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These instructions show how to Enable/Disable IPv6 on PCs running the latest versions of Windows, macOS, Linux and smartphone. IPv6 is the next iteration of the protocol that moves data over the internet. IPv4 is used for most internet traffic nowadays. IPv6 traffic on the internet, on the other hand, is expanding quickly and will eventually replace IPv4.
All important parts of the University’s network architecture can handle both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic. Up until recently, we used IPv4, which gave us an address with 32 bits. But soon all of these addresses will be taken. On the other hand, IPv6, which is the newer version of IP, gives us 128-bit addressing.
This means that there will be more addresses available for use and that the Internet will be safer (better network layer security) than it was with IPv4. IPv6 also has better QoS and other features like support for mobility and multicasting.
How to Enable/Disable IPv6 on router
Depending on the brand of your router, the methods to turn on or off IPv6 may be different. This general tutorial will show you how to do it, though:
- Log in to the web-based interface of your router.
- Go to “Advanced” settings and find “IPv6.”
- Disable or enable IPv6.
- Click “Save.”
How to Enable/Disable IPv6 on Windows 11/10
- Go to “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “Status.”
- Select “Change adapter options.”
- Right click on your active network adapter and select “Properties.”
- Uncheck the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” checkbox to disable IPv6.
- Click on “OK” to save the changes and then restart your PC.
How to Enable/Disable IPv6 on macOS
- Go to “System preferences” > “Network.”
- Select your network and click “Advanced.”
- Click the “TCP/IP” tab.
- In the “Configure IPv6” drop-down menu, select “Link-local only.”
- Click “OK” and then restart your Mac.
How to Enable/Disable IPv6 on Linux
- Log in with root privileges.
- Add these three lines to the /etc/sysctl.conf file:
- net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
- net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
- net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6 = 1
- Save the file and reboot your computer with this command: “$ sudo reboot.”
How to enable/disable IPv6 on Android
- Go to “Settings” > “Connections” > “Mobile networks” > “Access Point Names.”
- Select your mobile network operator.
- Scroll down to “APN protocol.”
- To disable IPv6, select “IPv4” in the menu.
FAQ
Should I enable or disable IPv6?
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is a requirement for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and newer versions. We do not suggest that you turn off IPv6 or any of its parts. If you do that, several parts of Windows might not work. Instead of turning off IPV6, you should use Prefer IPv4 over IPv6 in your prefix policy.
What happens if IPv6 is disabled?
IPv6 is an element of the way Microsoft Windows servers connect to the Internet. If you turn it off, things like Microsoft Exchange not starting and other strange things will happen. IPv6 is used by some security applications, especially to get updates. If you turn it off, it might not work.
Is it safe to enable IPv6?
This makes IPv6 safe because encryption jumbles up your internet traffic so that anyone who intercepts it can’t figure out what it says. But IPSec can also be used with IPv4. This means that, at least in theory, IPv4 may be just as safe as IPv6.