Stumped on IPv6

Question

Tom--- Author

Level 1

5 points

Stumped on IPv6

Hardware: Airport Extreme 6th Generation

Firmware: 7.7.1

Hello,

I am stumped on how to get a working IPv6 config for this new Airport Extreme. Appreciate any guidance you can offer.

Situation: Native IPv6 Internet-connected network with a Cisco 2911 (IOS 15.0) gateway router. Apple Airport Extreme 6th Generation (7.7.1 firmware) connected to a network on one of the local router interfaces. Router is handing out IPv6 using SLAAC and all other devices on the same network work fine with IPv6.

Goal: Use the Airport Extreme to provide IPv6 connectivity to wireless clients.

Cisco Config (Local Network)

IPv6 Address: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:100::1/56

Static Route: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:101::/64 via 2001:aaaa:bbbb:100::3

Airport Config

Configure IPv6: Manually

IPv6 Mode: Native

IPv6 WAN Address: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:100::3

IPv6 Default Route: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:100::1 <=== Cisco Router

IPv6 Delegated Prefix: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:101::/64

IPv6 LAN Address: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:101::1

What happens: Wireless device (MB Pro OSX 10.8.4) connects to the Airport and is handed an IPv6 address in the 2001:aaaa:bbbb:101::/64 subnet (interesting is that the router address is listed as an fe80 address instead of the 2001:aaaa:bbbb:101::1 address assigned to the LAN interface). The wireless client can ping the Airport LAN Interface, Airport WAN interface and Cisco. Cisco Can ping IPv6 Internet. Wireless client cannot connect to IPv6 Internet.

Any suggestions? Anyone have a similar config that is working.

Thanks in advance.

--Tom

Posted on Aug 14, 2013 7:46 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 15, 2013 8:46 AM in response to Tom---

I have a 5th gen that I've been running with 7.6.1 and a very similar setup. The clients use the fe80 router address. It all works great.

I went to upgrate to 7.6.4 and I expereinced something similar to what you are seeing. I can ping6 between machines on the local network, but not out to the internet. Although I was assuming that the client machines were operating on cached IPv6 information and that possibly a new machine would not work. I didn't get time to test it as I reverted back to 7.6.1 and without changing anything else it worked once again.

It may not be you.

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Answer 2

Tom--- Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 16, 2013 7:06 AM in response to jonschwenn

Hello John,

Thanks for your reply on this. It appears that the 7.6.1 code is not compatible with 6th Generation (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1998). Assuming that 7.7.1 broke IPv6 routing then this seems like a pretty serious bug. If I had to guess I would say the AE is ignoring the configuration setting for "IPv6 Default Route"

Does Apple have a site for reporting bugs?

Thanks.

--Tom

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Answer 3

Aug 16, 2013 7:43 AM in response to Tom---

https://bugreport.apple.com

It's my honest opnion that not enough people are using native IPv6, especially in this manner, for them to notice.

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Answer 4

Tom--- Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 16, 2013 9:41 AM in response to jonschwenn

Hello Jon,

Thanks for that link. I suppose is doesnt hurt to ask, we'll see what happens. In the mean time here's a work-around that I was using on a 5th generation AE that also works with the 6th generation AE. It's not pretty, but it works:

Put the AE in Tunnel Mode and build a 6-in-4 tunnel from the Cisco to the AE.

2001:aaaa:bbbb:cccc = /64 on LAN side of router

2001:aaaa:bbbb:dddd = /64 to be used by AE wirless clients

1.2.3.4 = IPv4 address for router LAN interface

1.2.3.5 = IPv4 address for AE

Cisco Router

interface Tunnel0

no ip address

ipv6 address 2001:aaaa:bbbb:dddd::2/64

ipv6 enable

tunnel source 1.2.3.4

tunnel mode ipv6ip

tunnel destination 1.2.3.5

Airport Extreme

Connect Using: Static

IPv4 Address: 1.2.3.5

Router Address: 1.2.3.4

Configure IPv6: Manually

IPv6 Mode: Tunnel

Enable IPv6 Connection Sharing

IPv6 WAN Address: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:cccc::3

IPv6 Default Route: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:cccc::1

Remote IPv4 Address: 1.2.3.4

IPv6 Delegated Prefix: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:dddd::/64

IPv6 LAN Address: 2001:aaaa:bbbb:dddd::1

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Answer 5

Aug 16, 2013 3:28 PM in response to Tom---

That looks messy. 😟

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