Probably, many users of computer systems, delving into network settings, noticed that in the list of protocols, in addition to the well-known IPv4, there is also a sixth version (IPv6). Setting up this protocol and everything connected with it will now be discussed in the review.
Actually, in simple terms, the sixth version of the protocol is simply the successor to the fourth version of IPv4, which was developed back in the 70s of the last century. Like its predecessor, the IPv6 protocol is responsible for network identification of computer terminals by assigning each of them a unique external address.
As for the differences, IPv6 is capable of generating a much larger number of unique addresses and, unlike the fourth version, which, even by the most conservative estimates, no longer copes with its direct function, uses a 128-bit combination rather than the outdated 32-bit standard . It is not difficult to guess that the number of generated addresses is increasing simply incredibly. Among other things, the level of connection security here is an order of magnitude higher, at least.
Setting up IPv6 (Windows 7 and higher)
But it was all theory. Let’s move on to practice and see how IPv6 Windows systems are configured, starting with “seven”. Windows XP, due to its declining relevance, will not be considered. Yes, and setting protocol parameters in it is somewhat more complicated.
But the so-called boxed versions of Windows 7 and higher systems are ready to use the sixth version of the TCP/IP Internet protocol immediately after installation. By and large, the user does not need to configure anything special. The main thing is to just enable the protocol itself.
Another thing is that the problem may lie with the provider's service. It either supports IPv6 or it doesn't. As a rule, large companies providing Internet connection services have active IPv6 at their disposal (the setting will be presented below) in this case it will be activated automatically by the provider.
Now another important point. Here you need to pay special attention to the connection itself, which is supposed to use the IPv6 protocol. The setup, if the user’s connection is via a wireless router, only involves activating it exclusively towards the provider, and specifically on the router, which will be discussed below. But the network parameters make no sense in using it.
So, the provider has an active DHCPv6 server. The user is wondering about activating the IPv6 protocol. The setup initially involves entering the network connections section. You can do this in the simplest way using the ncpa.cpl command, entered in the “Run” menu. Right-click on the adapter to open the menu and select the properties menu. In the new window, on the network tab, make sure that the protocol is checked, that is, its use is enabled.
Now we enter the properties of the IPv6 protocol. In the new window, as a rule, automatic parameters for obtaining an IP address and DNS server should be specified.
If automatic assignment of basic values is not provided, you need to find out the data from the provider and then enter it in the appropriate fields. For example, IP can be left in automatic assignment mode, and for DNS servers use combinations of the format XXXX:XXXX:XXXX::XXXX (or vice versa, use the desired IP and leave DNS in automatic mode). At the same time, you can also configure servers according to recommendations, for example, of some common services such as Google, Yandex, etc. Such settings can be found on the Internet.
Checking the settings are correct
Now you need to make sure that the protocol is enabled and working. To do this, right-click on the system tray icon and select the status bar, then click the details button.
If the new window contains the IPv6 value, everything is fine. In addition, today you can find quite a lot of specialized resources on the Internet that allow you to test the use of the IPv6 protocol online. There is no point in citing them all. Just search for the same Google and Yandex services.
IPv6 (Zyxel): setting up the protocol on routers
Finally, a few words about setting up the protocol on the router. For example, let's take the Zyxel models. You need to make sure in advance that the router has firmware version no lower than 2.00. To begin, we enter the router menu through the address bar of the browser (192.168.1.1) and use the login admin and password 1234.
In the settings you need to check the box next to the IPv6 protocol. Configuration is done by creating a new connection with automatic receipt of parameters (ideally, of course) or using special clients like web configurators or tunnel brokers. If this option does not work, you will have to use special commands and set the settings from the command line. Due to the complexity for the average user, the methodology is not given. But. If anyone has a desire, a complete list of commands can be found on the same Internet.
Conclusion
As you can see, setting up the IPv6 protocol is completely simple to both activate and configure. The most important condition here is support from the provider. Everything else is automated to the limit, so on Windows 7 and higher systems you can just enable the protocol and immediately start using it for an Internet connection.
When problems arise with the Internet connection, we usually begin to randomly climb through the wilds of the Windows operating system, and then stumble upon rather incomprehensible information in the state of our connection - an IPv6 connection without access to the network.
The thought immediately comes to mind that this is precisely the reason for the disappearance of your Internet. However, everything is far from what it seems. In this article, we will analyze in detail what IPv6 without network access means, whether this is a problem and whether something needs to be done about it.
What does IPv6 without network access mean?
You should immediately point out that this message in the “Status” window of your Internet connection is a completely normal indicator. IPv6 is a new protocol for IP that is currently used in few cases. Basically, most providers still use the older protocol - IPv4.
So if you see the message “IPv6 without network access,” then it’s okay—your connection is just using IPv4. It's also worth pointing out that when using a router, IPv4 is always used, so don't be surprised if you see it even if your ISP is using the latest IPv6 protocol.
However, this knowledge does not solve the problem that you still have problems with your Internet connection. It’s not just that you started digging into the system in search of some answers. Plus, your ISP may use IPv6. And what to do in this case? More on this below.
IPv6 connection without network access: how to fix it?
As mentioned above, if your provider does not use the new IPv6 protocol, then the message “IPv6 without network access” is quite appropriate and you don’t need to do anything about it. The same applies to users who use the services of a router, because in this case only the IPv4 protocol will be used.
However, what should you do if your provider still uses the latest IPv6 protocol and you receive the message “IPv6 without network access”? Well, many factors can create a problem, but as practice shows, the problem most often lies on the side of the provider itself.
As some may already know, providers in most cases issue unique IP addresses to their users using a special DHCP protocol, the task of which is to automatically distribute IP to network clients. In this case, you do not need to specify anything in the connection settings, since everything will be set automatically. However, if you are using a static IP address with IPv6, you may need to enter some information into your connection settings.
So what can you do if you have IPv6 without network access? Firstly, you can use the most old-fashioned method - just restart your computer. Sometimes various glitches occur in the operating system and your Internet connection may be blocked.
You can also try reconnecting to the network, which sometimes helps. Well, your connection's Details window still shows IPv6 without network access. In this case, let's try to enter the connection parameters ourselves.
- Press the keys Windows+R.
- Enter ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
- Right-click on your Internet connection and select Properties.
- Click on the component responsible for version 6 of the Internet connection.
- Next, click "Properties".
If you have a dynamic IP address, then you should have automatic IP settings and DNS server addresses set. If it is static, then you need to enter the necessary data in the IP and DNS fields. You need to find them out exclusively from your provider.
However, if you have a dynamic address, everything is set to receive settings automatically, and you still see the message “IPv6 without network access,” then you can try manually setting the DNS server address. For these purposes, you can use the DNS server addresses provided by Google. To do this, do the following:
So, we've got the situation figured out - the "IPv6 without network access" message in the Details window of your Internet connection is not a problem if your ISP does not use such an IP protocol. This only becomes a problem when he actually uses it, but you already know what to do in this case from the information described above.
Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter
Roskomnadzor can successfully block services that use IPv4, so they are switching to parallel use of the IPv6 standard, addresses in which it is impossible to block. Effective bypass of blocking is possible using the IPv4 protocol, which was developed back in the 80s. This is due to the extremely limited number of available IP addresses. IPv6 provides many more addresses and is supported by many ISPs, but must be configured manually. The problem is that it is not activated on most devices. Fortunately, setting up IPv6 on a computer is not difficult.
- Right-click on the Internet connection icon in the notification area on the taskbar, open Network and Internet settings.
- Select "Configure adapter settings", right-click on the icon of the adapter you are using and click "Properties".
- Check the box next to “IP version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”.
Now you need to get the IPv6 settings for the router and configure the router.
- Go to the website ipv6.ip4market.ru, enter your email address (IPv6 settings will be sent there) and phone number (the left one is fine, but the real one is better).
- Open the router settings in your browser (different routers have different control panel addresses) and install the component responsible for IPv6 operation, if it is not installed.
- The IPv6 section will appear in the control panel menu. Click "Add Connection" (or something similar) and complete the settings that were emailed to you. Save them.
Keep in mind that for IPv6 to work, this protocol must be supported by your ISP (you can check this with technical support), as well as by your router and network adapter. You can check whether your computer is configured to use IPv6 on the website
As you know, in computer systems with Windows OS on board, the TCP/IP protocol system is used to access the Internet, which provides for assigning each terminal a certain unique IP address, which is not repeated on any machine (meaning external IP). But today many are increasingly looking towards the IPv6 protocol. What it is, how to enable and configure it, will be discussed now. In addition, it will be possible to see the significant difference between IPv4 and IPv6, as well as find out the prospects for introducing new technology in the near future.
IPv6: what is it?
In simple terms, IPv6 is an improved version of the IPv4 protocol, which was developed back in the 70s of the last century.
In principle, in terms of the basic algorithms embedded in the IPv6 operating system, it is almost identical to the original approach. The only difference is in the assignment and distribution of addresses to computer terminals and the security system.
An ordinary user, when using Internet access, in most cases practically does not encounter IP addresses, since the so-called abbreviated DNS is responsible for all connection establishment procedures. However, in order to better understand the topic: “IPv6: what is it?”, You should understand a little about the basic principles of the functioning of this protocol.
A little history
At the dawn of the development of Internet technologies, a special method for identifying computer terminals was developed for quick and convenient access to the World Wide Web. As was then assumed, each machine should have a unique identifier, and one that would not be repeated even once.
The purpose of this approach was to route and transmit data on the Web or interconnected networks between servers and individual computers (for example, email). Agree, after all, a letter or message should be sent to a specific addressee. And with two or more identical IP addresses of terminals, delivery can be made to anyone. At that time there were no official mail servers, but POP3 and SMTP protocols were used.
It was in those years that the IPv4 protocol was developed, which involved the creation of a unique address in the form of four numbers of 8 bits each, which gave a total of 32 bits. Thus, we were talking about creating about four billion never repeated addresses.
Today the situation has changed, and, as it turns out, the IPv4 protocol is no longer able to generate new addresses. Some experts argue that it had exhausted its capabilities by 2009. It was then that many scientific minds began to think about how to expand the basic parameters. In fact, these developments in the form of an additional add-on for IPv4 were started back in the late 70s and then received the name ST protocol, then ST2, and a little later - the unofficial name IPv5. But this development never caught on, and was not even adopted in terms of long-term development. Today it is believed that the newest and most popular protocol will soon be IPv6.
Difference between IPv4 and IPv6 protocols
Now let's look at the main differences between these two systems. The most important thing is that the length of any IP address is 128 bits. Accordingly, the number of newly created unique identifiers can be increased almost indefinitely.
At the same time, IPv4 has many serious security problems in terms of data encryption, as well as bandwidth. In addition, in this system, during the same transfer of information, quite strong delays are observed, which negatively affects the operation of some network applications.
When developing IPv6, all this was taken into account, but the protocol itself has not yet been widely implemented, although it is present in the latest operating systems, it is not enabled by default. In addition, not all providers support Internet access at this level. It's good if there is such support. Otherwise, even after correct configuration in automatic mode, the user will receive a message that IPv6 is being used without access to the network. However, even if this protocol is not yet used, the main points of its inclusion and configuration still need to be considered.
How to enable IPv6 in Windows 7 and higher
So, first, let's look at systems like the "seven" and higher. Let's make a reservation right away: if, for example, you use a router (wireless router) at home, there is no point in configuring IPv6 to work on a local network, except perhaps only in the direction of the provider. But if the cable is connected directly, then yes.
First, you should check whether the protocol is enabled on the system. This can be done quite simply by entering the ipconfig command in the command line (call via cmd in the Run menu or the combination Win + R). If there is no mention of IPv6 on the screen, you will have to enable the protocol manually.
How to enable IPv6? Yes, it’s easy to use the network connections section in the standard “Control Panel,” but it’s easier to enter the ncpa.cpl command in the same “Run” menu.
Now select the adapter network and enter its properties. Here you should check the box next to the protocol name, and then configure it (this will be discussed separately).
Enable IPv6 in Windows XP
Now let's look at the XP version of Windows. In principle, IPv6 can also be enabled in this system through the properties of network connections in the Control Panel, but it is easier to do this from the command line, where the following commands are written sequentially:
Netsh (+ input),
Interface (+ input),
IPv6 (+ input),
Install (+ input).
Enabling the protocol from the “Control Panel” is identical to the case described above.
Automatic setup
Now let's look at the IPv6 configuration. The Internet connection will only benefit from this (again, the setting is only relevant if the provider supports this protocol).
In most cases, to correctly configure the IPv6 address received by the computer terminal, you do not need to manually enter it. This is due to the fact that almost all large provider companies have an active DHCPv6 server in their own network, from which, in fact, IP is assigned, that is, the server itself issues an IPv6 address to a specific machine.
Thus, for the simplest setup, you should use the fields for automatically obtaining the IP address and DNS server address. If automatic configuration is not possible, but IPv6 is supported, the IP address can be obtained automatically, but the values for the preferred DNS server will have to be entered manually. And there are some snags here.
How to enable IPv6 is probably already clear. Now a few words directly about setting up an alternative configuration.
As mentioned above, the main role here is to set the correct values for the preferred and alternative DNS server. For practical use, the following data should be entered (for example, for Google services):
The preferred DNS is 2001:4860:4860::8888.
Alternate DNS - 2001:4860:4860::8844.
Proxy settings can be left unchanged. In most cases, a proxy server is not used for local addresses.
It goes without saying that you can use, say, addresses for Yandex services, etc. This does not play a special role in this case. However, it is best, if possible, to find out the parameters of an alternative configuration from the provider. As they say, it will be more reliable. However, as practice shows, in most cases automatic settings work just fine.
Checking work
So, the switching on is done. Now all that remains is to make sure that the protocol is actually enabled and works without problems.
To check the connection we use the same ipconfig command. After all correctly performed procedures and settings, the protocol should be displayed on the screen. If you set out to view the address, you can simply click on the icon in the system tray and select the status menu. The same can be done from the “Control Panel”, where you select the appropriate section of network connections and then go to the active connection.
Instead of an afterword
That, in a nutshell, is all about the IPv6 protocol. What this is, I think, is already a little clear. As you can see, the settings, in general, are not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. All of them are available in the corresponding sections in the “Control Panel”. True, in XP it is better to use the command line.
According to most experts, in the coming years there will be a complete transition to a new type of protocol, since it has quite great prospects, as well as a more advanced operating system. After all, if you look, the matter is no longer limited to computers alone. What does the incredibly increased amount of mobile equipment consist of, but in order to access the Internet, each such device is also assigned a unique identifier. So IPv4 simply cannot cope with such an impossible task.
It is believed that in the near future the use of mobile gadgets will increase even more. Well, the new address distribution system based on the IPv6 protocol will help to cope with this situation. The future lies with it, especially since, due to the increasing number of devices that require connection to the World Wide Web, the new protocol has much more capabilities for providing addresses, and even greater bandwidth.
