install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ahcpd

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install ahcpd

Debian stable package indexes · ahcpd · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install ahcpd

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · ahcpd · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ahcpd

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ah/ahcpd/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Autoconfiguration protocol for IPv6 and IPv6/IPv4 networks

Project links

Commands and aliases

ahcpd

history

Project history and usage

ahcpd is Juliusz Chroboczek's daemon implementation of AHCP, the Ad-Hoc Configuration Protocol. It targets IPv6 and dual-stack IPv6/IPv4 autoconfiguration for mesh and ad-hoc networks where ordinary DHCP or IPv6 router discovery is awkward because there is no conveniently placed server on every link.

Project history

The official AHCP page describes the protocol as a replacement for router discovery and DHCP in mobile ad-hoc networks, and as a companion to routing protocols such as Babel or OLSR. The ahcpd change log records an initial public release in August 2007.

The implementation evolved quickly from 2007 through 2011. Early releases added NTP server configuration, IPv4 stateful configuration, daemon operation, and server redundancy features. In August 2009, ahcpd 0.50 redesigned AHCP as a client-server protocol layered over a multicast routing layer, explicitly breaking compatibility with the older protocol.

Adoption history

The official project page says AHCP was used on the PPS network and notes packages for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora Extras, Arch Linux, and OpenWrt. The supplied package facts add Homebrew, Nix, and other Linux distribution packaging, showing the daemon's life as a specialist networking package rather than a mainstream desktop utility.

The official page also says AHCP was expected to be replaced eventually by an extended Homenet HNCP protocol, which helps explain its maintenance profile: useful and packaged, but tied to a specific era of mesh-network experimentation.

How it is used

Client use can be as simple as running ahcpd on an interface as root. Server use requires a configuration file; the official README shows ahcpd launched with -c /etc/ahcpd.conf and a file containing mode, IPv6 and IPv4 prefixes, lease directory, name servers, and NTP servers.

The man page documents ahcpd as a daemon with client, server, and forwarder modes. It also documents operational files such as /var/lib/ahcp-unique-id and scripts under /etc/ahcp/ that perform the actual interface configuration.

Why package nerds care

ahcpd matters to package nerds as a compact example of late-2000s mesh-network plumbing: a real daemon, protocol draft, man page, distro packages, and OpenWrt relevance, but with a scope far narrower than DHCP clients or router-advertisement daemons.

It is also a useful reminder that not every packaged network daemon is broadly deployed. Some packages exist because a small protocol ecosystem needs reproducible builds and service integration across Unix-like systems.

Timeline

2007: ahcpd 0.1 initial public release.
2008: ahcpd added IPv4 stateful configuration and daemon operation.
2009: ahcpd 0.50 redesigned AHCP as a client-server protocol over multicast routing.
2010: ahcpd 0.51 added plain-text server configuration files and prefix delegation support.
2011: ahcpd 0.53 fixed client renewal behavior and set packet TOS as network control.

Related projects

Babel and OLSR are named by the official AHCP page as routing protocols expected to provide routes while AHCP handles address and service configuration.
HNCP is named by the official page as the Homenet protocol the author hoped would eventually replace AHCP.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:network

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: /etc/ahcpd.conf

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ahcpd`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.53

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ahcpd
Version	0.53
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ahcpd
Homepage	https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/
Repository	https://github.com/jech/ahcpd
Upstream docs	https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp
License	MIT
Source archive	https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/files/ahcpd-0.53.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	ahcpd
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

ahcpd 0.53-3

Ad-Hoc Configuration Protocol

https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/

sudo apt install ahcpd

Section: net
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ahcpd

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: ahcpd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

ahcpd

nix profile install nixpkgs#ahcpd

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ahcpd

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ah/ahcpd/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

ahcpd 0.53-3

Ad-Hoc Configuration Protocol

https://www.irif.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/

sudo apt install ahcpd

Section: universe/net
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ahcpd

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ahcpd from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf95%

ahcpd 0.53-37.fc44

Ad-hoc network configuration daemon

http://www.pps.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~jch/software/ahcp/

sudo dnf install ahcpd

License: MIT
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ahcpd
5 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ahcpd

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ahcpd from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/ahcpd.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install ahcpd with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: blue

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources