How to enable/disable IPv6

IPv6 was introduced in 2012. Most services have adopted the new protocol, but some still rely on IPv4. IPv6 is supported and enabled on most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can learn more about the most important differences between IPv4 and IPv6 in this article.

If you’ve ever thought about disabling IPv6, you’re not alone. Some users disable IPv6 on routers or devices because they don’t run any applications or services that rely on IPv6. Disabling IPv6 is also common when troubleshooting network issues.

However, service providers discourage users from disabling IPv6 and warn that it may cause connectivity problems. If you want to enable/disable IPv6, here’s how to do it on different devices.

Depending on your router’s brand, the steps to enable/disable IPv6 may vary. However, this general guide will explain how to do it:

1. Log in to the web-based interface of your router.
2. Go to “Advanced” settings and find “IPv6.”
3. Disable or enable IPv6.
4. Click “Save.”

1. Go to “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “Status.”

2. Select “Change adapter options.”

3. Right click on your active network adapter and select “Properties.”

4. Uncheck the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” checkbox to disable IPv6.

5. Click on “OK” to save the changes and then restart your PC.

1. Go to “System preferences” > “Network.”

2. Select your network and click “Advanced.”
3. Click the “TCP/IP” tab.

4. In the “Configure IPv6” drop-down menu, select “Link-local only.”

5. Click “OK” and then restart your Mac.

1. Log in with root privileges.
2. 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
3. Save the file and reboot your computer with this command: “$ sudo reboot.”

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1. Go to “Settings” > “Connections” > “Mobile networks” > “Access Point Names.”

2. Select your mobile network operator.
3. Scroll down to “APN protocol.”

4. To disable IPv6, select “IPv4” in the menu.

Apple doesn’t allow you to disable IPv6 on your iPhone or iPad but you can do it on your router.

You can’t disable IPv6 directly on your console. However, you can disable it on your router and use IPv4 if you prefer.

1. Log in with root privileges.
2. 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
3. Save the file and reboot your computer with this command: “$ sudo reboot.”

Most VPN providers don’t support IPv6 and rely on IPv4 instead. NordVPN disables IPv6 automatically, so you don’t need to do any configuration yourself. Even if your device uses IPv6, your traffic is still protected because it is redirected through an encrypted VPN tunnel and your IP address is hidden.

With one NordVPN account, you can protect up to six different devices: tablets, smartphones, laptops, and more. You can also configure NordVPN on your router and protect all gadgets connected to your network.

NordVPN allows you to encrypt your data on all devices, from smartphones to routers. And it doesn’t matter whether they support IPv4 or IPv6.