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Losing internet connection???

For the past 2 weeks I have been losing internet access....Cox Internet with Airport Extreme. Internet drops 1-3 times a day at random times, usually late at night or during the day when I am at work.


Here is the status via the Airport application....


User uploaded file


I have called the internet provider a number of times and have to have the modem/router reset to gain internet access... Should the status light on the router still be GREEN if no signal is coming from the modem?


I have a tech coming out to my house to check the line. I have also purchased a brand new modem and still having problems.

Posted on Nov 24, 2015 5:25 PM

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Posted on Nov 24, 2015 6:14 PM

I also had this problem and Cox telephone support was useless. After searching for hours on the Internet, I finally found the solution. Last week, Cox posted an article on its site that it's transitioning to IPv6. It seems that the Airport Extreme, which I also own, is not completely compatible with IPv6. I had to go into the Advanced Settings in Airport Utility (IPv6 settings) and change "Configure IPv6 - Automatically" to Link-local only. Since doing that yesterday morning, I haven't had any connection drops and my Internet speed has been great.

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Nov 24, 2015 6:14 PM in response to Leland P.

I also had this problem and Cox telephone support was useless. After searching for hours on the Internet, I finally found the solution. Last week, Cox posted an article on its site that it's transitioning to IPv6. It seems that the Airport Extreme, which I also own, is not completely compatible with IPv6. I had to go into the Advanced Settings in Airport Utility (IPv6 settings) and change "Configure IPv6 - Automatically" to Link-local only. Since doing that yesterday morning, I haven't had any connection drops and my Internet speed has been great.

Nov 24, 2015 7:04 PM in response to Leland P.

I forgot to mention that after I turned wifi off on my iPad, Airport Utility couldn't find my network. But I found a simple solution to that. I went into wifi settings on the iPad and just re-entered the network as a new network. I think unplugging and plugging the Airport Extreme back in will also work but I found it easier to add the network to the settings. I didn't have to reboot the modem.

Nov 25, 2015 10:35 AM in response to Clairefromaz

FWIW. The AirPort base stations do support IPv6, but possibly not all variations required by ISPs rolling-out IPv6. When selecting 'Link-local only' you basically disabled the WAN IPv6 capability and only have IPv6 on your local network.


The other options for IPv6 is 'Native' and 'Tunnel.' My guess is if Cox has implemented IPv6 in your area your base station may work with it using the Native mode. However, Cox should be able to provide you with the proper information including your assigned IPv6 address and a default IPv6 routing address.


Note that most consumer routers, not just those from Apple, do NOT include an IPv6 firewall so it may be possible that you will completely expose your local network to IPv6 traffic if you go this route.

Nov 25, 2015 12:07 PM in response to Tesserax

Are you saying that there are security risks with Link local only? If there aren't any and the connection isn't dropping, I'm okay with leaving it that way, at least for now.


Airport Utility was set to "Configure IPv6 - Automatically" as the default but with that option selected, the connection dropped once or twice a day. Cox technical support was totally useless when I explained that the connection was dropping. They didn't even think it was necessary to tell me that IPv6 was being implemented at exactly one day prior to my having problems. One of the technicians (the one with the wireless department) told me they couldn't help with wireless so I'm not too confident they would be able to help with security issues with IPv6. What are the disadvantages of leaving the option set to Link local only?


Thanks.

Nov 25, 2015 4:47 PM in response to Clairefromaz

Are you saying that there are security risks with Link local only? If there aren't any and the connection isn't dropping, I'm okay with leaving it that way, at least for now.

No risk with this option when set to 'Link-local only.' This used to be the default. Unless you have a need to use IPv6, this is the setting you will want to use. Sorry for any confusion that I may have caused.

Nov 25, 2015 8:36 PM in response to Tesserax

Either you have dysfunctional wires on the house either is problem with your internet provider. Try contact them.I had a similar issue. Random disconnections and sometimes tend to happened very often. Tried many things like you did and nothing worked.I figured out that the cables on the outlet where messed up due to a water leak from the upstairs neighbor. I changed it to a new outlet of the house which was in different cables and the connection got a little more stable but not much better.After contacting my internet provider, they sent a technician and he told me that it most likely problem from the provider. Currently im in the processes of changing internet provider.

User uploaded file

Nov 28, 2015 6:36 AM in response to Clairefromaz

Thank you so much. I have had this problem for two weeks. Sometimes I would lose my internet connection three times a day. I have spent hours on the phone with Cox technical folks, had three visits from Cox service people and no one ever mentioned the IPv6 issue. They checked all the cables, installed new connectors, re-wired my amplifier configuration and basically told me I should spend more $ by renting a Cox modem/router because they don't have any control over Apple products.

The IPv6 configuration appears to have solved my problem.

Ron D.

Nov 29, 2015 9:18 AM in response to Tesserax

Same problems with Cox and my AEBS that just popped up over the last week or so. Cox tech support makes you take the AEBS out of the loop and then when you can connect directly to the modem tells you the problem is on your end (and it is, kind of).


My AEBS was set (by default I believe) to configure IPv6 automatically in "Native" mode.


This resulted in the AEBS dropping the internet connection daily and sometimes several times a day. Same symptoms as the OP and the only temporary fix was to restart the AEBS via Airport Utility or unplug the AEBS from the wall and restart it that way. This fix would last for no more than 12-24 hours, IE I would go to bed and the connection was dropped by the morning.


I found this thread and changed the IPv6 configuration to "Link-Local' and so far all is well. I will test some more over the next few days and report back.


If I had to guess Cox is rolling out IPv6 and there is some type of incompatibility with their protocol and what the AEBS uses.


My neighbor across the street is having the same issues with almost exactly the same equipment I have and Cox also. In fact he asked me a week or so ago if I was having to reset my router too. This seemed to start the day before Thanksgiving, 11/25, in my area (Baton Rouge, LA).

Nov 30, 2015 10:24 PM in response to andycbr

I have been having this problem all week. I had a Cox technician come out and test the connections. The next day it failed again so today I bought a new modem. A few hours after installing it my internet dropped again. So glad I found this thread, I have set mine to "Link-local" as recommended, hopefully this will fix the problem. I'm in Prairieville, LA, mine started dropping on Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Jan 13, 2016 9:49 AM in response to Leland P.

I have had this similar issue in the BR area. I did have 1 technician, out of the 15 i have talked to mention the IPV6. But when he escalated me to tier 2 support from Cox they said BR did not have IPV6 being rolled out. not sure why they are trying to hide that fact. I just updated my airport extreme so hopefully this will resolve my problem of losing internet 2-3 times per day and having to restart everything. Thanks for the thread.

Jan 20, 2016 9:27 PM in response to Tesserax

I have had outages several time per day since the second week of Nov. I too was told to buy a new modem; since my modem was still under warranty, it was replaced with a new one but still did not fix the problem. Cox finally sent out an "network expert" cable guy and I was told to uncheck 'Enable IPv6 Connection sharing'; he claimed to fix many airport extreme users with this fix. I unchecked that box and it worked for 5 days, but now I am back to rebooting my modem several times per day. Interestingly, i never have to reboot my Airport extreme, I just restart my surfboard modem in Safari and it comes back online in a few minutes. when my internet goes down, I lose external internet connection but I can still see my nanny cams which are hard wire connect to my airport extreme.

Any idea if this fix is legit or is the cox cable guy just grabbing at straws?

Jan 23, 2016 6:12 PM in response to Leland P.

Same exact issue here since november with Cox and my Time Capsule. Tried a new modem, a new Time Capsule, and a new splitter, but nothing worked. Was on the phone with Cox a few times before someone finally mentioned the IPV6. So I changed the setting to "link local only".


this was yesterday. Today we already had an outage again. So this doesn't work.


I Sure would love to get an answer... Because at this point I'm very close to just leaving Cox altogether.

Jan 27, 2016 5:21 AM in response to Leland P.

I Too am with Cox in Baton Rouge and have an AE. Replaced my modem with the newer Arris modem (from Cox). Apple replace my router because it was still under warranty. Cox service calls have been useless. I Switched to link only setting on the AE this morning and will report back in a few days, but I have seen a couple of posts that say that didn't work either.

Losing internet connection???

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