asked on Windows 10 IPv6 on a NIC breaks network connectivity; how to fix it?
Up to now, we have been running a fairly large peer-to-peer network of almost 100% Windows 10 Pro workstations with ONLY IPv4 enabled on the workstation NICs. (There are 3 interconnected subnets with no name service shared between them). Disabling IPv6 was done historically because using IPv6 in addition to IPv4 caused problems.
Yet, more often now, Experts advise enabling IPv6. Going along seemed perhaps a good idea. And, in the sense of "if it ain't broke don't fix it", the hoped-for fix was to fix the Network list of computers in each distinct subnet - which has become more flaky/unreliable. The experience with this was mixed as not all computers were switched to IPv6; i.e. not all subnets' workstations had IPv6 enabled.
We have since solved the Network computer name list problem. So, there's a decision to make:
- "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" says to leave only IPv4 enabled.
- Expert advice says to also enable IPv6.
It surely appears that "IPV6" in Windows is NOT simply an addressing scheme but also carries with it other things - things which I'm unable to list, but one hopes.
I have not had any trouble that I know of in enabling IPv6. Yet, when one of the senior folks enables it on his own workstation, the network connectivity dies. This problem survives a reboot and, yes, IPv4 remains enabled.
I believe it's bad practice to have a mix of settings in a network. So if someone can suggest a fix to the network connectivity problem then perhaps we can move forward to IPv6. Otherwise, I'll likely have to revert to IPv4 ONLY throughout to maintain consistency.
Yet, more often now, Experts advise enabling IPv6. Going along seemed perhaps a good idea. And, in the sense of "if it ain't broke don't fix it", the hoped-for fix was to fix the Network list of computers in each distinct subnet - which has become more flaky/unreliable. The experience with this was mixed as not all computers were switched to IPv6; i.e. not all subnets' workstations had IPv6 enabled.
We have since solved the Network computer name list problem. So, there's a decision to make:
- "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" says to leave only IPv4 enabled.
- Expert advice says to also enable IPv6.
It surely appears that "IPV6" in Windows is NOT simply an addressing scheme but also carries with it other things - things which I'm unable to list, but one hopes.
I have not had any trouble that I know of in enabling IPv6. Yet, when one of the senior folks enables it on his own workstation, the network connectivity dies. This problem survives a reboot and, yes, IPv4 remains enabled.
I believe it's bad practice to have a mix of settings in a network. So if someone can suggest a fix to the network connectivity problem then perhaps we can move forward to IPv6. Otherwise, I'll likely have to revert to IPv4 ONLY throughout to maintain consistency.
* IPv6Networking ProtocolsNetworking
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John
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We (at all our clients) only have Windows 7 and UP, Server 2012, and so all machines have both IPv4 and IPv6. We have no machines IPv4 only. Those are all gone.
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OK. So I get it that IPv6 AND IPv4 is recommended. That's what I've been trying to accomplish. What I'm looking for here is something to grease the skids.
I know it's a multidimensional space and that the directon to be taken in seeking the optimum is not suggested from the results of a single step in one direction. Yet, that's the conclusion that folks often reach.
If a mix of IPv4 ONLY and IPv4+IPv6 is a problem, what *is* the problem? It might be good to know. (I can surely understand if there is a mix if IPv4 ONLY, IPv4+IPv6 and IPv6 ONLY). If I were to guess, it's that behavior of machines with IPv4+IPv6 may not be predictable in that former circumstance? That seems odd. But then I know not much at all about the interactions.
I know it's a multidimensional space and that the directon to be taken in seeking the optimum is not suggested from the results of a single step in one direction. Yet, that's the conclusion that folks often reach.
If a mix of IPv4 ONLY and IPv4+IPv6 is a problem, what *is* the problem? It might be good to know. (I can surely understand if there is a mix if IPv4 ONLY, IPv4+IPv6 and IPv6 ONLY). If I were to guess, it's that behavior of machines with IPv4+IPv6 may not be predictable in that former circumstance? That seems odd. But then I know not much at all about the interactions.
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Was it the one machine above? It seems to be just one above, so I would repair that machine and set it to have both IPv6 and IPv4 enabled and then see how the other machines work.
You will need to also have a router enabled with IPv6 in your network if you need SLAAC (automatic address management) to work.
Otherwise you need to setup IPv6 from DHCP correctly.
If a DNS response (mDNS or regular DNS) has an AAAA record in it it is preferred, if there are only A records IPv4 is used (albeit through the IPv6 stack using compatibility mode).
IF you have no IPv6 ISP connections there is no point in setting up IPv6 locally if you haven't taken care of infra structure for this.
(IPv6 is not only changed addresses, it is a redesign of IP including TCP & UDP layers).
Before "just" enabling IPv6 it might be wise to actually learn something about it, Here is a start: https://ipv6.he.net/certification/
Otherwise you need to setup IPv6 from DHCP correctly.
If a DNS response (mDNS or regular DNS) has an AAAA record in it it is preferred, if there are only A records IPv4 is used (albeit through the IPv6 stack using compatibility mode).
IF you have no IPv6 ISP connections there is no point in setting up IPv6 locally if you haven't taken care of infra structure for this.
(IPv6 is not only changed addresses, it is a redesign of IP including TCP & UDP layers).
Before "just" enabling IPv6 it might be wise to actually learn something about it, Here is a start: https://ipv6.he.net/certification/
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noci: Thanks for the input!
1) There is no DHCP except for a very few wireless clients.
2) There is nothing in the network enabled or, often, even capable of IPv6.
3) I'm not planning on actively doing anything re: IPv6 - so the learning would be luxuriously premature. Always nice of course. The main reason this comes up is because so many Experts suggest it be done. I still don't know what it offers in a local/Windows context. That's the only context that I'm interested in at the moment. "it is a redesign of IP including TCP & UDP layers" is more information but I'm simply ignorant of the potential benefits in a local Windows peer-to-peer network.
David Johnson: A very good point about preferences. Just a few days ago I'd not have been able to understand...
So, as I take it:
IPv6 is the default preference in Windows.
IF one is going to use IPv4 exclusively then perhaps it's more reliable to set IPv4 as the preferential protocol. I've never done this. I can't say that I've seen an example of where NOT doing it would matter - but it does represent a possible "gotcha", right?
1) There is no DHCP except for a very few wireless clients.
2) There is nothing in the network enabled or, often, even capable of IPv6.
3) I'm not planning on actively doing anything re: IPv6 - so the learning would be luxuriously premature. Always nice of course. The main reason this comes up is because so many Experts suggest it be done. I still don't know what it offers in a local/Windows context. That's the only context that I'm interested in at the moment. "it is a redesign of IP including TCP & UDP layers" is more information but I'm simply ignorant of the potential benefits in a local Windows peer-to-peer network.
David Johnson: A very good point about preferences. Just a few days ago I'd not have been able to understand...
So, as I take it:
IPv6 is the default preference in Windows.
IF one is going to use IPv4 exclusively then perhaps it's more reliable to set IPv4 as the preferential protocol. I've never done this. I can't say that I've seen an example of where NOT doing it would matter - but it does represent a possible "gotcha", right?
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My investigation into this started in my home lab. I use the router as my dhcp server. it also does dhcp6 which I never paid attention to. All of the VM's in my lab have static ipv4 addresses and I could not join the domain. First I'd disable ipv6 and join the domain and then re-enable ipv6.. This was a major PITA especially since I had several complete machine installation task sequences i.e. System Center Suite, Web Servers (wordpress/joomla/mediawik
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David Johson:
IMHO in your environment either enable ipv6 everywhere or set the preference to ipv4Reading back carefully, I wondered if this means to set the IPv4 preference AND leave IPv6 enabled? Or, to set the IPv4 preference AND uncheck IPv6 on the NICs?
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Thank you all!!
You are very welcome and I was happy to help.
so set ipv4 as preferred
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See Microsoft KB 929852