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GABarber Author

Level 1

27 points

Airport Extreme and Cox Internet IPv6 Problem

This is a notification to others as well as a question:

I have Cox Cable High Speed Internet at several locations using an Airport Extreme 3GB connected as a router to the Cox cable modem.

For more than a week we would regularly find in the morning that the outside connection to the internet DNS servers were lost. We called Cox several times, and they performed the usual reset of router and modem and things seem to work for a while. But the next day gone again.

They came out and replaced the hookups, I I had to buy a new cable modem and replaced a digital switch. Each time things seemed to work for a while.

I thought about replacing the Airport Extreme (as I read others had done in a similar situation to no avail).

After much frustration, I started to search for Airport Extreme and DNS and found similar tales.

After several unproductive calls with Cox Internet first tier support, I finally reached a tier who acknowledged that Cox was rolling out IPv6 and was having a problem with Airport Extreme Routers. They said Apple was working on it and gave me a number to call at apple router support. Unfortunalely the number they gave was no longer valid.

I persisted and eventually got to Apple support and indeed they knew of the problem and said Cox was working on it.. But there was a temporary fix - and that was to turn off iPv6 on the airport extreme (more precisely (internet > Internet Options > Configure Ipv6 : Link-Local Only).

For now this seemed to stop the overnight drop that seems to happen between 12:00 AM and 2:00 AM. From experience I dont think its really an IPV6 compaibility issue, but how the router responds to some sort of reset signal/test signal that the service does in the early morning.

So the question is - does anybody know for sure whats going on or who is really working on this. From my perspective both camps think its the other's problem. BTW - Ive read about others with Non Apple routers chasing something similar.

Posted on Mar 2, 2016 9:03 PM

483 replies

May 25, 2016 7:38 AM in response to natalem3

I updated my Time Capsule and all three Airport Extremes (all latest model) but left the local link in place, which has worked fine for me with no loss of speed or connectivity.

natalem3

Level 1

28 points

May 25, 2016 7:40 AM in response to CromeYellow

I'll have to update mine and put it back to automatic and see what it does. my guess is it may take a day or two more for people to update and test this. I'll make sure to respond to this post with any information i get in the next few days.

May 25, 2016 7:40 AM in response to I_Dont_Want_A_Username

I'm agin the Google method. The Google method kept getting disconnected for me. Local link no problems at all for me.

Either this should work with standard Cox settings or just stick with local link, is my suggestion.

May 25, 2016 7:42 AM in response to CromeYellow

Ditto for me - updated latest model Airport Extremes (4) - no issues - left local link only which has been running fine for over 5 months.....

jimpal

Level 2

228 points

May 25, 2016 7:51 AM in response to CromeYellow

CromeYellow wrote:

. . . . Either this should work with standard Cox settings or just stick with local link, is my suggestion.

Agree. As I've reported for weeks, my system continues to work reliably with standard Cox and Apple settings (1pv6 Auto). Don't know why, it just does.

I did do the 7.7.7 update today. Mindful of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying, I hope I haven't just screwed things up.

May 25, 2016 7:55 AM in response to hipsterpdx

Still running after 12 hours with IPv6 and using Google DNS settings. Test-IPv6.com testing fails though, although the airport utility is showing an assigned IPv6 address, etc. IPv6 may be 'premature' on Cox now. IDK.

jimpal

Level 2

228 points

May 25, 2016 8:11 AM in response to I_Dont_Want_A_Username

I_Dont_Want_A_Username wrote:

Still running after 12 hours with IPv6 and using Google DNS settings. Test-IPv6.com testing fails though, although the airport utility is showing an assigned IPv6 address, etc. IPv6 may be 'premature' on Cox now. IDK.

Test 1pv6 gives me 10/10 with TC update 7.7.7, default Cox DNS and Apple 1pv6 Auto settings. All is well here in Williamsburg, VA, but will it last?

May 25, 2016 9:13 AM in response to jimpal

After deleting the IPv6 DNS entries for Google (provided from iJedie24 post), and updating, I now get 10/10 iPv6 readiness score from test-ipv6.com .

So, current config for this old Time Capsule is:

Configure IPv6 Automatically, IPv6 Mode Native, Enable IPv6 connection sharing, DNS Servers: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4, IPv6 DNS Servers <blank>, Network Options: Block incoming IPv6 connections, Allow incoming IPSec authentication

We'll see how it goes.

keg55

Level 6

11,743 points

May 25, 2016 9:36 AM in response to Space Ranger

Space Ranger wrote:

There is a new update - any idea if this may resolve our current ongoing issues?

Maybe.

I have the 802.11ac model (updated to 7.7.7 firmware update) and have set it back to IPv6 Configuration: Automatically. So far it's been stable for 12 hours using Cox's DNS and IPv6 DNS servers.

May 25, 2016 12:52 PM in response to keg55

Yeah, i mean while the link-local is a good bandaid fix, IPv6 needs to be addressed and shouldn't drop out. I get random reduced speeds on Link-local. sometimes its the expected speed but in certain instances it goes to 10Mbps-30Mbps when my connection is 150Mbps

May 25, 2016 6:08 PM in response to I_Dont_Want_A_Username

OK, well, a follow-up. Got back on Macbook at 6pm PT tonight and "No Internet". Required modem reboot. So...I'm assuming 7.6.7 firmware update on mid-2011 Time Capsule does not fix this issue. I will give it one more try with current settings as noted a couple of posts above, and then if it fails again within a day, I'll try the IPv4 "local link" setting. Sigh.

jimpal

Level 2

228 points

May 25, 2016 6:37 PM in response to I_Dont_Want_A_Username

I_Dont_Want_A_Username wrote:

OK, well, a follow-up. Got back on Macbook at 6pm PT tonight and "No Internet". Required modem reboot. So...I'm assuming 7.6.7 firmware update on mid-2011 Time Capsule does not fix this issue. I will give it one more try with current settings as noted a couple of posts above, and then if it fails again within a day, I'll try the IPv4 "local link" setting. Sigh.

While it seems this situation is getting better for some, looks like it hasn't become better for you. Still puzzling to me, because my system continues to work perfectly with default settings (see above).

I'm wondering if your cable connection to the modem might be the problem. The Cox installer will add a cable amplifier to your cable input if he finds the signal is too weak. The right way to do it is to split the incoming signal so a direct, unamplified portion will go to your cable modem, while the amplified portion should just go in the cable TV feed. If your signal to your modem is so weak that it must be amplified as well, then the installer may connect so both internet and TV are amplified.

The trouble is, many amplifiers are not suitable for the two-way transmission required for internet service, or an amplifier can fail (as my TV cable amplifier did a few weeks ago, causing DVR problems). My stable and reliable internet system directly feeds my modem without an amplifier. On the other hand, if you have a cable amplifier between the incoming cable connection and your internet modem, it can cause operating problems. Do you have a cable amplifier in your internet feed? If so, this might be causing the problems you are having.

Just a thought, and an attempt to understand why some of us are having no problems at all with our Cox and our Airport Extremes or Time Capsules, and others are continuing to have them.

May 25, 2016 6:50 PM in response to jimpal

I will set to default, which will use Cox's DNS rather than Google's IPv4 ones that I set. Perhaps that is the difference.

We don't have TV service, and have no splitters or amps in the service line. As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, Cox techs came out and did signal quality measurements, and installed new coax connectors on all connections as preventative maintenance (especially important in this coastal area). This included a new connector at the telephone pole. They were ready to pull new coax but decided it wasn't necessary.

Thanks for your thoughts - It's appreciated.

natalem3

Level 1

28 points

May 26, 2016 5:12 AM in response to I_Dont_Want_A_Username

I have a combination of the New AC Extreme and the old TC/Express. I have updated all my routers and set IPv6 to automatically and have been running for about 12 hours now. I was expecting my internet to be down this morning but wouldn't you know it! Its still up and running. While my issue wasn't happening every night, i will give an update if it goes down again... Its bound to happen soon if its going to happen at all.

keg55

Level 6

11,743 points

May 26, 2016 6:49 AM in response to keg55

I have the 802.11ac model (updated to 7.7.7 firmware update) and have set it back to IPv6 Configuration: Automatically. So far it's been stable for 12 hours using Cox's DNS and IPv6 DNS servers.

Unfortunately, my test only lasted 19 hours before I had to restart the AEBS. Went back to Link-local only.

Airport Extreme and Cox Internet IPv6 Problem