 replaces broadcast with targeted multicast groups plus anycast. *

Instead, IPv6 uses:

Problems with broadcast:

• Forces ALL devices to process the packet
• Wastes CPU on uninterested hosts
• Doesn't scale well in large networks

IPv6 solution:

• Use multicast for "everyone" scenarios
• Specific multicast groups (all-nodes, all-routers)
• More efficient network utilization

Memory tip: IPv6 said "No more shouting at everyone!" - use targeted groups instead.

Go deeper:

• Multicast — IPv6's all-nodes/all-routers groups that replace broadcast.
• Broadcasting (networking) — notes that IPv6 replaced broadcast with multicast.